heuristics

[Christine Cozzens <FAIRVIEW@worldnet.att.net>]

Like most things in first-year composition, I think the interview 
technique probably has minimal effect on the conscious level.  I doubt 
that any of my students say to each other after class "Hey, let's try 
interviewing each other so we can generate ideas for the next paper."  
But I do believe that talking about writing and writing to get more 
writing (like freewriting) reap results in the long run.  My advanced 
comp and especially my nonfiction students report major transfer from 
such exercises to their papers, especially in terms of getting the basic 
 paper idea from such a session.  

We do a year-long first-year course, but personally I think first-year 
English is mostly wasted on first-year students and would much rather 
give them a semester (or nothing) and have them come back to composition 
when they see the need (which usually happens once the frenzy of the 
first-year fades) and have found their academic niche, however humble.  
I get much more done in Advanced Comp (one semester) than I ever do in 
First-year English (one year) because the students in AC enroll by 
choice and are ready to rock.  

Christine Cozzens
Center for Writing and Speaking
Agnes Scott College