THINKING CRITICALLY ABOUT DICTIONARIES, VOCABULARY, AND SPELLING
Reading with an eye for vocabulary
In his autobiography, Malcolm X says that he taught himself to write by reading and copying the dictionary. You can teach yourself to be a better writer by paying careful attention to the way other writers use words. Choose a writer whose work you admire, and read that author’s work for at least thirty minutes, noting six or seven words that you would not ordinarily have thought to use. Do a little dictionary investigative work on these words, and bring your results to class for discussion.
Question
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In his autobiography, Malcolm X says that he taught himself to write by reading and copying the dictionary. You can teach yourself to be a better writer by paying careful attention to the way other writers use words. Choose a writer whose work you admire, and read that author’s work for at least thirty minutes, noting six or seven words that you would not ordinarily have thought to use. Do a little dictionary investigative work on these words, and bring your results to class for discussion.
Thinking about your own vocabulary and spelling
Read over a piece of your recent writing. Underline any words you think could be improved on, and come up with several possible substitutes. Then look for any words whose meanings are not absolutely clear to you, and check them in your dictionary. Have you used any of them incorrectly for your context? Finally, double-check spelling throughout. What do you notice about the words you use?
Question
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Read over a piece of your recent writing. Underline any words you think could be improved on, and come up with several possible substitutes. Then look for any words whose meanings are not absolutely clear to you, and check them in your dictionary. Have you used any of them incorrectly for your context? Finally, double-check spelling throughout. What do you notice about the words you use?