RE: Big Yes for Formulaic Writing

[Katherine Fischer <kfischer@keller.clarke.edu>]

On Tue, 2 Jun 1998, Wendy Smith wrote:
> Katie,
> So, what terms have you learned to use instead of "alternative" or
> "anti-traditional"?  I was told at my recent holistic grading "event" that
> an essay I passed because of its critical thinking was "creative."  The
> word was said in such a condescending manner--talk about steam!!
> "Personal" doesn't quite say it all.  "Dialectical" (as opposed to
> "formalist objective") sometimes works.  "Multiple Perspective" I like.
> "Inductive"?
> Oh! Oh!  I know!  "Critical Thinking"!  Oh, maybe not.  "I teach "Critical
> Thinking Writing" doesn't really roll off the tongue.
> Just how do you use non-defensive approaches?
> Comrade Wendy

Dear Comrade Wendy,

Ve haf vays ov dealingk vit dese things;-)

Actually, I just try to avoid all the labels.  "Creative" is incorrect.  
"Alternative" implies that there is some mainstream I'm supposed to bow
to.  I like the term "writing."  If someone accuses me of
condoning "creative writing," I ask questions.  "In what ways does this
essay answer the essay question?" or "In what ways does this essay fail to
respond adequately?"  If someone responds, "Well, I mean it doesn't even
have a thesis!" I might respond, "True.  Admitedly, it doesn't have a
thesis.  I agree.  But does this lack get in the way of the essay being
successful?"  In other words, I try to stick to the question of whether or
not the essay does the job (whatever that might be).  Same thing in
approaching the traditional essay that has all the correct parts but fails
abysmally to offer any thought beyond the form.  "Yes, this paper has a
thesis and a nice conclusion.  I agree.  But what exploration of the topic
does it offer?  What does it add to the overall discussion of this topic?"
If it's an essay on lowering the drinking age to 18 and relies heavily on
the same three arguments launched for the past twenty years, I might point
that out to my colleagues.  

But, hey, Wendy, I don't have answers for all situations, believe me.  I
do have the good fortune to work at a small college with pretty
open-minded colleagues who are graceful enough to listen much of the time 
to things they don't necessarily agree with.  Part of what stirs me so
strongly in this whole business is that I've taught writing for
twenty-five years, read colleague's writing for twenty-five years, as well
as struggled with my own writing for a whole lot longer than twenty-five
years and as often as I have read writing rooted in the standard form for
academic writing, I have found precious little of it to be very good.
This is not becasue writers are incapable.  It is becasue they are capable
of so much more and they are being asked to settle for so much less.  At
least that's one woman's opinion.

Katie