Free Copy of MLA 7, Sort Of

If you join the MLA, you get a free copy of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers 7th edition, among other benefits. Membership for grad students is $20, which is barely more than the book costs by itself, and you get all the following benefits:

• Six issues of PMLA: four containing essays on literature; a directory issue listing all members, the names and addresses of department and program administrators, fellowships and grants, and useful addresses; and the November issue, which presents the program of the annual convention
• Four issues of the MLA Newsletter (available online and in print)
• A complimentary copy of the seventh edition of the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
• Web access to a regularly updated list of members, as well as to a searchable list of convention sessions
• A copy of Profession, an annual collection of articles on the field
• Reduced registration fees for the annual convention
• Membership in divisions and discussion groups concerned with scholarly and teaching interests
• Online forums for divisions and discussion groups
• Significant discounts on the MLA International Bibliography and more than 200 books and pamphlets published by the MLA
• Eligibility to vote for officers, members of the Executive Council, members of the Delegate Assembly, and members of division and discussion group executive committees
• Participation in MLA-sponsored group insurance plans
• Ability to search the online MLA Job Information List if your department is a member of the Association of Departments of English (ADE) or the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages (ADFL) (Learn more)

A shocker

I'm really surprised. I went to the website for TSTC-Harlingen's English and Spanish Department and saw a link to their academic journal. When I clicked on it, I noticed the journal is just a mess. Check it out.

Why not a semicolon?

I can't tell you how frustrated I am. It bugs the heck out of me that I keep seeing a comma separating complete sentences in news stories and in a book I'm reading right now. What is wrong with a semicolon or even a period? Why do these writers feel the need to use commas? Don't they know they are writing run-on sentences? Did I miss out on the grammar lesson about all the wonderful uses of a comma?

Non-UTB Course on Writing for the 'Net

ENG 371WR:
Writing for Nonreaders in the Postprint Era
M-W-F: 11:00 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Instructor: Robert Lanham

Course Description

As print takes its place alongside smoke signals, cuneiform, and hollering, there has emerged a new literary age, one in which writers no longer need to feel encumbered by the paper cuts, reading, and excessive use of words traditionally associated with the writing trade. Writing for Nonreaders in the Postprint Era focuses on the creation of short-form prose that is not intended to be reproduced on pulp fibers.

Instant messaging. Twittering. Facebook updates. These 21st-century literary genres are defining a new "Lost Generation" of minimalists who would much rather watch Lost on their iPhones than toil over long-winded articles and short stories. Students will acquire the tools needed to make their tweets glimmer with a complete lack of forethought, their Facebook updates ring with self-importance, and their blog entries shimmer with literary pithiness. All without the restraints of writing in complete sentences. w00t! w00t! Throughout the course, a further paring down of the Hemingway/Stein school of minimalism will be emphasized, limiting the superfluous use of nouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, gerunds, and other literary pitfalls.

Read more....

Thanks, Jenny, for bringing this to EGADS!'s attention. I'm pretty sure I need to sign up!

EGADS! Congratulates Our 2008-2009 Grads

Congratulations this year's graduates:

Spring 2009 grads: Gabriel Ezeh (MA), Emily Linares (MA), David Marquez (MAIS), and Crystal Olivo (MA).

Fall 2008 grads: Mary Lou Alvarez (MAIS), Margaret Annen (MA), Jessica Camerlin (MA), and Avy Jaimes (MA)

Check out the main UTB website to see Crystal in her graduation duds, or here's the photo itself:

SW/TX PCA/ACA Seeking Area Chairs

This is a great opportunity for the ambitious!

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The Southwest/Texas Popular and American Culture Association, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, is seeking qualified professionals to serve as Area Chairs for the following areas.

If interested in serving our nationally recognized organization should send a brief note of interest with a CV to Sally Sanchez at pcaacaswtx@sbcglobal.net

* American Studies
* Visual Arts of the West
* Africana Studies
* Film (General)
* Film Theory
* Hitchcock
* Latin American Studies
* Captivity Narratives
* European Popular Culture and Literature
* Collecting, Collectibles, Collectors, Collections
* Food and Culture
* Pedagogies and the Profession

If you know of a colleague who would be a good fit for us, please pass along this call. Thank you for your support of our organization.

Sincerely,

Phil Heldrich, Ph.D., Exective Director
pcaacaswtx@sbcglobal.net
SW/TX PCA/ACA

How to write a paper in college/university

Whoever posted this here has been spying out my super-secret composition method. Need to sweep my dorm for bugs...


1. Sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a well lit place in front of your computer.
2. Log onto MSN and ICQ (be sure to go on away!). Check your email.
3. Read over the assignment carefully, to make certain you understand it.
4. Walk down to the vending machines and buy some chocolate to help you concentrate.
5. Check your email.
6. Call up a friend and ask if he/she wants to go to grab a coffee. Just to get settled down and ready to work.
7. When you get back to your room, sit in a straight, comfortable chair in a clean, well lit place.
8. Read over the assignment again to make absolutely certain you understand it.
9. Check your email.
10. You know, you haven't written to that kid you met at camp since fourth grade. You'd better write that letter now and get it out of the way so you can concentrate.
11. Look at your teeth in the bathroom mirror.
12. Grab some mp3z off of kazaa.
13. Check your email. ANY OF THIS SOUND FAMILIAR YET?!
14. MSN chat with one of your friends about the future. (ie summer plans).
15. Check your email.
16. Listen to your new mp3z and download some more.
17. Phone your friend on the other floor and ask if she's started writing yet. Exchange derogatory emarks about your prof, the
course, the college, the world at large.
18. Walk to the store and buy a pack of gum. You've probably run out.
19. While you've got the gum you may as well buy a magazine and read it.
20. Check your email.
21. Check the newspaper listings to make sure you aren't missing something truly worthwhile on TV.
22. Play some solitare (or age of legends!).
23. Check out bored.com.
24. Wash your hands.
25. Call up a friend to see how much they have done, probably haven't started either.
26. Look through your housemate's book of pictures from home. Ask who everyone is.
27. Sit down and do some serious thinking about your plans for the future.
28. Check to see if bored.com has been updated yet.
29. Check your email and listen to your new mp3z.
30. You should be rebooting by now, assuming that windows is crashing on schedule.
31. Read over the assignment one more time, just for heck of it.
32. Scoot your chair across the room to the window and watch the sunrise.
33. Lie face down on the floor and moan.
34. Punch the wall and break something.
35. Check your email.
36. Mumble obscenities.
37. 5am - start hacking on the paper without stopping. 6am -paper is finished.
38. Complain to everyone that you didn't get any sleep because you had to write that stupid paper.
39. Go to class, hand in paper, and leave right away so you can take a nap.