Randall
Rightmire, UCSB
rightmire@linguistics.ucsb.edu
Los Padres CATESOL Fall
Conference
October 14, 2006
Abstract: Ever wished for an easier, faster way to finish a
pile of student papers? Used right, a computer is the most efficient way
to make comments or corrections on student writing. In this workshop, you’ll
learn to teach a “paperless” writing class: exchanging papers with students
online; marking up documents in ways that highlight what they need to improve
and how to improve it; linking to web pages for instruction specially tailored
to their errors.
Click
here to download the ESL Writing Toolbar.
What is “cyber-grading”?
Use web or e-mail to exchange papers with students
Use your computer to mark e-copy of student work
Turn a student paper into a hypertext learning tool
Problems:
Spilled coffee, etc.
Dull/broken pencils
Embarrassed student
Late papers
Homework eaten by dog
Writing the same comments over and
over (writer’s cramp)
Schlepping papers
Misplacing papers
Not enough space in margins
Time!
Solutions:
Late papers e-mailed in before the next class
“Rubber stamp” tools for repetitive tasks
Your comments are legible
A record of your comments
Students can’t lose their first drafts
Students love technology!
Use samples of student’s writing without retyping
Submit the essay to plagiarism
prevention sites like Turnitin.com and iThenticate.com
Copy and paste into a search engine to check for plagiarism without retyping
Caveat:
Technology is not without problems of its own.
Examples:
Writing your comments and corrections into the text
Using Word’s “insert comments” feature
Using Word’s “insert hyperlink” feature
Using boldface and strikethrough text
A custom toolbar that inserts commonly used comments
Part Two: Workshop
Explore student papers
Explore Internet links
Practice using rubberstamps
Inserting a hyperlink
Inserting comments and footnotes
Inserting boldface and strikeout type
How to add Randy’s ESL custom toolbar
1. Click here to download the ESL Writing Toolbar.
2. Save
it to the desktop. (The file should be called ESL.dot and look like a word
document icon on your desktop.)
3. Open
Word.
4. Go
to Tools, Options.
5.
Click on Security.
6. Set
Macro Security to Medium.
7. OK
everything.
8. Go
to Tools, Templates and Add-Ins.
9.
Click on Add.
10.
Navigate to the desktop, and click on ESL.dot.
11. OK
everything.
Click here to
download a sample student paper for your markup.
Identified bugs in the “beta” version:
Don’t click a rubberstamp if your cursor is in the comments area.
The VT button adds an extra letter M.
These bugs should be fixed in the next release!
Click here to
download Daniel Kies’ editing toolbar for English Composition.
How to insert a hyperlink
1.
Select some text.
2. Go
to Insert, Hyperlink.
3.
Specify a URL…
- type a URL, or
- select from the list, or
- browse for a URL, or
- copy and paste from your web browser
address window.
4. OK.
How to insert a footnote or endnote
1. It’s helpful to underline the word or passage.
2. Go to Insert, Footnote.
3. Choose either footnote, endnote, or custom mark.
4. Your cursor will move to the notes area.
5. Footnotes will automatically number and renumber themselves.
How to add boldface or
strikethrough type
1. Highlight a word or passage.
2. Go to Format, Font.
3. For bold, select from Font Style.
3. For strikethrough or double strikethrough, select from Effects.
4. OK.
How to add auto text
entries to your toolbar
1.
Insert, autotext, autotext
2.
Enter new autotext entries here
(example: “Insert a paragraph”
3.
Right-click on a toolbar
4.
“Customize”
5.
Categories, autotext
6. Drag
and drop to toolbar
7.
Right-click, rename
How to add custom buttons to your toolbar
You can
simplify strikethrough, footnote, comment, and other features by putting them
on toolbar buttons!
1.Go to
Tools, Customize.
2.Choose
from Categories, such as…
- Format (for strikethrough type),
or
- Insert (for comment or footnote)
3. From
Commands, drag a button and drop it on a toolbar.
4.
Close the dialog box.
Acknowledgements:
Carlos Nash,
UCSB Linguistics
UC Santa Barbara Instructional Improvement Program
Stephanie Cross & Jim Davis, UC Davis
Daniel Kies, Department of English, College of DuPage
Janet Lane & Ellen Lange, Writing Clearly, an Editing Guide