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The 3-disc set, The Standard Deviants English Pack contains: The Standard Deviants - English Composition
As with other Standard Deviants videos, this one begins with the warning that English Composition is meant to be used in conjunction with a class, not as a replacement. Well, for once, ignore them. Sure, nothing can replace an English comp class, and everyone should take one, but this video is probably the most valuable one you could watch before beginning your high school or college career. In fact, even for those in the real world, English Composition can help you brush up on your writing skills. Whether you need to write a lab report, a critical review, or a case study or summarize professional articles, this video gives you the know-how to write an effective paper from brainstorming through revision. Nathan is your typical college freshman. Through confessional-style interviews, we learn of his traumas and achievements writing his first university assignment. From the moment his teacher gives him his assignment, we watch Nathan as he churns out--and rejects--a number of ideas. We share his satisfaction when he narrows his choices down. We share his pain at his not-great critique. We share his joy at his final rewrite. Okay, so maybe we're getting a little carried away--but using Nathan, humorous skits (including a genie who grants wishes), and clever graphics, the Standard Deviants cover characteristics of academic prose, getting started, collecting information, outlining, rough drafts, feedback, and lots of revision in a jocular way. Included with the tape is an insert that shows not only Nathan's assignment but the three versions of his paper, which incorporate the changes he's made. --Jenny Brown The Standard Deviants - English Punctuation, Part 1
The rules of punctuation may not seem enjoyable or entertaining, but the Standard Deviants can at least help out in making the rules memorable with a cast of enthusiastic young performers who specialize in lighthearted but academically sound treatments of serious subjects. In The Untamed Worlds of English Punctuation, the troupe dons costumes (such as the uniform of a traffic cop) and hams it up while presenting lessons that begin by answering the basic question "What is punctuation?" The major "end marks" are then covered in a series of lessons that focus on the rules for employing periods, questions marks, and exclamation points. The uses of commas, semicolons, and colons are covered in a similarly lively manner, with useful tips, such as the "Furthermore Rule" to test the suitability of a semicolon. Following each set of lessons is a quiz that the student can take or skip, and the "Exclamation Exam," a comprehensive test covering all the material on the DVD, can be taken at the finish. There's only so much that can be done to make punctuation exciting, but the Standard Deviants do offer a multitude of offbeat examples. And fear not, the material included has all been approved by a serious academic panel. --Robert J. McNamara The Standard Deviants - English Grammar, Part 1
English grammar is serious stuff, and there's only so much that can be done to make it entertaining. But the Standard Deviants, an energetic troupe of young performers whose specialty is making serious academic subjects engaging, happily dive into what they call "The Split-Infinitive World of English Grammar." The lessons on this DVD have been prepared by a panel of serious academics, but flashy graphics abound. And the performers do their best to liven up presentations of basic concepts. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech are explained with some offbeat examples (for instance, a film of a lizard is used to demonstrate why "gecko" is a common noun). While introducing a section on verbals, a young woman mentions that a "funky thing" verbs can do is function as other parts of speech. Eventually all parts of speech are covered, and basic sentence structures are introduced. At the end of each set of lessons a quiz is presented, which a student can either take or skip. After proceeding through all the lessons on this DVD (which contains about two hours worth of material), a student can take the "Gram Slam," a comprehensive exam. English grammar will never be a barrel of fun, but the Standard Deviants deserve credit for making this review course as engaging as the subject is ever likely to get. --Robert J. McNamara
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