Compute your way to an A: Writing a paper
What's the first thing you do after you've been assigned a paper on a topic you know nothing about? Nothing. You don't even have to panic until it's due.
Although that's the course too many of us take, there are some other options. And one of those is using a computer (or several of them) to make your job easier.
Libraries and computers
You'll probably want to start your paper at the library. Perhaps with the library online catalog system. You can use the online catalog from terminals at any one of the libraries, from computers on the campus Ethernet backbone, or even reach the catalog by modem if you have a computer at home.
If you haven't used the system before,you may want to spend a few minutes reading the instructions. If you've used the system before you probably know to start with "fs" and the subject you're writing about.
may want to go to the reference desk. They can help you find all sorts of resources—electronic and paper—that let you look for journal articles and other sources of information for your paper.
If you need newspaper articles, you are in luck. If you've felt that your eyes wouldn't hold out long enough to go through microfilm, you should know things have changed. At least if you want recent articles. Several major daily publications are indexed on CD-ROM. You can do keyword searches through the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune among others. Pick the dates you want checked enter your keyword or words, and then you can read abstracts of the articles online, print them to paper, or save them to a computer file. You still need to go to the microfilm for complete articles, but your searching has been done in a format much kinder to your eyes—and faster than you could search.
You may want to start working on a paper at the library, but many students are choosing to do their writing and editing in the Computer Center labs. The labs are open around the clock and staffed from 7:30 a.m. to midnight (2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday).
If you enter:
fs banana <return> you'll have the option of reading about bananas, banana diseases and pests, banana fish, the Banana river, banana trade (by country), and the banana workers' strike in Santa Marta, Colombia
From this list, you may want to write down the call numbers of a couple of the most recent references on your topic and any others that look interesting. If you are lucky, at least some of these will have bibliographies. The bibliographies will give you the names of journals that publish information about your topic and the names of authors working in the field. Then go back to the online catalog. See if the journals are available (enter ft journal name) and if the authors have written on related topics (enter fa lastname firstname).
It isn't staffed by a computer, but you
1. Use a word-processing program available on Computer Center machines
Make your copies, haunt the library stacks,and check out the books you need. Lugging them all home is great exercise. Once you have the facts,you can begin the next step on the computer.
There are many word processing programs you can use. At the Computer Center you can use Word, WordPerfect or MacWrite II on the Mac or Word, WordPerfect, or WordStar on the PC. Other labs around campus may have other software packages.
How do you decide what is best for you? Here at the Computer Center we make two recommendations:
One of the easiest ways to work on a paper is to use your word processor for outlines,notes,and for the paper itself.
Outlines, notes, words
so we can answer your questions if you get stuck.
2. Use the program your best friend uses so you can call your friend for help.
Look at outlining functions on the word processing software you have chosen. If you like outlines—and your program has an outlining function—it is a great place to start.
Hate outlines and just take notes? The advantage of a word processor is that you can rearrange your notes into logical sequence. And you can copy information from your notes into the paper.
Writing the paper itself is easier on a word processor. You can make changes and revisions, print different versions to polish your words on paper rather than on screen, and work through several drafts to get your paper to reflect the time and effort you have invested. When you think you are through, run spell check. This will catch your misspellings—unless your misspelling is another word in the spell checker's dictionary.
If you are interested in purchasing word processing software, many stores give educational discounts. Just show your KU ID and get a better price on many of the best packages around.
Grammar checkers
Grammar checking software used to be separate from word processing. You could choose between interactive and non-interactive programs. The packages were not expensive,but they were just one more thing you wanted to buy when you got your own computer.Now,some word processing packages,like Word and WordPerfect,have grammar- checking capabilities.
A caution about these is in order.
Any grammar checker will catch some of your mistakes but not all of them. You still need to read your work carefully.
Graphics and scanners
Laser printing
If your very best words aren't quite enough, you may want to add graphics to your paper. At the Computer Center you can use a number of drawing and graphics packages to create illustrations or you can scan images from other sources to include in your work remember though that you have to cite the source of illustrations and photographs you have scanned.
The best way to find out about these is to come to the Computer Center labs and do a little exploring. You may want to consider SuperPaint, Paint for Windows, Cricket Graph, DeltaGraph, Harvard Graphics, Digital Darkroom, Ofoto, or PhotoFinish.
Ready to hand in your paper? Laser printing is available at the Computer Center and other places on campus and around town. At the Computer Center you can laser print for 20¢ a page. You need a plastic laser printing card that costs $1—but you can use it for years. Like copy cards at the library, you prepay for services. You can get a free laser card and $1 worth of free printing if you come to a Computer Center tour offered October 4 through 7.
You can print from the Macintosh self-service printer around the clock, or pick up printing sent from any Mac or PC in the Computer Center labs from 7:30 a.m. to midnight (2 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday).
And congrats on the good grade!
6
The Jayhacker
Fall 1993