Uncomfortable lessons

So the feedback on my last assignment has brought home some uncomfortable truths.

1. Sometimes I try to cut corners with my references.  I skim thru looking for only what I want, then put them in as a quote, when in fact if I read the whole article, it may not be what the author was going on about at all!
2. I have to watch how I insert a reference into my writing.  Sometimes the way I do it can imply that the author has read my assignment and lent their support, when in fact all I'm using is their idea.  It's an easy fix - instead of say "blah blah blah author's idea (author 2009)", I need to do something like:"Author (2009) says blah blah blah"
3. Apparently I end my sentences with prepositions a lot.  Admittedly I then had to go onto Google and find out what a preposition was.  Love to know how i got thru 2 degrees and a diploma without that being picked up before!
4. Same with split infinitives.  "To boldly go" is apparently wrong.  "To go boldy" is apparently correct.  Whatever.  I still want to boldy go. 

I guess learning can't be comfortable all the time.

Searching with style. Well, better than I was!

My search skills have certainly improved.  I'm rewriting the Wiki for EER500 and i need to find some new research based articles for the use of  wiki in education.  Well, back in January this task would have needed quite an investment of time and energy, but tonight - about an hour to basically find what I need, read it, summarise the relevant bits, and put what I need into a draft from for the next part of my research assignment.
Cool.
I found a neat trick.  Sometimes you find articles that are not quite what you need.  However, if you go to their reference section, sometimes you can find a closer match.. Use Google Scholar or onto the CSU library database and odds on it's there!