My hope for each of you
is that as you go through the classes leading to graduation day, that you
will seek to continuously improve your writing skills. This can be the result
of practice, getting feedback (not just from teachers, by the way) and taking
a class or two specifically on writing, and getting very familiar with the Little,
Brown Compact Handbook (an excellent style book, in my estimation). Where
I would like to see continuous improvements are in spelling, grammar, flow
and clarity. I will endeavor to point out problems in these categories as I
grade your papers with the hope that you will learn from these pointers. Now,
I want to emphasize that I don�t have all the answers, nor am I always right,
so I urge you to challenge me when needed.
Perhaps you will agree with me
when I say that each of us, regardless of the work we do, is a full time
communicator. You can be an effective communicator, or not, depending on how
much effort you put into ensuring that others are receiving the messages and
meanings you are intending for them to get. I always encourage my students to
make it as �easy� as possible for others to �get� what it is you want them to
understand when communicating. Otherwise, �they� may not get it, nor even
want to put effort into trying to get it.
I find many students resistant to
learning and appreciating grammar and spelling, and even a few students so
afraid of writing they consider dropping out of school. I suggest you look at
grammar as simply a set of tools or guidelines that create consistency and
common understanding among �users.� I say users (a term used for folks using
computer technology to accomplish tasks) to relate grammar to protocols. In
the high tech arena, in essence, protocols are agreed upon rules so that the
transmission of information can be accomplished smoothly and consistently.
Likewise, grammar is a set of rules that we agree upon in order to transmit
information smoothly and consistently.
Now, here are some thoughts
about thinking. A UOP teacher, whom I highly respect, says, �Writing is
thinking.� He explains that effective writing begins with clear thinking; particularly
clear �critical thinking.�
In most student papers I see what I call universal or generalized
assumptions. It is my belief that a part of critical thinking is reducing or
eliminating the use of generalizations. Examples could be: We all think;
everybody knows; and as we all believe. As you receive
communication, begin to question assumptions and ask for specifics, and
whenever possible, specifics with supporting data or information. As you
write for your UOP classes, begin to scrutinize your papers and weed out
unsubstantiated generalizations, unidentified sources and nebulous
references. Be clear about separating opinions, and whose opinions, from
facts (substantiated facts). Be clear when something is your opinion or is
someone else�s opinion. When you take a position on some issue, use theory
and application from the texts or other sources to buttress your opinions.
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