Can you remember the last project you wrote for a single reader? How about the last one you finished in one draft and with zero input from peers? In papers written for one reader (the instructor) without peer feedback (classmates), learners face an artificial situation. They write to perform—not to communicate, the purpose of most… Read more »
Tag: writing
Reading: The Partner of Good Writing
Without reading well, students can’t write well. The two skills cannot be disentangled. Yet, in my writing courses, I’ve often lamented that students don’t seem to be completing or comprehending the reading assignments. Why aren’t they reading? My colleagues Sarah Pedzinksi and Madeleine Gonin lay out five common barriers and some solutions in their post,… Read more »
Bad Ideas about Writing
We all hold a lot of beliefs about writing, especially what “good writing” is and how it ought to be taught. But what if a lot of our assumptions are wrong? That’s the premise of Bad Ideas About Writing (2017), a collection of essays that is also available as a podcast. Lydia Wilkes, who earned… Read more »
Mentoring Senior Thesis Writers
The IU2030 Strategic Plan’s emphasis on “meaningful and mentored research and creative experiences” for undergraduates is an opportunity to think about how we support our seniors’ writing thesis and capstone projects. Thesis writing can be overwhelming: often a student’s first foray into long-term research projects feels like a completely different experience to classes and coursework…. Read more »
Essay Revision: Emphasizing Process Over Product
Convincing students of the value of crafting essays can be a daunting task at the best of times. With services such as ChatGPT that offer easy alternatives to the painstaking work of drafting and revision, many instructors are concerned that students may be more tempted than ever to forego the time commitment of writing and… Read more »
Helping Students Develop Their Citation Practices
Some students begin their post-secondary education with substantial experience in conducting research and properly citing sources while other students are less familiar with established research practices. At the college level, policies regarding citations, using sources, and avoiding plagiarism vary from course to course. Teaching your students how to handle research within your course will help… Read more »