Academic Writing

Academic Writing Values and Commentary

Purpose • To explain the values of academic writing (i.e. what the academy likes to see in writing • Historicize these values so the answer to why is not “that’s just the way it is” • Show what’s missing (offer critique)

Main premise • Most of what you see happening in the University began and hasn’t changed much since the 18th and 19th centuries when the Modern University began. • Most of what doesn’t “work” is due to friction between holding onto the values and premises of history instead of changing with the times.

All Starts with Lit • 18th century belief that literature made you a better person • So to be a better person you had to: • Read literature- absorb its values and messages • Use it as a model to improve your own writing • There was no other way to be a cultured gentleman

So Why not write lit? • Because you never will be able to you silly little common peasant! • Humanism Movement • Man is highest power (but not all men) • There exist GREAT men

Other Cultural Factors • Crisis in Religious Faith • Discoveries of the 17th and 18th century • Literature becomes a momentary stand in for religious faith and accomplishes the same purposes/holds the same values

So what can you do? • Write about these “GREAT” texts • Rationally analyze and pontificate about them • Show that you “get” them (which is frankly as cool as you’re going to get under this rather elitist model of thinking)

The Word • AW still (mostly) values the written word • True knowledge and intellect resides in language • The visual may be seen as less rigorous, unimportant, or pandering • Why? • Lack of photography/Ease of photography/Misplaced belief that images speak for themselves • Hostility to the Popular in the early 20th century to now

Authority • AW values “authorities” of knowledge • “Great” authors- unquestioned • Peer-reviewed Researchers • Approved Sources of knowledge • Therefore, less approving of • Popular culture • New types of knowledge formation (collective intelligence, amateur knowledge producers)

POWER & Control • Shakespeare used to be popular entertainment • Opera and chamber music use to be popular entertainment • Charles Dickens’ fiction was the Twilight of his day • Cultural elites made rhetorical moves to claim these things for themselves

“When everyone can read it no longer matters that you can read, therefore, it must matter what you read.”

REason • The Age of Enlightenment/Reason • Mind is like a well oiled, logical machine • TRUTH exists • Science is the key • Must be cultivated • People are most certainly not created equal • Comp class- the great equalizing attempt

What’s lost • Pleasure • Emotion • Wandering/Exploring (American versus Orient patterns) • Forms that go outside the box

“I” • “Never use “I” in your papers.” • There shouldn’t be an “I” if we’re operating out of that Enlightenment Age model of reason because you are always only reporting a universal truth. • Of course, I’d suggest most writing instructors aren’t aware of this 

An essay? • Originally from French verb : essayer: to try, to attempt • Loose • Exploratory • Thinking Through • Meant to be interacted with/a starting place

THESIS • Now: “I’ve already thought it all through, came to the right conclusion and I shall report it to you.” • Note this is also a very Western rhetorical stance • Burden of proof on writer versus audience

Standards Times New Roman Neutrality 12 point font Readability Double-spaced Functional Rigidly Paragraphed Alignment White Paper Black Ink Contrast

Industry The “look” is far from neutral. It represents the values of industry, commerce, and standardization from the historical time period in which it emerged.

Language • Reflects values of a very European, upper class, standardized point-of-view • Formal • “Objective” • “Correct” usage • Accuracy of Content • Confidence

Grammar matters • Right or wrong, proper grammar reflects on the character of the person writing in this particular situation. • Poor grammar can look like (and often is) a sign of lazy or rushed work which subsequently reflects on content of ideas • Grammar is meaning . . .

OOPs Dear John: • I want a man who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other men. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we're apart. I can be forever happy--will you let me be yours? Gloria

I really meant Dear John: I want a man who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other men, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we're apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? Yours, Gloria

The conversation • Research, quoting, citation are intended to help you enter a conversation • Values: • Knowing what has been said • Synthesizing that information • Letting others know how to get more info (citation)

Final problems • Asked to enter a conversation only in the most superficial way • Lack of investment in topics/subject matter • Downplaying (or ignoring) alternate literacies, skills, possibilities

Too grim? • It is after all the reality of your situation. So you may as well make the best of it.

Benefits • Increased knowledge, awareness, informatude • Synthesis of knowledge helps us better understand why we hold the opinions we do • Depth of thought and analysis • When done well, there is nothing more engrossing, engaging, and persuasive then a quality piece of writing

The game • AW presents itself as “the way things are” that often comes off as unquestionable. • Really it’s one way of doing things that is historically, socially, and culturally situated. • There is value in playing a game well.

Academic Writing