Alicia Rasley, CV (in .doc format)
Alicia Rasley
PROFILE
Trained editor and writer, college writing instructor, writing center tutor (in-person and online), online course consultant, essay exam scorer and consultant, fiction and non-fiction editor.
EXPERIENCE
2006 – Present Online Writing Advisor
I have served as a tutor at the Indiana University Writing Center at Indianapolis and the University of Maryland Effective Writing Center (online), tutoring all levels of clients, including undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staffmembers. My experience with ESL clients is extensive, and I have worked closely with several ESL graduate students on research articles and dissertations. I have also taught and tutored many remedial and basic writers. My handouts on such writing subjects as essay introductions and conclusions, comma use, and topic sentences are currently used by several writing centers. Finally, I have been an in-classroom writing adviser/coach for many graduate and undergraduate courses, including all levels of composition and literature courses, business and management courses, and upper-level information-science classes. I have taught and tutored students in many disciplines and documentation formats (APA, MLA, Chicago).
1996 – Present Writing Instructor (Online and Classroom)
As an instructor, I have taught composition, business writing, technical writing, research writing, remedial writing, analytical writing, argument writing, and literature at a major state university (Indiana University-Indianapolis), a community college (Ivy Tech), and a private university (Butler). I was one of the first writing instructors to teach fiction-writing online, and I give in-person workshops across the country to writing groups. I have experience at designing curriculum, individual courses, and course material. I have recently started a distance-ed design certificate program (graduate level), and have designed two online-platform courses, and many courses taught by email and forum. Currently I teach composition at the University of Maryland University College.
2009 – 2011 Stonecoast MFA program, Visiting Professor
In the University of Southern Maine low-residency MFA program, I presented programs on Writing Emotion, Writing Romance, The Literature of Emotion. I have also mentored graduate students at several stages in the two-year program. In addition, I have supervised residency-centered workshops where students read and discuss each other’s work.
Specifics of Teaching Experience:
1978-1980, 2014 Butler University
- Critical Reading
- Critical Writing
- Honors Seminar: Shakespeare/Writing Workshop
1990-1995 Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis:
- Freshman Comp 1
- Business and Professional Writing
- Academic and Research Writing
- Introduction to Literature
- Writing Center (working with new students, non-traditional students, ESL students, and graduate students)
1996-present: Ivy Tech Community College
- Freshman Comp 1-2
- Argument Writing
- Researched Academic Writing
- Business and Technical Writing
2007-present: University of Maryland (UC), Online Writing Center
I have served as a guest lecturer/writing coach in dozens of online courses in many different disciplines, from Anthropology to Writing for Business.
2008-2009 University of Southern Maine MFA Program
- Literature of Emotion
- Romance Writing
- Novel Workshop
- Writing Emotion Without Sentimentality
2011-2015 Indiana Writer’s Center
- Fiction Plotting
- Voice and Point of View in Fiction
- Building Scenes with the Magic Rule of Three
- The Truth about Publishing
1994-Present: Fiction-writing Workshops and Online Courses
I have also taught many workshops for professional and aspiring novelists, at writing conferences and writing groups in the 30 states and Canada. I also teach fiction-writing courses online for several organizations. A sampling of these courses and workshops includes:
- The Three Acts in Dramatic Plotting
- Dialogue Dynamics
- Character Channeling: Journey, Motivation, and Goal
- Writing Emotionally
- Pacing Your Novel
- Revising and Reinventing Your Novel
- Point of View and Your Story
- Discovering and Refining Your Writing Voice
- Surviving and Thriving in the New Publishing Industry
Additionally, I have coached and mentored many writers, from a NY Times best-seller to fourth-grade students. I offer creative writers both acceptance and analytical strategies for plotting and revision.
EDUCATION
5/2013- present
Started MS in Distance Education Teaching and Training, GPA: 4.0
Major coursework:
Learning Theory in Online Education
Graduate Research Methods
5/1994
Butler University
MA in English, summa cum laude, GPA 4.0
Thesis– The Family Vault: Women Buried Alive in Three Poe Tales
Major coursework: Advanced Grammar
Linguistics and language history
Teaching composition
British and American literature
5/1980 Butler University
BA in English, GPA 3.7
Major coursework: British Literature
American Literature
Creative Writing and Editing
TECHNOLOGY
- I am experienced in online classroom platforms including LEO, Blackboard, Tycho, Oncourse, Moodle, D2L, Haiku, email and chat delivery, formats and apps such as wiki, discussion forums, blogs, interactive video, audio, chat, conference call, writing labs, interactive database.
- I am trained and experienced in teaching research writing, including all the main documentation styles, especially APA.
Publications:
Edittorrent: A popular blog discussing editing and writing issues.
The Writer’s Corner: A website with dozens of my free writing articles.
Nine novels and two writing books.
Many articles in trade magazines such as Writer’s Digest and RWR.
Instructional Materials for Faculty and Writers:
Keep It Positive: The Art of Affirmative Advising (a manual for online faculty and writing centers).
Thesis Statements by Analysis Type and Assignment Type
Form Drives Content: Using the Thesis to Expand Analysis of the Topic
Quick Proofreading Fixes for College Papers
Introduction Paragraphs Broken Down
Deconstructing the Rhetorical Analysis
To Improve Your Paper, Narrow the Topic
Basics for the Topic Sentence
Whole > Sum of Parts: Insightful Conclusions for Analytical Papers
Point of View for Fiction Writers
Shakespeare’s Worldview as a Theme
Using Hegelian Dialectic Format to Craft Your Novel Theme
Reviving Buffy: Denial of Death in Fanfiction
Sharks in the Water: Avoiding Scams in Publishing
Multiplicity: Are Writers Insane?
The Myths of Deep Point of View
Making Your Voice Vivid
Subtext: The Fourth Dimension of Story
Oedipus the King and Plot Flashbacks
Pacing Your Plot
The Three Acts of Plot
The Very First Paragraph
The Magic Rule of Three in Scene Design
Opening Your Novel: The First Scene
Exercises for Motivating Your Characters
Character Development Exercises
The Major Turning Points
Dialogue as Action and Interaction
Turbo-tightening Checklist
Who Cares? Character Values and Conflict
Narrowing in on Point of View
Being, Doing, Becoming: The Heroic Flaw
Character Sympathy Without Saintliness
Changes and Choices: External Action and Internal Reaction
Buttinskis: Mentors, Meddlers, and Matchmakers
Starting Small and Building a Plot
The Price of Love
Troublemakers
External Conflict Worksheet
Top Ten Power Busters
The Internal Journey