WRITING FOR OTHERS
Probably more than at any other point in history, writing has become a personal activity. Social media encourages us to express our own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. We write about personal experiences, and we are accountable only in the general sense that others might (or might not) care about what we have written. However, academic writing is not about us; it is about our readers. We are accountable to those who receive our messages, and this requires a change in mindset.
Overview:
Typically, a piece of writing can be thought of as existing for the sake of the writer (like a personal journal or a grocery list) or for the sake of a reader (like a set of instructions or an exam essay). Knowing who will read the essay lets a writer know what can and cannot be assumed about a subject. For example, a recipe for cookies probably does not need to educate readers on what a cookie is, and probably does not even need to include a review on how to turn on an oven. It might need an explanation of certain terms (like ‘creaming’). It probably will need a list of ingredients.
Good writers keep in mind at all times who will be reading their work and how those readers will be using the work. In the above example, the person writing the cookie recipe can be pretty sure that the reader will be making cookies, but will probably be a little less certain about what the future baker’s personal tastes are going to be (or where the baker might live). This might result in additional directions about how to substitute chocolate candies for chocolate chips or how to adjust for baking at a higher altitude.
Application:
A college-level essay usually has multiple readers, but the ultimate reality is that there is one reader that matters more than others—the person grading the essay. What this means is that a student writer needs to consider what reasons the instructor might have had for assigning the essay. These reasons might not be stated aloud. Maybe the assigned “goal” of the essay is to “teach your readers about the meaning of marriage in Twelfth Night,” but as far as a student is concerned, the “goal” of the essay is to get a decent grade. Remember, though that as far as the instructor is concerned, the “goal” of the essay is to make sure that each student has at least some practice with analysis. In other words, the way for a student to get that “decent grade” is to show the instructor the skill that is being asked for—in this case, analysis.
In this case, there are three goals, and they work together. The teacher gets the student to practice analysis (goal one) by assigning a paper on Twelfth Night. The student writes about Twelfth Night (goal two) as a way of motivating the teacher to assign a high grade (goal three).
What to Avoid:
Do not write the essay for the wrong readers. Writing an essay that a parent, a significant other, or a roommate likes is not the same thing as writing an essay that meets an instructor’s expectations. Most importantly, do not write the essay in a vacuum. Make sure that you do not assume that just because one of your instructors in high school always let you get away with poor use of punctuation because “it’s the ideas that count” does not mean that your new instructor (or, in the future, your employer) will agree.
Probably more than at any other point in history, writing has become a personal activity. Social media encourages us to express our own thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. We write about personal experiences, and we are accountable only in the general sense that others might (or might not) care about what we have written. However, academic writing is not about us; it is about our readers. We are accountable to those who receive our messages, and this requires a change in mindset.
Overview:
Typically, a piece of writing can be thought of as existing for the sake of the writer (like a personal journal or a grocery list) or for the sake of a reader (like a set of instructions or an exam essay). Knowing who will read the essay lets a writer know what can and cannot be assumed about a subject. For example, a recipe for cookies probably does not need to educate readers on what a cookie is, and probably does not even need to include a review on how to turn on an oven. It might need an explanation of certain terms (like ‘creaming’). It probably will need a list of ingredients.
Good writers keep in mind at all times who will be reading their work and how those readers will be using the work. In the above example, the person writing the cookie recipe can be pretty sure that the reader will be making cookies, but will probably be a little less certain about what the future baker’s personal tastes are going to be (or where the baker might live). This might result in additional directions about how to substitute chocolate candies for chocolate chips or how to adjust for baking at a higher altitude.
Application:
A college-level essay usually has multiple readers, but the ultimate reality is that there is one reader that matters more than others—the person grading the essay. What this means is that a student writer needs to consider what reasons the instructor might have had for assigning the essay. These reasons might not be stated aloud. Maybe the assigned “goal” of the essay is to “teach your readers about the meaning of marriage in Twelfth Night,” but as far as a student is concerned, the “goal” of the essay is to get a decent grade. Remember, though that as far as the instructor is concerned, the “goal” of the essay is to make sure that each student has at least some practice with analysis. In other words, the way for a student to get that “decent grade” is to show the instructor the skill that is being asked for—in this case, analysis.
In this case, there are three goals, and they work together. The teacher gets the student to practice analysis (goal one) by assigning a paper on Twelfth Night. The student writes about Twelfth Night (goal two) as a way of motivating the teacher to assign a high grade (goal three).
What to Avoid:
Do not write the essay for the wrong readers. Writing an essay that a parent, a significant other, or a roommate likes is not the same thing as writing an essay that meets an instructor’s expectations. Most importantly, do not write the essay in a vacuum. Make sure that you do not assume that just because one of your instructors in high school always let you get away with poor use of punctuation because “it’s the ideas that count” does not mean that your new instructor (or, in the future, your employer) will agree.
