Spelling is not so natural for some people.
That is okay.
Setting up papers is not so natural for some people.
That is okay.
Grammar is definitely not so natural for some people.
That is okay.
The arcane rules of the APA, MLA, and Chicago/Turabian, etc., are not so natural for all people. Especially when they keep changing the rules!
That is okay.
That is what the writing center at the college is for.
The library, which often houses the writing center, is not just for books.
Inside, there will be helpful people who want to help you learn these things.
After all, none of us are gifted at ALL of it.
English is weird.
The rules of English are even weirder.
If you need help, ask.
Even if you don’t need help it is important to create and maintain a relationship with a librarian and a writing center expert at the school.
They will come in handy sometimes.
Although the points for mastery of the citation style are small, they do add up. Depending on your particular degree and program, they might even get more punitive with every incidence of not paying attention to the required citation style.
Go ahead.
Ask me how I know.
Sometimes you have to get through to yourself that help is necessary.
And that is okay to ask for it.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 