"Nobody can write who never writes, just as one cannot swim who never swims."
--Paulo Friere, Teachers as Cultural Workers (Westview Press, 1998, 25)
Since the early 1970's writing instruction has made a steady turn from emphasizing the finished product to teaching the writing process.
While this method does not necessarily slight the importance of a
polished document as the end result of teaching, it does recognize that
the writing process can be described and that we can intervene in the
methods students bring to their writing to improve it. Naturally, the
process that works for one writer might not work for another. Factors
such as experience with the document type, knowledge of the subject,
and fluency with written language may all influence the writing process
used in any given situation. However, students are usually helped by
(1) understanding and considering their own writing process; and (2)
spending more time on the prewriting and revision stages of writing
(below). Further, encouraging students work in stages and get help as
they write discourages plagiarism.
Novice writers often don't spend enough time on prewriting or revising.
The
writing process is generally recognized as discursive, not linear, but
it is usually described in terms of stages or steps. Roughly, these are:
Prewriting, or Invention:
the writer researches and explores the subject to generate an argument
with support (or other, if the writing is not argumentative, to
generate content); in this stage the writer should consider audience,
genre, and rhetorical purpose. Drafting: the writer organizes (or arranges) the content to convey a dominant idea or arguable thesis for a particular audience. Rewriting, Editing, or Revision:
the writer makes global changes in the text, by rearranging, adding, or
deleting content, and by making the tone, style, and content
appropriate for the intended audience. Proofreading:
the writer makes local (as opposed to global) changes so that the text
conform to the appropriate style and corrects any errors in grammar,
mechanics, usage, or documentation.
Instructors
may support each of the stages of the writing process in a variety of
ways. Many of these activities can be done in-class, but they can also
be done as homework. Ideally, activities for each stage of the writing
process should be built into a syllabus for every major writing
assignment.
| Prewriting, or Invention |
Journals; Research; Conversations; Freewriting; Brainstorming, and other Invention Techniques |
| Drafting |
Outlining or Planning; Discussing models; Learning precepts through lecture, demonstration, and hands-on exercises |
| Rewriting |
In-class reading of drafts; One-to-one peer responses ; Conferences (instructor or writing center); In-class small group peer responses; Computer-based peer responses |
| Proofreading |
Peer editing; Last-minute reading of hard copy manuscript; Learning editing symbols; Reviewing discourse conventions (e.g., grammar or documentation) |
While
instructors may wish to support all stages of the writing process,
constraints in class time can make that difficult. In choosing which
stage to emphasize, consider the following:
Are
you more interested in surface correctness and readability
(Proofreading) or in well-developed and well argued or original ideas
(Prewriting)? Much drafting can and should be done outside of class. In
most cases good writing is produced in multiple drafts. Even when
writers must work quickly, they will review their work more than once
(and professional writers develop the habit of writing and rewriting
almost simultaneously). Thus, it would be wise to foster the rewriting
stage. Allow and encourage students to proofread,
preferably on hard copy so they cannot rely on spell checkers (which
miss errors such as incorrect homonyms). On the day their papers are
due, give them a few minutes of class time to proofread, and teach them
to use editing symbols to make neat corrections. In other words, allow
them to treat their own work just as a writer treats a manuscript.
Additional Resources
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Faculty and Advisors 
