All is (almost) quiet on the LRR front after a barrage of colorful pens took to the rough draft of the journal in class last night.
As students and as aspiring writers, we are used to the concept of editing and proofreading. We know the basic rules, we have learned the basic proof-marks. We have read lab reports and term papers and resumes for all of our roommates, siblings, and friends. We have very strong feelings about the Oxford comma.
And yet, we can all use a refresher.
Luckily for us, the Internet is chock-full of information about grammar, spelling, and everything in between. The key is knowing how to find the gems.
While I could never claim to know even a corner of the Internet, I do have a few favorite places to go to learn about grammar in ways that are, dare I say, fun!
The Oatmeal. What’s not to love? The Oatmeal is honest, hilarious, and very, very helpful. I’m not quite sure how Matt Inman’s brain works, but I am a big fan of it.
Check out some of the posts on the semi-colon, common misspellings, “literally,” and, the one that is not grammar-related but is near to my heart, marathons.
Hyperbole and a Half. I’ll admit – I bought her book. I think this web comic/blog is so great, and her post has revolutionized how I think of the phrase “a lot.”
I tend to identify with Simple Dog around this time of the semester, and I like to read this post every few weeks just to get a laugh.
Grammar Girl is also a great, helpful site that is modern enough to be engaging yet academic enough to be reliable.
Of course, there is no substitute for old-fashioned style guides, proof-marks sheets, and an extra set of eyes when it comes to proofreading, but it never hurts to throw a few comics into the mix!
Happy editing!
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