Summer Research writing beta

Summer Research: Writing the Personal Statement: 

Summer Research: Writing the Personal Statement © Brett Westbrook, Ph.D. 2007

The take-away . . .: 

The take-away . . . ways to get started basic understanding of what’s required what to avoid in a personal statement writer’s block help

Understanding the Process: 

Understanding the Process Writing is a process. Write. Re-write. Re-write. Read it aloud. Re-write. Get someone else to read it aloud. Re-write.

Einstein drafted his essays.: 

Einstein drafted his essays. Draft of Einstein’s essay, “Religion and Science.” The English-language version appeared in the New York Times, November 9, 1930. Image from publicradio.org Note: evidence of drafting. Note: evidence of drafting. Note: evidence of drafting.

Van Gogh sketched.: 

Van Gogh sketched. www.vggallery.com Painters draw as a way to figure out what they want to put in the painting.

“Drafting” a math solution: 

“Drafting” a math solution Math students do math in order to arrive at a solution.

Writing in order to create.: 

Writing in order to create. Artists figure out what they’re drawing through drawing. Students solve math problems by doing math. Similarly, you write in order to know what you’re writing about. image source: www.greatwar.nl/hemingway/farewelldraft.jpg Draft of 1st page of Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms

Understanding the Process: 

Understanding the Process Athena may have sprung full-grown from Zeus’ forehead, but that’s not how personal statements get written. You don’t just think up the entire 250 words in your head and then watch it jump out onto the page all in one go. Whoa. Bummer. Too bad. Trial and error; focus and re-focus. Drafts. Actual drafts. Just like a drawing. Just like a math solution. Which leads us to . . . .

WRITING MYTH No. 1: “I do my best work under pressure.”: 

WRITING MYTH No. 1: “I do my best work under pressure.” Bill Watterson

What does procrastination do for you?: 

What does procrastination do for you? It gets you over the inertia.

High stakes = Pressure = Inertia: 

High stakes = Pressure = Inertia hard to get started when the stakes are high feeling of loss of control when you don’t know how the essay will be received difficulty summarizing everything in only 250 words

Getting over the inertia and still having time to draft . . .: 

Getting over the inertia and still having time to draft . . . Writing Center consultants read anything, even personal statements do not require a draft help you brainstorm how to start Set up a writing group make a deadline to present to your writing group have a draft to read aloud Set up any kind of deadline that you’ll respond to

Overcoming inertia . . .: 

Overcoming inertia . . . Overcoming inertia means removing road blocks before you even begin. Start with the prompt. Go to the Writing Center; you don’t even need a draft. Don’t try to write the entire essay in your head all at once. Don’t edit as you compose. Don’t apply the control strategies on the first draft.

Seriously, I can’t get started . . .: 

Seriously, I can’t get started . . . If for some odd reason you won’t go to the Writing Center, which is free . . . YOU CAN . . . . write a letter to someone you are close to, but who is not an authority figure. tell your favorite cousin, aunt, an adult who helped you in high school why you’re so excited about doing research at this institution. explain to a cynical Philistine who couldn’t care less about research what you will get out of a summer research program. Advantage: low-stakes writing.

But how do I know what THEY want?: 

But how do I know what THEY want?

First Steps . . .: 

First Steps . . . Figure out how much space you’ve actually got to work with. What does 250 words look like?

Slide17: 

“New Shoes,” words and music by Paolo Nutini Woke up cold one Tuesday, I'm looking tired and feeling quite sick, I felt like there was something missing in my day to day life, So I quickly opened the wardrobe, Pulled out some jeans and a T-Shirt that seemed clean, Topped it off with a pair of old shoes, That were ripped around the seams, And I thought these shoes just don't suit me. CHORUS: Hey, I put some new shoes on, And suddenly everything is right, I said, hey, I put some new shoes on and everybody's smiling, It’s so inviting, Oh, short on money, But long on time, Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine, And I'm running late, And I don’t need an excuse, 'cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes. Woke up late one Thursday, And I'm seeing stars as I'm rubbing my eyes, And I felt like there were two days missing, As I focused on the time, And I made my way to the kitchen, But I had to stop from the shock of what I found, A room full of all my friends all dancing round and round, And I thought hello new shoes, Byebye them blues. CHORUS Take me wondering through these streets, Where bright lights and angels meet, Stone to stone they take me on, I'm walking to the break of dawn. (x2) CHORUS (x2)

Slide18: 

219 WORDS

Determine your audience:: 

Determine your audience: Check the website. Who is reading this? Academics? Business people? Non-profit people? Government workers? Scientists? Non-scientists? Some or all of the above? They read 100s or 1000s of these.

Take a few notes: 

Take a few notes Which faculty engage in research that interests you? Look for this information at their home institutions, not the REU site. What does this institution’s facility offer to you that UT does not? What specifics about the program appeal to you? Use this information where appropriate in your personal statement.

Tone:: 

Tone: Depends on the audience. Formal but not stodgy. Use the 1st person. No slang. Informative. Excited.

Slide22: 

I said, “Use the 1st person.” REMEMBER: Scientists and mathematicians have a passion for what they do. Show your excitement! Your enthusiasm! Remember what brought you to science or math in the first place. Sea monkeys! The Pythagorean Theorem! That box of railroad flares! It’s a PERSONAL statement, so be personal. Yippee! Math!

Structure:: 

Structure: Let the prompt be your guide. What are the command verbs? Describe List Explain Justify

Working with the prompt: 

Working with the prompt A 250 word essay DESCRIBING your INTEREST in RESEARCH and how this OPPORTUNITY would ADVANCE your GOALS.

Control of Content:: 

Control of Content: What does your resume tell them? What does your resume leave out? What can you elaborate on? What is something new to add?

Control Strategies:: 

Control Strategies: No vague nouns. something experience hopes dreams No jargon. No acronyms. No subjunctive (would, should, could) No “there is” or “there are” constructions. Avoid –ing constructions. Avoid forms of the verb, “to be.”

Slide27: 

“First, they came for the verbs, and I said nothing because verbing weirds a language. Then they arrival for the nouns, and I speech nothing because I no verbs.” Peter Ellis Bill Waterson

Use strong verbs.: 

Use strong verbs. You’ve heard this before, from countless, usually female, English teachers. But it’s still true. Use strong verbs because they convey information efficiently. Go here: http://cns.utexas.edu/career%5Fservices/students/resume_prep.asp Scroll down to “Action Verbs.”

Control Strategies:: 

Control Strategies: Strong verbs: I was the director of all writing projects. (8 words) or I directed all writing projects. (5 words)

Control Strategies:: 

Control Strategies: “There is” or “There are . . .” Do you need the sentence at all? If so, find the verb. The real verb.

There is/there are: 

There is/there are There are many options for you to consider. (8 words) Consider the options. (3 words)

Control Strategies: 

Control Strategies The –ing construction takes up too many words, using some form of the verb “to be.” EXAMPLE: I was going. BECOMES I went. I was studying BECOMES I investigated.

Control Strategies:: 

Control Strategies: Example: When I thought about it, I knew I wanted to become a researcher. 13 words Subject = I 4 verbs Verb = knew 1 potential verb

Control Strategies:: 

Control Strategies: Research became important to me. 5 words. Subject = Research 1 verb. Verb = became 1 potential verb.

Common Writing Concerns: : 

Common Writing Concerns: This doesn’t sound right. Commas: When in doubt, leave it out. Punctuation in general. If you have to mess with the punctuation, re-write the sentence If you can’t tell whether to use a singular or plural verb, re-write the sentence. Which leads us to . . . .

WRITING MYTH No. 2:Essay-Speak Sounds Smart: 

WRITING MYTH No. 2: Essay-Speak Sounds Smart

Lose the thesaurus: 

Lose the thesaurus Over-wrought vocabulary Never use the word “prestidigitation” when “sleight of hand” will do. (Just make sure to use “sleight,” not “slight.”) Which leads us to the biggest “DON’T” of all.

I just want to help people.: 

I just want to help people. Never say this. Even if it’s true. Think of something else. Seriously. "I can't!" she thought wildly. "I can't! I'm afraid!" Then she caught herself sharply. She raged at herself, "You have to face these dangers. If we don't go over there and act as a field hospital, men will die. Whether you can or can't isn't even a question--you must!" (Cherry Ames, Chief Nurse, 1944 p. 194) http://www.elliemik.com/warnurses2.html

IMPORTANT!!!: 

IMPORTANT!!! Draft first. Then apply control strategies. Do a search for “ing,” “there is,” and “there are” AFTER you’ve got a draft. IT’S NEVER DONE. IT’S JUST DUE.

The 2nd best writing tip you ever got . . . .: 

The 2nd best writing tip you ever got . . . . Read your draft out loud The best writing tip you ever got . . . . Get a friend to read your draft out loud to you. writing tip

Getting Help:: 

Getting Help: Undergraduate Writing Center, FAC 211 Faculty TAs Anyone willing to read the essay out loud to you. Do not underestimate the power of this exercise.

The Final Product:: 

The Final Product: Proofed. No run-on sentences. No fragments. Read the essay out loud.

Summary . . .: 

Summary . . . overcome inertia by going to the Undergraduate Writing Center drafts low-stakes writing let the prompt be your guide exercise control strategies talk about your writing with others never say, “I just want to help people”

A coda . . .: 

A coda . . .

End Apostrophe Abuse Today: 

End Apostrophe Abuse Today Seriously, stop using an apostrophe to indicate the plural. Stop it now. Really. Where did you learn that anyway? It’s really, really wrong. The Apostrophe Protection Society urges you to end the sad abuse of apostrophes.

Apostrophe Protection Society: 

Apostrophe Protection Society I’t exist’s. http://www.apostrophe.fsnet.co.uk/ Th’ey hav’e reall’y go’od expla’nation’s of ho’w to avoi’d abus’ing ones apo’strophe’s. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘

Go to the Undergraduate Writing Center!!!: 

Go to the Undergraduate Writing Center!!! Flawn Academic Center 211 | 512-471-6222

Thank you for your attention: 

Thank you for your attention Ernestine agonized for hours over how to close her summer research application letter.