ILP workshops begin this weekend

On September 25th at all Suburban Campuses, the Writing Center will be hosting a workshop for any SNL student interested in brainstorming, developing, proposing, or writing an Independent Learning Pursuit.

If you:

• want to do an ILP but do not know where to begin;
• have begun your ILP but want some guidance as you work through the process;
• have a draft of an ILP that you would like to workshop;
• want to develop a proposal and schedule for completing your ILP;

this workshop is the place for you! The workshops will take place at the Naperville, Oak Forest, and O'Hare campuses following the regularly scheduled Suburban Campus Writing Groups. To reserve your spot, contact Tom McNamara.

Writing Tools for Back-to-School Time

Write or Die by Dr. Wicked (http://writeordie.drwicked.com/about.html). If you have a hard time getting started writing or tend to get stuck, try this fun tool to get words flowing. Cost: Free.

Freedom (http://macfreedom.com/). Use this handy tool to block your internet access for a set period of time if every time you start on a writing project, you find yourself checking your e-mail, CNN, Slate.com, your e-mail, Facebook, and so on. Cost; $10.

The Citation Machine (http://citationmachine.net/) and KnightCite http://www.calvin.edu/library/knightcite/ are both applications that will help you create correct citations in a variety of citation styles. Cost: Free.

Endnote is software that will help you with citations and allows you to build a searchable database of sources for big research projects. DePaul has a site license for Endnote, which means you can download it for free through Campus Connect. To learn more, see http://library.depaul.edu/About/displayFAQ.aspx?f=160. Cost: Free to DePaul students.

How to Cite a Cereal Box by Martine Courant Rife, JD, PhD

This video teaches the fine art of extrapolating from citation "rules" to fit the many kinds of sources not covered by any specific rule. It makes the point that MLA (as well as APA) citation styles are not a set of rules so much as a set of principles that you can learn how to apply.

Thanks to SNL Writing Instructor Kathryn Wozniak for finding this video.

New Opportunity to take Academic Writing for Adults and earn 2 competences

Registration is now open for Writing Together – Exploring Academic and Community Literacies. This fall course offered at the Loop campus is the required Academic Writing for Adults (L4) Competence, with an additional community-based service learning component. In addition to practicing the much-needed academic writing skills that are key to success at the School for New Learning, students in this class will be trained to lead writing workshops for Chicago area adults who participate in community programs that offer literacy and other adult education courses. Students in this course will complete 20 hours of community service by leading a 4-5 week personal narrative writing workshop in the community. Students will also have the opportunity to tell their own stories in an in-class writing workshop and use academic writing to explore literacy themes.

This class is excellent for current and future teachers, writers, students interested in the nonprofit sector, students interested in popular education, individuals interested in spreading a love of writing to Chicago’s low-income communities and anyone who would like to earn the L4 competence with either the H2H or H2X competence. The syllabus for this course can be viewed on the SNL web site: http://snl.depaul.edu/WebMedia/People/LL_153.pdf