June 24th

The Process of Writing—

Writing allows us to take someone on a journey by simply using words.  It is up to the writer to take their thoughts, find the best way to express them, and ensure it can easily be interpreted by others. Organization is one of the main stumbling blocks when it comes to the writing journey. By learning how to overcome those stumbling blocks one can effectively use language to discover a new “invention.”

“Both Day and Bain see the first part of rhetorical invention as entailing three stages:  deciding on a them or idea, stating a proposition which connects the them to another idea, and defining the area covered by the proposition so it may be divided into its constituent parts.” Those three stages are commonly taught in English Composition classes with some variation.  

Without the proper sentence and paragraph organization, readers may only see a string of words, and/or a string of thoughts.  So, to capture the essence and meaning of your writing, it is imperative that it is organized. Many English Composition teachers enforce organization through repetition.  After writing for a while some students are able to develop a pattern that enables them to organize their thoughts, each time they write. Whether someone is writing a technical document and describing a process or telling a fictional story, the organizational objective is to take the reader along with you, and not lose them along the way.

June 17th

Across the United States it has ultimately been decided that English Composition is a course that should be required for all freshmen.  According to the reading Present State of Freshman Composition, “a standard English program may enroll anywhere from 55-97% of the freshman class.”  What other department/program does that?!

Amazingly, English Composition is one of the few courses that bring all students (with various majors) together with a common goal in mind…..to teach them how to write. Everett says “we try to habituate the student to writing to give him practice in thinking over his material and putting it into good form to give him exercise in the different modes of presentation.”

The English Composition course could be used to accomplish so much, and it really can make a difference.  However, in most English Composition classes you have a ratio of about 1:40 (teacher/students). So, it seems easiest for the professors to choose a piece of literature or pick a topic, then have their students write about it.  For English Composition to have an impact, the classes need to be smaller and more interactive, with a structured plan of what needs to be covered. Also, students need to be provided detailed feedback (identifying strengths/weaknesses) from the professor, so they can perfect the art of writing.

My undergraduate major was chemistry. So, I took the required English courses, which I enjoyed, but my time was predominately spent in science and math classes. The importance of writing and communicating was integral all the while; whether I was writing lab reports, or discussing techniques and procedures.  The truth is scientist and engineers need to have good writing/communication skills to share their research.  If English Composition is that gateway (in college), then when students leave the class after a full semester, they should be able to write more than a generic essay.

June 10th

Week 1--

Readings:

“Where do English Departments Come From” and “The Roots of Modern Writing Instruction: Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Britain”

Who is English? Parker states “Its mother, the eldest daughter of Rhetoric, was Oratory-or what we now prefer to call public speaking or, simply, speech.  Its father was Philology or what we now call linguistics.  Their marriage, as I have suggested was short lived, and English is therefore the child of a broken home.”

The domestic metaphor used by the author was an effective way of describing the origin of English. English started off as a subject that was all encompassing (speech, literature, history, logic, language, etc.).  However, the various sections began to branch off. Now, some branches of English are not only considered different subjects, but different departments.

It appears that the English department has been struggling for a while to maintain ownership of closely linked areas of study.  Will the English discipline stand the test of time? My vote is yes. On a basic level, the principles of English are reading, writing, and speaking…..which are the cornerstones of communication.  No matter what profession or field of study that you may choose, communication is essential, and communication skills start with English.