Tuckers+Response

Dear Marybeth, Brittany, Danielle, Andy, Mallory:

The question you raised seems very appropriate for this student (NT). We were struck by the contrasts in fluency and description in the two samples you shared. And I agree completely with your premise that academic writing should have a voice. There is also the variable of genre. The descriptive language in the combat story is more appropriate to that genre than to an academic genre. In some ways they are not comparable as genres: one is imaginative the other bound by facts of the event-- the potential book burning. So they do not compare well. But what Marybeth said about the engagement of the student with the writing is relevant. In spite of the sensational aspects of burning the Quran, the student makes few personal comments. He seems wholly detached. That is where we can improve academic writing: by engaging students with the subject matter. It would help if we knew more about the assignment. I think it might have required certain skills, such as text-to-text connections and predictions. Those exercises could be useful for reading, but they kill writing. Sometimes we have to make writing the priority and try to engage students with the material. I think that is the point you wanted to make, and we nearly got there. And you can take satisfaction that you truly engaged your class with this reading.

15/15