Professor G.

Professor G. of the English department believes that the way a person writes affects their impact and by the clarity of someone's writing we decide how much authority we give them, how much we accept their research. If someone is brilliant, but can't articulate their ideas, they won't be taken as seriously as they would be if they were perfectly clear.

She said students must learn what kind of writing will be expected of them in their jobs. Employers expect that they will be able to write coherently, and concisely. They also need to be conscientious about their writing. In the future what they write could be legal or reach a whole range of audiences. What a person writes also represents their agency so students need to learn now how to write correctly.

She describes the most desirable writing style as clear, concise, using technical terminology, well structured, and generally leaving technical terminology out.

What impresses her most is when students are truly engaged in their assignments, when their research shows through in their work, and when they go beyond their own interests and ideas to explore and challenge themselves. She likes it when students look at the bigger picture and how they fit into it.

my interview with Professor B.

It goes without saying that a person’s writing style can determine his/her ability to have influence and impact as an English student. For this reason, I directed my interview with Professor B. more toward the importance of mechanics and style in relation to success in the literary field. Professor B. began by stating his belief that “structure is taught too rigorously in the sense that it imperils students, making them focus more on correctness than content in writing.” Professor B. believes that an argument in any literary paper is comparable to a mathematical equation: rather than reiterating a single idea throughout, one should start with a single point and add more points to it until a new, complete conclusion is reached. Professor B. also stated that most students entering the college environment become so focused on the “rigidity of overall structure” that they neglect the value of sentence clarity. Without clarity, said Professor B., students tend to lose themselves in topics and try to compensate by using elevated language, resulting in arguments lacking substance. It is for this reason that Professor B. encourages his students to say things simply and concisely. He believes that the most admirable scholar is one who can say something extremely complicated in a very simple way – a skill which, to him, is the very key to success in the English field.

-Sara-

Interview with Dr. C from the English department

I interviewed Dr. C. in the English department. This professor felt that grammar and correctness are very important and the ability to write well “exhibits one of the most important skills of the discipline.” Dr. C. also claimed that in English, it is hard to understand “the subtleties of writing if [students] aren’t conversant with the standards of grammar and usage.” Thus, possessing good grammar skills becomes a key element in appreciating the literary texts being studied. Also, grammar and correctness affect a student’s impact in their writing because “writing and speaking well are equated with thinking well.” In the field, grammar is very important because professors are required to publish written works. As for what type of writing is best for this field, Dr. C. said there are many styles that work but, “the key--the bottom line, though--is clarity.” Lucidity and grammatical prose also seem to go a long way, as well as careful editing.

Interview with the acclaimed professor X!!!

(This is Ace Charette)

Professor “X” of the English department said that the way a person writes definitely has an impact in the field (of literary criticism specifically). S/he said that writing is the language of paradox and of tension being let out of the deepest parts of our minds. Because of this, s/he said that s/he does not mind it if criticism isn’t necessarily crystal clear because the subject at hand is not always crystal clear and can push the reader into two contradictory directions. Grammar errors (such as the difference between “that” and “which”) are usually caught by editors, but if a professor has terrible grammar, chances are s/he would not be a prof.

As for the (un)importance of grammar and “correctness” thereof concerning student writing, professor X said that s/he found it heartbreaking when a student has a clear ability to critically think in profound ways but is also unable to convey what s/he means due to bad grammar. To grade this, s/he usually leans towards a B+ on these papers, and conversely a low B for those who can use grammar well but somewhat miss the mark on critical analysis.

What impressed professor X the most about student writing was critical analysis. Citations and textual analyses are definitely favored. Furthermore, a paper that conveys an ambiguity of thought is actually preferred, as opposed to taking a stance on one argument or another and proving it.

My interview with Professor W., of the English department, was conducted via e-mail, and she provided a lot of good information on the type of writing that is necessary for a successful English major and career in the English field. Professor W. said that, “good writing skills are crucial in English; this is a field where language—and one’s ability to interpret and use it successfully—is the primary concern.” Writing is how a person conveys their ideas about a text to others, so having a good understanding of grammar is extremely important to be effective in the English field. Clarity and complexity are what Professor W. feels are the most desirable style for writing in English, and what she looks for in a student’s writing. One needs clarity to clearly communicate one’s ideas to convince other people of their interpretation. Complexity demonstrates one has thought deeply about the text and has considered the text from different angles. Professor W. wishes that “students had more opportunities to learn and practice using “signposts” in their writing—in other words, to signal the different steps or moves in their arguments for their readers.”
~Darci

Interview with a biology professor

For my interview, I talked to Dr. R, a biology professor. She explained that in the field of biology, writing is a way of passing on information, whether it be in a peer-reviewed journal, or a scientific magazine. It is important, she said, to be able to explain what you’ve found to someone who has no idea what you’re talking about. Unfortunately, these journals always have a word/paragraph cap, and most have strict word rules. Therefore, the biologist with a keen grasp of grammar must be able to pass on information precisely and briefly. No flowery language, and few frills, just straight down to business writing. Dr. R. also said that what most impresses her in a student’s writing is that ability to pass on information. It is the substance of the paper that matters, not the symbolism.

-Jim