Writing Guide

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0Bx654J2tKJcSYzAxODU0N2QtMjg1Mi00NjFkLThmZmQtNjJiZWE2ODU4OGM4&hl=en_US

May 11

For today's assignment we read two pieces about research writing. In Kantz article I found the dialogue about Shirley very interesting. On paper she seems like what would be an exceptional student and writer when in reality her research paper was less than great. Kantz analysis of the assignment and direction given really made sense to me. I think that poor writing is a combination of misunderstood or not clearly defined expectations from the teacher and misinterpretation on the students part. I found the conversation with Alice interesting as well, having another opinion is always helping in brainstorming for papers. Outsiders can bring new ideas and ways of approaching a topic to the table, especially for the student who is struggling or stuck. I personally feel like sometimes I am in Shirley's place when it comes to writing. I feel that I am a good reader and student but I am never really sure how to form a paper that accomplishes its purpose. This article gave me many tips and pointers, as well as some ideas to use for this class. There are many questions you can ask yourself when creating a paper that can help you to define your argument and develop a rhetorical paper. You can also use Encoder-Decoder-Reality questions to help when reading a source. Such questions help to read for purpose not just content.

The article from Swales was also helpful in giving a guide for ways to approach research writing and to get a good handle on what your purpose for the paper is going to be. It also gives helpful ways to phrase and words to use when writing a research paper. These articles gave me a great starting point and ways to look at our projects and ways to write them.

May 9

After reading the article Annoying Ways People Use Sources by Kyle D. Stedman, I have admit I may know the rules of the road but often times I don't know the rules of writing. I relate to the idea of frustration when you know the rules but realize others don't and you often overlook the fact that there are many times when you fall in that same situation yourself.

The first important point of this article stresses that quotations need to be first be introduced. If they are not anchored the float around without any purpose or meaning which can make for a very confusing document. It is important to have in introduction to the quote, the quote and then follow up with an evaluation. This method of including quotations in a document creates the best rhetorical effect.

The second important point in this article is the idea that a paragraph more often than not should not start or end with a quotation. It makes the paragraph feel fragmented thus subtracting from the rhetorical goal.

The rest of the article explains in detail more annoyances of those who are more skilled and knowledgeable in citations. It draws attention to the importance of citing properly so that you have the best rhetorical effect. It is also important to correctly cite so that the information is easy to find and your reader is able to find the sources used for further information.

Reading this article has helped me to realize it is easy to overlook citation conventions and make careless mistakes that bother scholars in the field. It has also made me more aware of these mistakes when I am reading something myself. It is much easier to recognize the misuse of these conventions and the articles gave me many ideas for quick fixes to improve my own writing.

Genre Analysis Link

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EwadtqW0mYUlqrL0fTZuZcvAll3GSEnSmEzCTctnOjQ/edit?hl=en&authkey=CMyKz6gF

April 27

For today’s assignment we read a few articles where each author gave their take on genres and rhetoric. The first of the articles was Ecology of Genre by Anis Bawarshi. He sees genre as very similar to that of an ecosystem. The idea that things keep regenerating and growing and evolving. Bawarshi writes, “...rhetorically maintains the social conditions within which we enact our roles and activities, and our roles and activities in turn reproduce the very conditions that make such roles and activities possible and meaningful.” Therefore, genre creates writing and writing creates genre. I think this is an important idea because by comparing genre to that of an ecosystem we can visualize a wheel where everything works together and influences each other. We can compare writing to an ecosystem and see the ways in which things evolve and constantly change as everything else around it does the same. Writing is slowly changing to serve new purposes just like things in nature. And as writing changes, so do the genres they fall into. He also compares gives an example of a doctor’s office, functioning as its own ecosystem. We recognize the genre, expectations are set and we act out our part accordingly. He states that we “...recognize a sociorhetorical environment as requiring a certain response and the way in which we actually rhetorically respond to, and act within, it.” We are shaped by the rhetorical situations surrounding us.

We then read, The Rhetorical Situation Of The Scientific Paper And The “Appearance” Of Objectivity by Matthew C. Allen. The author explores the idea of rhetoric being the center of scientific writing. The writing must make the writing seem objective while actually creating a rhetorically sound argument. From firsthand experience of writing scientifically, I have discovered that you can find ways to support nearly anything you want to prove. There are ways of cutting out things and only use what supports your findings when in actuality it is far from it. Scientific papers use preexisting proof to persuade. Allen states that there is a part of the report that is “designed to emphasize the relevance and necessity of the particular findings to preexisting scientific evidence.” He also goes on to say that there are certain ways in which scientific papers are layed out so that they are at maximum rhetorical capacity, such as with the IMRAD method of organization. I found that point very interesting because I have written in that style and never really thought about why. The fact that it is very rhetorical while still seeming objective is very important.

The final article we read was College Admissions Essays: A Genre Of Masculinity by Sarah-Kate Magee. This article explores gender differences in writing. The main point that jumped out at me was that there are differences in writing depending on genre and gender and different combinations of both. There are many qualifying factors for characteristics of certain writing. You have to consider genre, purpose, and gender. I think the most important aspect of this essay is the idea that gender differences may exist but they exist only in certain genres. College admissions essay is competitive writing where you want to showcase yourself and not necessarily others, therefore taking on a more masculine style of writing. As much as a enjoyed reading this particular article I have to comment that I am not completely sure that gender matters in writing and I am not convinced of its place in genre.

Genre

For today’s assignment we read Navigating Genres by Kerry Dirk. It is an essay about writing an essay and the exploration of genre. Dirk writes, “In other words, Bitzer is saying that when something new happens that requires a response, someone must create that first response. Then when that situation happens again, another person uses the first response as a basis for the second, and eventually everyone who encounters this situation is basing his/her response on the previous ones, resulting in the creation of a new genre.” This is a very interesting assessment of how new genres are developed and created. She goes on to say, “...genres are now viewed as even more than repeating rhetorical situations.” A good way to think of this is that genre has developed not only as a shortcut to repeating situations but has evolved into a way to serve a purpose or fulfill a goal by persuading people through writing. This is exemplified in Dirk’s examples, “knowing what a genre is used for can help people to accomplish goals, whether that goal be getting a job by knowing how to write a stellar resume, winning a person’s heart by writing a romantic love letter, or getting into college by writing an effective personal statement.”

We also read Teaching Critical Genre Awareness by Amy Devitt, which is much more complicated and written for other scholars. In the beginning Devitt writes, “The first and most important genre pedagogy, then, is the teacher’s genre awareness: the teacher being conscious of the genre decisions he or she makes and what those decisions will teach students.” Whereas Dirk wrote primarily about how to understand genre and make it work for your purpose, Devitt writes primarily about the methods and practice of teaching genre. Devitt talks about ways to take theories and classify new genres in a way that helps you to understand further genres. Devitt also stresses the rhetorical importance of genre, that we use specific genres to serve our writings purpose most appropriately so that the best outcome comes from our writing.

These articles have helped me to weed out the many different thoughts I had about genre. I have begun to have a better, well-rounded understanding of genre and its purpose for existence. By reading these articles I understand two different viewpoints, one from more of a student’s perspective and one from more a scholarly perspective. I understand now what is going through the mind’s of those who teach these concepts and how students can put them into practice and utilize them most efficiently.

Community

I thought an important point that Johns makes is the difference between discourse communities and communities in practice. Johns writes, “In the term discourse communities, the focus is on texts and language, the genres and lexis that enable members throughout the world to maintain their goals, regulate their membership, and communicate efficiently with one another.” She goes on to write, “The term communities of practice refers to genres and lexis, but especially to many practices and values that hold communities together or separate them from one another.” I think that Johns is trying to emphasize the fact that the way one learns the language of their field is through socialization. It is learned through fully immersing oneself in the culture.

I also found the part about the different levels of discourse and their importance in someone’s life. It can be something that is part of everything you do or something you belong to and participate in but not as frequently. As Johns states, “They are, instead, representative of the values, needs and practices of the community that produces them.”
Another interesting point she makes is the sacrifices you have to make when entering into new discourses. Sometimes you have to give up where you came from and change many of your opinions and beliefs which can be challenging to confront.

Johns is challenging the way discourse communities function. I think that she does not completely reject discourses but is raising questions and thoughtful discussion about why these communities seem to be static and resistant to change. I really liked Johns perspective and they way she presented the information. She brought up great points and equally emphasized both sides of the argument and gave room for you to develop your own thoughts and opinions on the ideas of community.

Harris takes a more cynical approach towards the idea of community. He sees a lot of issues with “community”. He does not see it as a completely positive and mentions that there is no negative opposite to community. I think that Harris sees community as something that holds people back and places limits. Communities cause too much conformity and compromises on the work of individuals. Harris feels that we need to incorporate more disciplines together and create something that is less limiting.

While not completely rejecting community, he does propose the idea that there may better ways of doing things.