OCN 750 Class #13: April 15 Writing! Announcements
Return/Review Cover letters Writing tips Specific (nitty-gritty) -
Barb General (big picture) - Michele Looking ahead
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Announcements & Check-Ins Other announcements? Michele?
Pls. return if pau Tues 4/15 at 7pm Thurs 4/17 at 6:30 pm ENSO
& Hawaii's Climate (Businger & Lance)
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Cover Letter: Format Limit to 1-2 pages Use standard business
letter format Make it easy to read Can be mailed, emailed, uploaded
(see job ad) Save as a PDF, even if youre mailing it If submitting
by email, include cover letter as attachment
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Standard Business Letter Format (modified block)
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Standard Business Letter Format (full block)
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Body of Cover Letter First Paragraph Explain that you are
applying for a job. Include position name, number and where you
learned about the job. Convey your interest in the position. Middle
Paragraph(s) Describe what you have to offer the employer. Dont
simply restate whats on your CV. Instead, show how your
qualifications match those in the job ad. Make strong connections
between your abilities and their needs, and back up your statements
with evidence. Add a personal touch! Use several shorter paragraphs
or bullets rather than one large block of text. Final Paragraph
Conclude your cover letter by expressing your interest in the
position and thanking the employer for considering your
application.
http://jobsearch.about.com/lr/cover_letters/28157/2/
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Body of Cover Letter First Paragraph Explain that you are
applying for a job. Include position name, number and where you
learned about the job. Convey your interest in the position. Middle
Paragraph(s) Describe what you have to offer the employer. Dont
simply restate whats on your CV. Instead, show how your
qualifications match those in the job ad. Make strong connections
between your abilities and their needs, and back up your statements
with evidence. Add a personal touch! Use several shorter paragraphs
or bullets rather than one large block of text. Final Paragraph
Conclude your cover letter by expressing your interest in the
position and thanking the employer for considering your
application.
http://jobsearch.about.com/lr/cover_letters/28157/2/
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Be Positive My academic background in... will also facilitate
my participation in research at your institution. (neutral) My
research has been largely focused on.... (something specific).
Nevertheless, I have received very solid academic training in a
range of science fields. (negative)
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Writing tips from famous authors
http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/writing-advice-from-famous-authors
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Grammar and Writing Style (Review)
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Style Tips Use clear, concise sentences Avoid rambling/run-on
sentences Use shorter words use, not utilize; near, not in close
proximity to Avoid unnecessary jargon If essential to use jargon,
define clearly Avoid empty words It is important to note ; Needless
to say Avoid tautologies round in shape; actual fact; I saw it with
my own eyes
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Active vs. Passive Voice Active: Hard work produces good
results. Passive: Good results are produced by hard work. General
Rule: Use the active as much as possible.
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Writing tips from famous authors
http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/writing-advice-from-famous-authors
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Be Concise: Avoid unnecessary words I am writing this letter to
apply for... My thesis research studies have been focused on
Cruises aboard research vessels...... My Master's degree and my PhD
studies......
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Be Concise: Avoid Expletive Constructions There are twenty-five
people who are interested in . Twenty-five people are interested in
. It is probable that food prices will rise. Food prices will
probably rise.
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Be Concise: Avoid unnecessary phrases Citizens who knew what
was going on voted for Smith. Knowledgeable citizens voted for
Smith. Low levels of ozone in the stratosphere have been linked to
an outbreak in cancer of the skin in recent times. Low
stratospheric ozone levels have been linked to a recent skin cancer
outbreak..
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Outlining Freewriting Approaches to Writing }
complementary
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Freewriting Writing for several minutes Without stopping In
sentences In private - no reader No structure needed
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Writing tips from famous authors
http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/writing-advice-from-famous-authors
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Why Freewriting? To find topics (and sub-topics) As a warm-up
for writing To get into the writing habit To develop confidence To
develop fluency writing in different ways at different stages in
the project
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Why Outline? It is difficult to get the fine detail of a piece
of writing right while maintaining the larger- scale flow of
argument The purpose of an outline is to separate out these two
aspects of the writing task
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Put Title Here 1) 2) 3)
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Why SOEST should no longer offer OCN 750 1) 2) 3) 1) Costs too
much 2) Material not appropriate 3) Grad students cant spare the
time a) Cost to SOEST: $ ____ in instructor salaries b) Yet, most
students arent in SOEST c) Students forced to spend $ on snacks a)
Grad students dont need professional development b) Too hard for
some; too easy for some c) Its subversive (e.g., they discuss
diversity) a) OCN 750 takes 2 hours/week + homework b) Plus they
have to do a class project c) This time would be better spent on
research
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Topic Sentence Defines the content of a paragraph (usually
first sentence, sometimes second) Should understand content of
piece of writing by reading topic sentence alone. Paragraph
structure: Topic sentence Supporting information/argument Link to
next paragraph
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Outlining Freewriting Binging vs. Snacking? Approaches to
Writing } complementary
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Break
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Outlining Freewriting Binging vs. Snacking? Approaches to
Writing } complementary
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Optional assignment due today Planning timeline for completion
of your next paper (manuscript, thesis chapter, paper for a class)
All share 1. What are you working on? 2. Which step(s) do you find
most challenging?
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Writing can be a monumental task. If you wait for a big block
of time (to climb the mountain): 1)That time never comes 2)The task
becomes more intimidating Add a picture here Binging vs.
Snacking
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How do you break this task into manageable steps? Write before
youre ready! See class directory Publish & Flourish Tara Gray
(12-step program) Boice (studied habits of productive academics)
Brian Martin, Doing Good Things Better edited by Rob Toonen for his
PD class
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12 Steps Tara Gray Publish & Flourish 1. Write daily for 15
30 minutes. 2. Record time spent writing daily & share records.
3. Write from the first day of your project. 4. Post your thesis on
the wall, then write to it. 5. Organize around key sentences. 6.
Use key sentences as an after-the-fact outline. 7. Share early
drafts with non-experts. 8. Share later drafts with little-e
experts and Capital-E Experts. 9. Learn how to listen. 10. Respond
to each criticism. 11. Read your prose out loud. 12. Kick it out
the door and make em say No. Reactions?
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1. Write daily for 15 30 minutes. 2. Record time spent writing
daily & share records. 3. Write from the first day of your
project. 4. Post your thesis on the wall, then write to it. 5.
Organize around key sentences. 6. Use key sentences as an
after-the-fact outline. 7. Share early drafts with non-experts. 8.
Share later drafts with little-e experts and Capital-E Experts. 9.
Learn how to listen. 10. Respond to each criticism. 11. Read your
prose out loud. 12. Kick it out the door and make em say No. 3
Steps Tara Gray Publish & Flourish
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Write from the first day of your project HOW? DO: Write daily
for 15-30 minutes Start by writing new words Report to a mentor or
colleague AVOID: Criticizing your writing as you go along =
Freewriting
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In which order would you write these sections? Introduction
Methods Results text figures/tables Discussion Write from the first
day of your project WHAT?
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In which order would you write these sections? Introduction
Methods Results text figures/tables Discussion Write from the first
day of your project WHAT? Write along with your research. Writing =
doing; = thinking; = creating a story; = assembling pieces; =
typing rough text; = revising your ideas; etc etc etc =
wordsmithing.
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Tip: Assemble your figures and tables (or ideas about them)
into slides. Addresses Grays steps: Write from the first day of
your project. Organize around key sentences.
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On slide: Figure caption Other ways to show the data? a) Plot
differently b) Analyze differently c) Maybe this is a waste of your
time. Take-home message of your figure or table. (Key Sentence or
Topic Sentence) In text document: 1 paragraph of methods (if not
started already) 1 paragraph of results Note: The figure can show
actual data or notes on your potential figure.
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Example Figures from Ch. 2, circa Sept 2011 Marine Ecology
Progress Series Ms. No. 201401002 Title: Toxigenicity and
biogeography of the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia across distinct
environmental regimes in the South Atlantic Ocean Very rough
figures help you to: 1)Document your methods as you go along
2)Experiment with different stories 3)Determine if you conducted
the right analyses 4)Write using a foundation!
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18,19 20 21
27,26,25,24,23 22 Angola Namibia Figure 3. continued. This is
Dianas most recent version of the SST-overlain plot, with more
sensitive color-coding of SST. I like this color range, but the
final version needs to be zoomed in so as to minimize inclusion of
land mass this will also allow more space in order to put regime
codes on top of station locations. NOTE: Using SST as background
may imply that temp is one of most important biogeographical
drivers in this study. Instead, we could use chl as background
instead, b/c regimes broadly group into coastal vs oligotrophic vs
transition (and chl is a good marker of these regions). Brazi l
Final version: revised, as described above.
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15 16 17 18, 19 20 21 22 27, 26, 25, 24, 23 Note: Station
locations are just approximated on this figure for now. Figure 1.
Final version: This work ended up just being described in the
text.
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Chlorophyll (g/L) Station > 10 m 1.2 10 m 0.7 - 1.2 m Figure
4.Also look at alternative version, with up to 100% on y axis
(relative proportion of size fractions) Final version: Included two
panels of same data absolute chl and relative
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Figure 9?? Canonical Correspondence Analysis: Axes 1 and 3 8
important OTUs: 135 149 153 161 195 219 221 225 Final version: What
a mess. Ended up using a different analysis that was visualized
more easily.
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1. Write daily for 15 30 minutes. 2. Record time spent writing
daily & share records. 3. Write from the first day of your
project. 4. Post your thesis on the wall, then write to it. 5.
Organize around key sentences. 6. Use key sentences as an
after-the-fact outline. 7. Share early drafts with non-experts. 8.
Share later drafts with little-e experts and Capital-E Experts. 9.
Learn how to listen. 10. Respond to each criticism. 11. Read your
prose out loud. 12. Kick it out the door and make em say No. 3
Steps Tara Gray Publish & Flourish
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Tip: Practice TALKING about your writing. Give many talks
formal and informal. Describe a key point to a friend or family
member then write down what you said. Form a writing group with
colleagues outside your main focus.
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Tip: When minor binging is unavoidable, make it fun. Pomodoro
technique: 25 min per task 3-5 min break Caffeine and peer pressure
Self-care on longer breaks
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Writing: Learning Outcomes Review common grammar & style
points Learn strategies for making writing manageable Identify
concrete steps you will take
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Writing Resources ASM Scientific Writing & Publishing
Institute http://www.asmgap.org/index.php/presentation-slides-
handouts-publishing-institute (2014 slides) Strunk & White
Elements of Style Gray Write Daily (summary) Martin Doing Good
Things Better (writing) Toonen Writing & Publishing More; How
to Submit a Paper
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Next week (4/22) Class Topic: Teaching Philosophy Workshop
Assignment Due: Upload/update your online profile Email the link to
[email protected]
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Your project presentations 4/29, 5/6 Audience only classmates,
or others? Format please aim for Presentation: 12 min Questions: 3
min Please sign up -- 4/29 5 presentations 5/6 3 presentations Your
project reflection will be due on the day when you are not
presenting.