Sources on Writing and Teaching Writing

Compiled by John L. Hammond

I first list five books and one article that I recommend highly, each for a specific purpose. Following that, I list everything that has come to my attention. I have not read all of these books. This list includes contributions by Juan Battle, Manfred Kuechler, and Robert Perinbanayagam, indicated by their initials. Other comments are my own.

Sociology Writing Group, A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers. To give students an overall view of the process of research and writing, specific to sociology. Should be a good supplementary text for courses which emphasize writing.

Hacker, Diana. 1995. A Writer's Reference. Something to recommend to students who need to work on grammar and mechanics.

MacAllister, Joyce, "Responding to Student Writing," in C. Williams Griffin, ed. Teaching Writing in All Disciplines. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 12 (December, 1982). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 59-67. Why and how to grade papers responding to content and meaning rather than to each word.

Paoli, Dennis, and Kate Parry, Writing as Learning: Efficient and Effective Methods of Using Writing in our Classes. From the HC Writing Center and distributed to everyone this semester. Ideas for assignments and classroom exercises which reinforce writing skills and course content at the same time.

Elbow, Peter, Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process. Free writing. Why one should write without worrying about getting it right before the revision stage.

Becker, Howard S., Writing for Social Scientists. Addressed to the writing problems of faculty and graduate students more than undergraduate students. Many of us will find this worthwhile for our own work and to think about the writing process in ways that can help us teach it.

Two other books that I actually enjoyed reading: Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, and Mina P. Shaughnessy, Errors and Expectations.

The complete list follows.

I. Addressed mainly to student writers:

Bazerman, Charles, The Informed Writer: Using Sources in the Disciplines. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1995.

• This book contains useful exercises to teach critical reading but is not mainly about writing. It is recommended by several authors in Kinney and Roberts.

Booth, Wayne C., et al., The Craft of Research. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1995.

• Discusses bibliographic research, and is more about thinking out and researching a paper than the writing process itself. The Hunter College Philosophy Department uses this book in its advanced seminars.

Bruffee, Kenneth A., A Short Course in Writing. Glenview: Scott, Foresman and Co., 3d edition, 1985.

• An introduction to expository writing. Ken Bruffee is a strong advocate of writing as communication, and of incorporating various communicating exercises into the teaching of writing; he is also the founder of remedial writing at Brooklyn College.

Cuba, Lee, A Short Guide to Writing about Social Sciences. Talman, 1996, 2d edition. $15.95.

• This title I have not even seen. An earlier edition was first published by Scott, Foresman, then by Harper. This price sounds right, otherwise I just would like to hear more about it. (MK)

Elbow, Peter, Writing Without Teachers. London: Oxford University Press, 1973.

____________, Writing with Power: Techniques for Mastering the Writing Process. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.

• Good writing requires two skills, creating and criticizing, but they often conflict and are best exercised separately. The fundamental fallacy of beginning writers is to think that we must have our ideas straight before we can write them down, and the sentences we write must express the ideas clearly and correctly. In fact, Elbow argues, we come to understand our ideas as we write. The classic source for techniques like freewriting and discussion with others to help writers clarify their thoughts before worrying about expressing them in polished form.

Friedman, Sharon, and Stephen Steinberg, Writing & Thinking in the Social Sciences. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 1989. $30.60.

• The collaboration of a English and a sociology professor (yes, it's CUNY's Stephen Steinberg who delivered the well-composed address at Ben's retirement dinner). It's an introduction into sociological research methods at the same time. Each major approach (experiment, observation, interview, document) is exemplified by a short article by an established scholar. More like an exercise in reading sociological literature which one may claim is a prerequisite for writing. A very interesting concept and a well written text. Less suitable, however, as a supplement to provide step-by-step help as a student struggles with a writing assignment. Also, the high price (seen at Amazon, though likely to be even higher at Hunter's bookstore) is a deterrent. (MK)

Hacker, Diana, A Writer's Reference (3rd Edition). Boston: St. Martin's Press, 1995.

• I should note that several of the professors in English use this text as well. (JB)

• Mainly a reference to grammar and style. Of this book's twelve chapters, two are devoted to the process of thinking out and researching a paper, two to bibliography and documentation, and the rest to grammar and presentation. Very practical advice with good examples to which students can be directed to correct specific errors. Desk copies: 800-446-8923

Hult, Christine A., Researching and Writing in the Social Sciences. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 1996. $15.75.

• It uses APA style as the main example, but it is a nice mix between covering (library) research skills and actual writing skills. Not for 101, but I think very suitable for classes in which a genuine "research paper" is assigned. This is a new book, also covering computer-based searches. (MK)

Johnson, William A., et al., The Sociology Student Writer's Manual. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1998.

• An overview of the paper-writing process covering logic of inquiry, research, and presentation. Tries to cover too much (it offers a recap of grammar and a ten-page introductory sociology course), making the treatment of most topics only superficial. Discussing the internet, it says that there is an Emile Durkheim web site with none other than Emile Durkheim himself as the webmaster (p. 151).

Lamott, Anne, Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.

• An entertaining account by a writing teacher about the problems common to beginning and experienced writers. She writes from her personal experience as a young woman with whom many students will identify. This is mostly about writing fiction, but the lessons about confidence in oneself and one's convictions can serve many student writers.

Sociology Writing Group, A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers. New York: St. Martin's, 3d edition, 1994. $14.66.

• Written by a group of UCLA faculty members. Discusses general topics (including organization, outlining, proper attribution/plagiarism) as well as different genres of papers (textual analysis, library research, ethnographic research, quantitative research) complete with annotated real life student paper examples. Uses ASA style. I will use this title as supplementary text for my spring class on social movements. (MK)

II. Addressed mainly to teachers

Angelo, Thomas A. and K. Patricia Cross, Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993.

• Suggestions for classroom exercises, not all of which involve writing. With applications to a variety of disciplines and concrete instructions on how to use them in class.

Becker, Howard S., Writing for Social Scientists. University of Chicago Press, 1986.

• Addressed primarily to the writing problems of graduate students and professionals. Much of Becker's practical advice can be found in Peter Elbow (whom Becker credits) in a form more specific to the problems of undergraduate student writers. Any department member who (oh so occasionally) may have trouble getting started writing will appreciate Becker's discussion of the superstitious practices we adhere to when writing.

Griffin, C. Williams, ed. Teaching Writing in All Disciplines. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 12 (December, 1982). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Not a manual but essays in composition theory with practical suggestions. This book inclues "Responding to Student Writing," by Joyce MacAllister (pp. 59-67), highly recommended as a source of strategies for grading.

Kinney, Marjory, and Keith A. Roberts., Eds., Writing in the Undergraduate Sociology Curriculum: A Guide for Teachers. Washington: ASA Teaching Resources Center, 1993.

• A sociological perspective on composition theory as it relates to undergraduate teaching, and examples from sociology courses. Sadly, a lot of this is not so well written.

Paoli, Dennis, and Kate Parry, Writing as Learning: Efficient and Effective Methods of Using Writing in our Classes. New York: Hunter College, 1997.

• Very practical guide to integrating writing into the learning process; a follow-up to Persky and Raimes.

Persky, Charles, and Ann Raimes, Learning Through Writing: A Practical Guide to Student Writing for College Teachers. New York: Hunter College, 1981.

• A pamphlet-sized book by the cofounders of the Hunter College Writing Center, with some important principles and lots of useful suggestions for designing and grading writing assignments.

Shaughnessy, Mina P., Errors and Expectations: A Guide for the Teacher of Basic Writing. New York: Oxford University Press, 1977.

• According to Shaughnessy, the errors basic writers make reflect an effort to express thoughts not entirely under their control. Teachers have to help them avoid errors because errors hinder communication; but the way to do so is not by drill and rules but by dealing with the communicative act. This humanly and linguistically sensitive book is by the pioneer of remedial writing instruction at CUNY.

• Relatively few students in sociology classes, especially at the 200 level and higher, have the problems of basic writing to which Shaughnessy devotes most of this book. However, her seventh chapter, "Beyond the Sentence," offers a very helpful discussion of the types of argument which the advanced student writer should master.