George Anastaplo continues “It instructs us partly by entertaining us; it entertains us partly by instructing us. We are likely to learn from that which amuses us; we are likely to enjoy that which seems to teach us something” (1). This collection of essays is written not by a professor … Read More
Month: February 2017
“The world is too much with us.”
Two-hundred years ago, when William Wordsworth published the poem that begins with the line quoted above, critics were not impressed. In fact, they ridiculed him for using the words “of the common man” instead of using a scholar’s proper poetic diction. Wordsworth sparked a revolution. It took many years, … Read More
“Many modern books on ‘style’ have suggested that there are only two styles: good and bad.”
This book, Clear and Simple as the Truth, takes a much different view. The authors argue that there are many styles for writers to choose from – including contemplative, classic, romantic, plain, oratorical, practical, and diplomatic. This book focuses primarily on the classic style – its history, conventions, philosophy, … Read More
“Researchers found that students who wrote prolifically before high-stakes performances, like examinations and final papers, significantly improved their performance on their final work” (69).
Interestingly, in this study by Ramirez and Beilock (2011), as summarized by Gary R. Hafer in Embracing Writing, it didn’t matter whether students wrote about the subject matter or about their emotions and anxiety – what mattered was how frequently they wrote. Hafer makes a case for encouraging students … Read More