Writing Process Through "The Elements of Style
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On Getting Better at Teaching
Writing
Or, why I don’t like
Strunk and White
The Elements of Style,
William Strunk and E.B. White (1959
)
“It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes disregard the
rules of rhetoric. When they do so, however, the reader will usually find
in the sentence some compensating merit, attained at the cost of the
violation. Unless he is certain of doing as well, he will probably do best
to follow the rules. After he has learned, by their guidance, to write
plain English adequate for everyday uses, let him look, for the secrets of
style, to the study of the masters of literature.”
These are good rules. So
what’s the problem?
0
Make definite assertions.
Avoid tame, colorless,
hesitating, non-
committal language.
0
avoid a succession of
loose sentences
0
Keep related words
together.
0
In summaries, keep to
one tense.
0
Assumes a “perfect paper” that is out there, rather
than building from the ground up
0
Starts too late in the process
0
Doesn’t see writing as a form of thinking
0
Doesn’t see writing as a form of reading
Writing as Thinking
Different kinds of writing – reflections, blog postings,
LATTE postings, paper proposals, research questions,
“minutes” of class discussions – in addition to more
traditional essay assignments
Not all writing is graded
Comments focused on how successfully a piece of
writing expresses author’s thinking (argument +
motive, flow, the “work” each part of the paper is doing)
Sample “writing as thinking” exercise
[given as part of a research paper assignment, after a preliminary proposal or
bibliography is submitted and returned with grades and comments]
o
Break into pairs
o
Jot down a one paragraph description of your paper (as you have it
developed so far) - include, if you have it, what question you hope to
answer, what your argument is, what the motive is, what your evidence is.
Don’t worry if you don’t yet have some parts of these. Note that down as
well.
o
Read it aloud to your partner. Your partner will ask questions/make
suggestions about each part (question, argument, motive, evidence).
o
Take notes on your conversation
o
switch
Writing as Reading
0
Make a habit of noting and evaluating the way authors put
together arguments and motives, and other more and less
successful choices they make in their writing.
0
Once or twice a semester, use the grading rubric used for a
given assignment to evaluate a reading selection from the
course.
0
Give out grading rubric in advance, have them use it on
their drafts.
0
Change second short paper assignment to rewrite, without
warning
Sample “writing as reading” exercise
o
read pages xiii-xvi from
The Botany of
Desire
(handout)
o
What are the
argument and motive
of the
book, based on this excerpt? How
persuasive and compelling do they seem?
o
What
evidence
will he be using?
o
How is the section
structured
? How do
the
sequencing
of the argument and
transitions
between points work?
o
How is the
writing at the level of the
sentence and paragraph
?
Are there
sentences and/or paragraphs that are
particularly strong or weak? In what way?
Exploring the principles of effective writing as outlined in "The Elements of Style" by William Strunk and E.B. White. The text emphasizes the importance of clear and assertive language, coherent structure, and the connection between writing, thinking, and reading. It delves into different forms of writing and provides practical exercises to hone writing skills.
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Presentation Transcript
The Elements of Style, The Elements of Style, William Strunk and E.B. White (1959 William Strunk and E.B. White (1959) It is an old observation that the best writers sometimes disregard the rules of rhetoric. When they do so, however, the reader will usually find in the sentence some compensating merit, attained at the cost of the violation. Unless he is certain of doing as well, he will probably do best to follow the rules. After he has learned, by their guidance, to write plain English adequate for everyday uses, let him look, for the secrets of style, to the study of the masters of literature.
0 Make definite assertions. Avoid tame, colorless, hesitating, non- committal language. 0 Keep related words together. 0 In summaries, keep to one tense. 0 avoid a succession of loose sentences These are good rules. So what s the problem?
0 Assumes a perfect paper that is out there, rather than building from the ground up 0 Starts too late in the process 0 Doesn t see writing as a form of thinking 0 Doesn t see writing as a form of reading
Writing as Thinking Writing as Thinking Different kinds of writing reflections, blog postings, LATTE postings, paper proposals, research questions, minutes of class discussions in addition to more traditional essay assignments Not all writing is graded Comments focused on how successfully a piece of writing expresses author s thinking (argument + motive, flow, the work each part of the paper is doing)
Sample writing as thinking exercise Sample writing as thinking exercise [given as part of a research paper assignment, after a preliminary proposal or bibliography is submitted and returned with grades and comments] o Break into pairs o Jot down a one paragraph description of your paper (as you have it developed so far) - include, if you have it, what question you hope to answer, what your argument is, what the motive is, what your evidence is. Don t worry if you don t yet have some parts of these. Note that down as well. o Read it aloud to your partner. Your partner will ask questions/make suggestions about each part (question, argument, motive, evidence). o Take notes on your conversation o switch
Writing as Reading Writing as Reading 0 Make a habit of noting and evaluating the way authors put together arguments and motives, and other more and less successful choices they make in their writing. 0 Once or twice a semester, use the grading rubric used for a given assignment to evaluate a reading selection from the course. 0 Give out grading rubric in advance, have them use it on their drafts. 0 Change second short paper assignment to rewrite, without warning
Sample writing as reading exercise Sample writing as reading exercise oread pages xiii-xvi from The Botany of Desire (handout) oWhat are the argument and motive of the book, based on this excerpt? How persuasive and compelling do they seem? oWhat evidence will he be using? oHow is the section structured? How do the sequencing of the argument and transitions between points work? oHow is the writing at the level of the sentence and paragraph? Are there sentences and/or paragraphs that are particularly strong or weak? In what way?
