ENGL-110-College Grammar-10 things you can learn in 5 weeksBeing an online student is tough!  Classes are normally five weeks and you move on to another subject.  I have been an online student for most of my adult life, but recently finishing an English 110 class (I chose to opt out of testing out of the course) I have to look back over the 10 things I learned in  five weeks:

1. There, Their and They're- Are totally different things.  When used in a sentences I learned to be careful how and where I place these words.  My instructor Joan Cormier was excellent at relating this information to everyday task to help us remember:
   • If you wrote there, will the sentence still make sense if you replace it with here? If so, you're using it correctly.
   • If you chose their, will the sentence still make sense if you replace it with our? If so, you've chosen the correct word.
   • If you used they're, will the sentence still make sense if you replace it with they are? If so, you're on the right track!
2. It vs it's Use them with caution!  When I speak I often use the terms interchangeably, however I found a commonality with my fellow students,  age is not an excuse for poor grammar
3. Too, To and two These were pretty easy for me, but during my quiz on this section I failed miserably.
4. MLA Citation-If you have ever written a college paper in your life, this format can wreck an otherwise peaceful weekend.  Joan headed this problem off at the start of the class with websites that help format papers.  I have templates in place for my writing so these website were not as helpful, but I did learn a new resource for future writing.
5. Credible Sources- I think this was the greatest wake up call for me!  She stated in one of the classes "Just because it's your opinion does not make it a fact."  As a student she encouraged us to develop our research skills as it will serve us well.
6. Narration-As a blogger I often write about my daily life, and in this class I was encouraged to develop my storytelling ability.  Learning to tell concise well written paper/document or blog will help me grow as student and human being.
7. Communication-How we communicate speaks volumes about who we are and what we value. This is still a work in progress for me.
8. No Profanity-Lazy language has no place in academic writing.  Develop your vocabulary and you will have the tools to defend any point you can make.
9. Creative Thinking-I always start a college course evaluating what I already know about the course.  Starting this class I thought I had a clear grasp on the english language, but there is always room for improvement.
10. Drink Coffee Often!

Final exam and 1000 word argumentative essay due this week.  I will update you guys on my overall grade after I take the test.  Wish me luck!