Topic: Technical Writing

Question: What is the content of technical writing courses?

Answer: “Survey of 52 teachers found that most [technical writing] courses dealt with topics such as efficient writing, grammar, style, technical content, editing, graphics, audience and grant writing.” E Mazzatenta. 1983. 419.

Comment: “Grant writing” is an interesting addition to the technical writing course. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” RK Durst and JD Marshall. Research in the Teaching of English (December 1984), 417-438.

Topic: Teachers and Composition

Question: Are teachers prepared to teach composition? Do teachers frequently assign longer compositions?

Answer: “Found that teachers are not adequately prepared to teach composition and that the frequency of assignments declines with assignment length.” SB Bohn. 1983. 418.

Comment: Since the focus of most English major programs is on literature, I am not surprised that teachers at the secondary level do not perceive themselves as adequately prepared to teach composition.

In the elementary grades, teachers are not prepared to teach reading or writing adequately. Not enough time. That’s why basals are so important. They help teachers learn to teach reading systematically. The newer basals, I am assuming, with a greater focus on “whole language,” are doing a better job of showing teachers how to teach writing as well.

Since most lengthy compositions (research papers) require extensive preparation by students, I’m not surprised that the number of assignments declines. However, I have seen some research that has shown the advisability for more frequent lengthy compositions of all types. RayS.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” RK Durst and JD Marshall. Research in the Teaching of English (December 1984), 417-438.

Topic: First Graders and Writing

Question: Can first-graders learn to write if they simply write from the first day of school?

Answer: “Examined 24 first-grade students expected to communicate in writing from their first day at school. Indicated that children can discover the writing system for themselves and produce fluent, comprehensible writing.” LN Dobson. 1983. 417. [Comment: Seems to indicate that students can learn to write by themselves unaided by the teacher. But writing in first grade also needs to be taught. There are issues of invented spelling, teacher correction, format and organization. RayS.]

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” RK Durst and JD Marshall. Research in the Teaching of English (December 1984), 417-438.

Topic: Writing in Upper Elementary Grades

Question: Were upper-elementary-grade students taught to write in class in 1983?

Answer: “Found that students had few writing opportunities, that there was little classroom discussion prior to writing and that self-initiated writing was not fostered.” MA Diamond. 1983. 417. [Comment: True today? 2010? RayS.]

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” RK Durst and JD Marshall. Research in the Teaching of English (December 1984), 417-438.

Topic: Components of a Writing Assignment

Question: What are the ingredients of a completed writing assignment?

Answer: 15 dimensions: instruction, stimulus, cognitive demand, purpose, role, audience, content, rhetorical specifications, tone/style, audience preparation, length, format, time, draft, criteria.

That “answer” raises as many questions as it answers. Here’s a sampling of the questions I had about the elements of writing assignments listed:

Instruction: topic

Stimulus: word, phrase or sentence; photograph, music, etc.

Cognitive demand: facts, ideas (?)

Purpose; inform, convince, persuade, entertain.

Role: write in first ;person, assumed persona, etc.

Audience: teacher, specified group, classmates, general public, etc.

Content: family, relatives, school, leisure, etc.

Rhetorical specifications: informal; summary; paraphrase; narrative; exposition; analysis, etc.

Tone/Style: particular stylistic devices; overall tone and style.

Audience preparation: class discussion (?).

Length: 150 words, etc.

Format: exposition, argument, etc.

Time: 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Draft: one draft only to rough draft with revision.

Criteria: grammar, organization, neatness, etc.

Comment; Useful to consider the demands of an assignment? Possibly useful in helping to strengthen the writing process? Not sure how useful the results of this research are. Can be useful in discussing with the class the various elements of a writing assignment. RayS.

Title: “Towards a Domain-Referenced System for Classifying Composition Assignments.” AC Purves, et al. Research in the Teaching of English (December 1984), 385-416.