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