BG, BG, BG!

After reading Bedford Guide, Chapters 7-9, I have to admit I was still pretty bored by this book. It just kind of annoys me how the authors state the obvious. I have taken so many classes that require research papers, but each one has always been different. I agree with their checklists, because it is very important to make sure you have all the necessary components of the paper in order for the paper to be done efficiently.
My senior year of high school, I was taught the best way to stay organized when writing a research paper. We were required to have a note card box and empty note cards with dividers. Each divider separated one of the central ideas of the paper. Anytime during the research process, if we came across a statistic, or a quote, we were to "cite" the source on the top of the note card, write out the quote or stat, and then file it in our note card box. This really helped keep the research organized. It also helped us to smooth out the paper writing process. Even though we ended up having a lot more note cards than we needed at the end, it still really helped show that we had done a thorough job of researching.
Last class was really enjoyable for me. I like how we all try to expand our minds by competing with the grammar snob book. It really opened up my eyes to how much differently each of us have been taught in the past. It doesn't make us all bad writers, or make us all good writers, it just means that we all have a different perspective on how to write. I really appreciate a class that allows us to work in groups and discuss issues about tutoring with one another. I feel like we all give each other helpful advice and I really appreciate it.
I'm glad that chapter 9 of the Bedford Guide approached "coping with different tutoring sessions" because it is so true that not all sessions go perfectly. I think in situations like that, when the writer is asking for help with someone different like a "history book review," that it is important as the tutor that we realize that we can learn something from them.
On a more humorous side, I was talking to my sister yesterday about how we had a class discussion about commas. She was really excited to hear what we came up with because she said "My commas are all over the place!" Not to mention, she's an exceptional cook, so she especially loved Professor McKinney's tip of advice about it being garlic. Even though, she said that she always puts too much garlic on stuff because its "delicious, and healthy for you!" I think she still got the idea behind it though! :)