Concepts in composition theory and practice in the teaching of writing

Concepts in Composition This page intentionally left blank Concepts in Composition Theory and Practice in the Teaching of Writing Irene L Clark, Ph.D California State University, Northridge with Contributors Betty Bamberg Dar&e Bowden John R Edlund Lisa Gerrard Sharon Klein Julie Neff Lippman James D Williams 2003 LAWRENCE ERLBAUM Mahwah, New Jersey ASSOCIATES, PUBLISHERS London Senior Acquisitions Editor: Textbook Marketing Manager: Editorial Assistant: Cover Design: Textbook Production Manager: Full-Service Compositor: Text and Cover Printer: Naomi Silverman Marisol Kozlovski Erica Kica Kathryn Houghtaling Lacey Paul Smolenski TechBooks United Graphics Incorporated This book was typeset in lo/12 pt ITC New Baskerville, Italic, Bold, Bold Italic The heads were typeset in ITC New Baskerville Bold Copyright 2003 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc All right reserved No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by photostat, microfilm, retrieval system, or any other means, without prior written permission of the publisher Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 10 Industrial Avenue Mahwah, New Jersey 07430 Library of Congress Inc., Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication Data Clark, Irene L Concepts in composition : theory and practice in the teaching of writing / Irene L Clark ; with contributors, Betty Bamberg [et al.] p cm Includes bibliographical references and index ISBN 0-8058-3820-l (pbk : alk paper) English language-Rhetoric-Study and teaching English language-Composition and exercises-Study and teaching English language-Study and teaching-Foreign speakers Report writing-Study and teaching I Bamberg, Betty II Title PE1404 C528 2003 2002011661 Books published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates are printed on acid-free paper, and their bindings are chosen for strength and durability Printed 10 in the United States of America For my husband, Bill, my growing family, and the many colleagues whoseinsights have influenced my conceptof Composition This page intentionally left blank Brief Contents 1 Precess I nvention Revision Audience Assessing Writing 199 Genre 241 Voice 285 Grammar and Usage Non-Native Speakers of English 10 Language and Diversity 11 Electronic Writing Spaces 71 107 141 313 363 413 481 vii This page intentionally left blank Contents Preface xvii Process Irene L Clark The Writing Process Movement: A Brief History The First-Year Course and the Use of Handbooks The Birth of the Process “Movement” Influences on the Concept of Process Teaching The Stages of Writing Early Research on Composing Observational Studies The Role of Cognitive Psychology Expressivism and the Concept of Personal Voice Social Constructionism Collaborative Learning Collaborative Learning in the Classroom Criticism of the Process Movement Post-Process Theory Genre Theory and the Concept of Process References Readings The New Abolitionism: Toward a Historical Background Composing Behaviors of One- and Multi-Draft Writers Invention 9 10 13 14 16 16 19 20 21 28 30 30 52 71 Irene L Clark The Heritage of Invention Invention in Classical Rhetoric Aristotle Emphasis on Community in Classical Rhetoric 72 74 76 78 554 Appendix T 8/28 Week Have all assigned books and materials by 8/30 Reading: SFJ chapter Due: Assigned books and materials Homework: TH 8/30 m Week a Syllabus STARTED GETTING Week 2: Developing T 9/4 Assign ME #1 Reading: E chapter TH 9/6 @ Reading: “Auto Liberation,” “Creating a Criminal” (handout) Kevs 15-18, 22-34 Due: ME #l source HE-journal #l by 5:00 PM ME #l peer review T 9/11 Reading: (TBA) Due: ME #l Peer draft/bring copies to class SCENARIO #l: STUDENT PRI-KACY Week Week 10 TH 9/13@ Assign ME #2 Reading: SFJ chapter 3, 135-149, 151-154 Due: ME #1 final draft, in folder, with drafts, review sheets, and source Missing materials = -1 point each T 9/18 Reading: TH 9/20 I!2 ME #2 group statements T lo/30 Reading: (TBA) Due: (TBA) TH 11/l f9 m 201-206, 209-2 11, 155-201 Reading: (TBA) Due: ME #4 short paper ME #4 sources Week 11 Week 12 T 11/6 Debates Reading: (TBA) Due: w E-journal #5 by 5:00 PM TH 11/8 IT?1 ME #4 peer review Reading: Keys 95-132 Due: ME #4 peer/polished draft/bring to class Conferences - class cancelled T 11/13 copies 555 Appendix 2: Developing a Syllabus REVISION, REVISION, REVISION TH 11/15 (9 In-class essay/bring bluebook to class Reading: Keys 185-186 w mw Due: ME #4 final draft, in folder, with all drafts, short paper, sources, and review sheets Missing materials= -1 point each Week 13 T 11/20 TH 11/22 Portfolio revision #1 - mandatory Thanksgiving - enjoy! Week 14 T 11/27 TH 11/29 a Portfolio revision Reading: W (TBA) Due: E-journal Due: Portfolios/late accepted Week 15 T 12/4 #2 - mandatory #6 by 500 PM portfolios will not be You can pick up your graded portfolio from my office during the scheduled final exam time for this class *HAVE A GREAT BREAK!* Freshman Composition, English 155 Fall Semester, 2001 Ticket #61074 Class Time: MWF 11:00-l 1:50 Class Meeting Places: JR 248, Computer Lab, Mon & Alternate Fri JR 201 on Weds 8c Alternate Fri Instructor: D Office: JR 219 Office Hours: 12:00 - 12:50, MW & by appointment Telephone: Email: Required Texts & Materials: Whiting About Diversity: An Argument Reader and Guide, 2”d ed., Irene L Clark The Ha&ace Handbook, Brief Edition, ed John C Hodges Wings, Distinguished Student Essays,8th ed One 3-ring binder with dividers (for class notes, homework and journal) At least three 2-pocket folders for journal, essay and portfolio submissions blue books for in-class essays one IBM-formatted diskette, labeled with your name email account (by week of class) Course Obiectives: English 155 is designed for freshman and transfer students You are enrolled in Freshman Composition because you are required to pass this course to graduate from CSUN Why is Freshman Composition required? In order to succeed, both in college and out, you must be able to explore new ideas, communicate them effectively 556 Appendix 2: Developing a Syllabus and think analytically about what you read and hear This course is primarily about writing, but you cannot write effectively unless you think extensively throughout the writing process In this class, we will help each other become better writers by discussing what we read and write, by listening to each other and by offering constructive suggestions You are here to participate in the class as an active thinker and writer Course Prerequisites: CSU English Placement Test score of 151 or the EPT and a grade of Credit in English 097 and/or 098, if applicable Course Requirements and Policies: Assignments: Four multiply-drafted, thesis driven essays of 46 pages each Final portfolio (see “Portfolio” paragraph below) Two in-class essays in preparation for the WPE Participation (class exercises, journals, peer group work, attendance) 40% (10% each) 25% 20% (10% each) 15% Total: 100% I will grade using a plus/minus system and check marks for completion of journal entries, homework assignments and participation Failing to complete assignments or not participating in required class activities will lower your grade significantly Each student will be required to meet with me in my office at least once during the semester for an individual conference Missing a conference will count as an absence Each student will also be required to make at least one visit to the Computer Writing Lab in the Learning Resource Center to work on an essay Attendance policy: BE HERE, BE ON TIME AhD BE PREPARED BE HERE: This is a participation (not a lecture) course, and missing more than six classes can result in your failing the class, since you will have missed too much work BE ON TIME: Arriving more than 10 minutes after the scheduled class time (according to classroom clock) is considered a tardy Two tardies equal one absence These will also affect your grade Obviously, in case of an emergency, call or email me ASAP BE PREPARED: Turn in all written work, including drafts, journal entries, homework, etc., at the beginning of class on the due date Complete all required assignments and be ready to discuss all readings in class Bring all necessary materials to class All drafts must be turned in to receive a passing grade on each essay.Any assignments turned in late will be lowered a grade per day late Appendix 2: Developing a Syllabus 557 Policy: A fourth revision of each essayfor a higher grade is allowed only with the following guidelines: The revision must be turned in within one week of receiving the initial grade and the revision must show significant changes from the third draft Your grade may improve or it may stay the same Your grade wiU never be lowered I encourage you to talk to me about any grading concerns you have throughout the semester Revision Class Format: Class will generally begin with a warm-up exercise Discussion of warm-up and homework Class work (peer groups, whole class work) Discussion of next class session (homework, assignments due, etc.) Plagiarism: In your CSUN catalog, plagiarism is defined as “intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as own in any academic exercise ” A student who plagiarizes on an assignment will automatically receive a failing grade on that assignment, may fail the course, and may be subject to disciplinary action on the part of the university We will spend class time learning how to document sources correctly and avoid plagiarizing If you ever have any questions about how to quote or document sources, please discuss them with me Portfolio: The final portfolio consists of: A cover letter explaining why you chose the essaysyou include and how they represent what you have learned in this course Two essay packets containing clean copies of your first, second and final drafts, as well as the assignment sheet from your 4-6 page essays One blue book containing an in-class essay of your choice A submission to Wings with submission form attached DO NOT OR DRAFTS! Maintain clean, ungraded copies of all your essaysand drafts for the portfolio Special Needs: If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, if you have information to share with me or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please let me know as soon as possible 558 Appendix 2: Developing a Syllabus Mediation: If any problems arise, you may contact me or I may contact you to discuss them If you and I are unable to resolve the issue(s) , either of us may contact the Director of Composition, Dr Irene Clark TIEiWATm SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS **Assignments and readings must be completed by the beginning of class on the date thev are listed** Course Introduction M (L) w F (L) 8/27 B/29 8/31 M (L) W F 9/03 9/05 9/07 LABOR DAY - NO SCHOOL Diversity Chapter 1, pps 1549 M (L) 9/10 Diversity Chapter 2, pps 63-93 W 9/12 83 of Diversity Readings: Diversity pps F (L) 9/14 M (L) 9/17 W 9/19 F 9/21 Diversity pps l-l and 95-97 In-class writing Complete questionnaire pps 10-l Readings: “Are You Really a Racist?” pps 50-56; “Multiculturalism: Building Bridges or Burning Them?” pps 57-59 Complete Exploration Questions at end of Diversity Chapter 6, pps 365-366 (Ch intro 8cTan essay) Readings: Diversity pps Read Handbook pps 3-17; complete Exercise #l on page (Rodriguez essay), “The Lowest Animal” (handout) Readings: Diversity pps 322-336 (Porter essay), pps 361364 (Robbins essay) due; peer workshops - bring multiple copies! ! ! Diversity Chapter 3, pps 95-129 Readings: Wings selections to be assigned Essay #l First Draft Essay #I Revised Draft due Readings: selections to be assigned Preparation for in-class essay#l M (L) W 9/24 9/26 Essay #l Final Draft due F 04 9/28 In-Class Essay #l - bring blue books! M (L) lO/Ol Complete Exploration Questions at end of Diversity Chapter Readings: Diversity Chapter selections to be assigned Preparation for in-class essay#I Appendix 2: Developing a Syllabus w lo/O3 F lo/O5 559 Readings: Diversity Chapter selections to be assigned; “Love is a Fallacy” (handout) Readings: Diversity Chapter selections to be assigned Conferences with me this week (lo/8 Thru 10/12) - remember that missing a conference = missing class M (L) w Fw M (L) W F M (L) W F 04 lo/O8 Essay #2 First Draft Due; peer workshops - bring multiple copies! lO/lO Diversity Chapter 4, pps 133-157; Handbook pps 137-151 1O/ 12 Essay #2 Revised Draft due Readings: “Putting a Spin on the Truth .” (handout) ; other readings to be assigned lo/15 Readings: Wings selections to be assigned 1O/ 17 Essay #2 Fmal Draft due Readings: To be assigned lo/19 Library research day date tentative lo/22 Readings: Diversity Chapter 10 to be assigned lo/24 Readings: Diversity Chapter 10 to be assigned lo/26 Readings: Diversity Chapter 10 to be assigned; “A Modest Proposal; ” “The Sound of Music ” (handouts) (L) = Class held in computer lab, JR 248 10/29 Essay #31Sf Draft due; peer workshops - bring multiple 6) copies! 10/31 Readings: to be assigned W F l/O2 Essay #3 Revised Draft due Readings: to be assigned M 04 11/05 W 11/07 F CL) l/O9 M 6) 11/12 W F H/14 11/16 M 04 U/19 11/21 W Preparation for in-class essay #2 Readings: to be assigned Essay #3 Final Draft due; Preparation for in-class essay #2 Readings: Diversity Chapter to be assigned In-Class Essay #2 - bring blue books! Essay #41Sf Draft due; peer workshops - bring multiple copies! Readings: Diversity Chapter to be assigned Readings: Diversity Chapter to be assigned Essay #4 Revised Draft due Readings: to be assigned Readings: To be assigned Essay #4 Final Draft due Readings: to be assigned Appendix 2: Developing a Syllabus 560 F l/23 THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY - NO SCHOOL M (L) w 1l/26 1l/28 F 1l/30 Readings: to be assigned Workshop evaluations for portfolio submittal Readings: to be assigned Portfolio preparation, cover letters How to write a professional letter M (L) W 12/03 12/05 PORTFOLIOS DUE !! Last Day of Classes - something fun? Author Index A Adams, J., 82-83 Alexander, J., 503 Anson, C., 213,502 Apple, M., 484 Aristotle, 73, 76 Atwell, N., 122, 202 Axelrod, R., 126 B Bailey, G., 448 Bakhtin, M., 252, 293, 445 Ball, A., 445 Barham, L., 315 Barker, T., 484 Bartholomae, D., 240 Barton, E., 254 Bateman, D., 315 Batson, T., 494 Bawarshi, A., 243 Bazerman, C., 257 Beach, R., 111, 120 Bean, J., 483 Belenky, M F., 294 Bellugi, U., 436 Bereiter, C., 371-372 Berkenkotter, C., 12 Berlin J., 286 Berthoff, A., 80 Bishop, W., 252 Blau, S., 486 Bleich, D., 251 Blum,.J 73, 79 Bolter,J., 295, 492 Bonvillain , N , 445 Booth, W., 145 Bowden, D., 293 Braddock, R., 314 Bridwell, L S., 112 Britton, J., 11-12, 247 Brohaugh, W., 489 Bruffee, R, 15,16,200,202 Bruner, J., Burgess, T., 11-12, 247 Burke, K, 91,245 Burns, H., 486 C Cai, G., 376 Campbell, G., 79 Campbell, K., 317 Carson, J., 364,366, 369, 370,381, 382, 384, 388-412 Chiang, T D., 379, 380 Chomsky, N., 321,416 Christian, D., 428, 431 Christie, F., 251 Clifford, J., 119 Clinchy, B., 294 Cochran, C., 494 Coe, R., 258 Cohen, M., 487 Coleman, C., 452-466 Collier, R., 483 Colomb, J., 248 Connor, U., 372,444 Connors, R J., 30-51, 73, 78-79, 109, 249-250,255 Cooper, C., 126, 206, 210, 215 561 562 Author [...]... English Then, a number of inventions had the effect of making writing more important in a variety of settings The invention of the mechanical pencil (1822)) the fountain pen (1850)) the telegram (1864)) and the typewriter (1868)) plus the increasing availability of cheap durable paper, paralleled and aided the increasing importance of writing at the university As writing became more important, the task of. .. contribute to a success in the writing class, it is now generally acknowledged that in order to plan their courses insightfully and teach their classes effectively, writing teachers need to be acquainted with the theories of rhetoric and composition that have influenced Composition pedagogy over the past 25 years Concepts in Composition: Theory and Practice in the Teaching of Whiting is intended to achieve... that the writing process consisted a series of sequenced, discreet stages sometimes called “planning, drafting, and revising,” although today they are often referred to as “prewriting, writing, and rewriting.” An article by Gordon Rohman (1965)) “Prewriting: The Stage of Discovery in the Writing Process,” published in CollegeCompositionand Communication, emphasized the importance of invention and providing... on the concept of “process,” tracing the history of the process movement within the emerging discipline of Rhetoric and Composition, discussing several competing views or theories of composing, and suggesting assignments that will enable prospective teachers to understand their own writing processes Chapter 2 presents an overview of invention -tracing its origins in classical rhetoric, and discussing... the antithesis of current ideas about the teaching ofwriting Over the past 30 years, the discipline of rhetoric and composition has emphasized the importance of helping students become active participants in learning to write, because, as the learning theorist Jerome Bruner (1966) has maintained, “to instruct someone in [a] discipline is not a matter of getting him to commit results to mind Rather, it... deal of work for faculty who undertook or were assigned the task of reading and responding to student texts Yet by the turn of the century, a presumed method of addressing this situation was devised -the creation of a new sort of textbook called the “handbook,” in which all of the rules and conventions of writing could be written and to which teachers could refer in the margins of student papers The. .. could use to practice Presumably, these handbooks and workbooks would lighten the load and solve the problem of teaching students to write Yet, not surprisingly, the problems continued, and student writing did not improve The difficulties experienced by those attempting to teach students to write at the beginning of the 20th century were described in the lead article of the first issue of the English... learning as a process that reflected the cognitive level of the student and its relation to the structure of the academic discipline being studied” (Berlin, 1990, p 207)) and emphasized the role of student participation and individual discovery in the learning process In the context of writing pedagogy, ideas translated into an emphasis on students engaging in composing activities so as to discover their... “process” is, therefore, of key importance for anyone entering the field of composition, both as a teacher and a researcher This chapter traces the history of the process movement within the emerging discipline of rhetoric and composition, discusses several competing views or theories of composing, and includes several assignments that will enable teachers to understand their own writing process These insights... providing students with models of how writing is actually done Articles published during this period strongly emphasized prewriting; however, what many of them also suggested was that writing occurred in a linear sequence; each stage following neatly upon the other; the “prewriting” phase preceding the writing phase, which then precedes the “revising” phase Such a model was based on the idea that writing