Topic: Good College Writing

Question: What do we mean by “good” college writing?

10-second review: It's a good question. No one has really answered it.

Title: Mapping the Elusive Boundary Between High School and College Writing.” D Appleman and DE Green. College Composition and Communication (May 1993), 191-199. A publication of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

Summary: There is apparently a divide between high school writing and college-level writing. Defining the difference between the two is difficult. First, college teachers have to agree on what is “good” college writing. Which means that high school teachers also have to agree on what is “good” college writing since that is the high school writing teachers’ goal.

Comment: I have some tentative thoughts on what I mean by “good” college writing. I measure the finished product on a scale.

1. This reader’s interest in the content of the paper: 20 pts.

2 Evidence of the process: brainstorming, draft, revision and editing. 20 pts.

3. Organization: introduction, thesis, topic sentences, summary paragraph. 20 pts.

4. Unity. Clarity. 10 pts.

5. Word choice: precise vocabulary. 10 pts.

6. Style: no needless repetition; no contractions; third-person point of view. 10 pts.

7. Editing: no run-ons, fragments, spelling errors, faulty parallel structure, dangling modifiers, etc. 10 pts.

The result should be “good” college writing. RayS.