Provocative Thinking about Student Writing

Author: Rebecca Gordon (Philosophy, Arts & Sciences)

Here's a review of Cathy N. Davidson's book: Now You See It

Virginia Heffernan's review includes a bunch of what a skeptical professor might call filler, but near the end, she points to a provocative suggestion from Davidson: perhaps part of the reason that student research papers are so often so dreadful is that the form itself is unrelated to anything else students have written in the past or -- unless they become academics -- are likely to write in their professional futures.

Davidson observes that the same students use digital media for writing that is livelier, more analytically sound, and routinely exposed to a cycle of critique and improvement through peer response.

I have no idea whether or not I agree with what Heffernan says Davidson is suggesting. And my own lack of experience with digital pedagogy makes me reluctant to leave behind what actually *does* work for me in favor of untried (by me) approaches.

On the other hand, I often find myself explaining philosophical concepts to friends in a digital community gathered for an entirely different purpose (the discussion of fiber arts). It's possible that the discussion forum format and the non-expert audience actually lead me to write more clearly and succinctly than I might for an academic journal.

I think I'll read the book.