Hello:
To get the ball rolling for next week, I want us to consider some important questions currently confronting the world of writing. First of all, do you think universities should teach composition or writing? Many universities (including DMACC) teach website design, brochures, PowerPoint, and other visual media under the guise that "composition" can take many forms. However, there are people who feel this leads to a form of illiteracy since the focus is not on writing. Therefore, the assumption is that spelling, grammar and mechanics, and students' vocabularies suffer as a result.
What do you think universities and colleges should be teaching students--composition or writing? Would you prefer to have more focus on vocabulary, spelling, and grammar? Explain.
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17 comments:
The three most important elements that people look at when being spoken to are words (7%), voice quality (38%), and body language (55%). These three major elements cannot be used in writing. In todays world, employers usually ask for a presentation more often than a written report.
I believe that this class should be used at universities because there will be time when it is needed. With that being said I think they should re-evaluate how it is taught. In this class it is being taught over a computer. Why can't it be taught on paper? if composition is writing, why are we using internet and blogs and being forced to discuss with classmates how we feel about the class? I think all of that should be thrown aside because in a classroom you get the opportunity to talk to your classmates.
In my opinion doing the class online is a lazy way for a college teacher to keep track of how a student is doing in the class. Something a little more hands on would be more appropriate. After all, isn't that what Composition is about?
I have come to the realization that the conclusion I came to earlier in this blog is not how i feel. I think this class should be optional to a student or they should at least have some say in how they are being taught.
I think universities should teach composition instead of writing because the class gives you much more information over a broader area than just strictly writing. However spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and mechanics are important areas to focus on, I think composition would be the most beneficial for college students. I would find it helpful to have more focus on vocabulary, spelling, and grammar because it would strengthen my writing skills. We use vocabulary and grammar everyday in conversation and most people have problems knowing proper grammar and vocabulary. Therefore, in writing all these components are necessary in composition. Does anyone agree with me?
Considering thatI need help in both areas, this is probably the place I need to be. If you would be going to an institution for a four-year degree. I would say that you probably should have a good grasp on grammar and vocabulary.So would anyone agree with me or am I crazy? In Response to bokvach, I do agree that more should be handwritten and not on the computer because it is kind of impersonal.
I think grammar, vocabulary, and writing, is and will be important factors in today's workforce.
Knowing that, I need to fine tune all areas. There has been a big deference in the way we communicate today from when I was in high school. We relay heavilyon some form of electronic devise. Some examples are emails, text messages and voice mail. After all how many write hand written letters today?
I feel it is a great way to learn. We have so many tools available at the touch of a button.
For my benefit I would like to have more focus on vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. I think that by having proper grammar a person is perceived much differently than a person who does not have good grammar.
The reason I would like to focus on these areas more is because while in high school when we were taught these skills they were very brief and did not have a lasting effect on me.
From the universities stand point though, coming into college i belive everyone should have already acquired these skills if the high schools are doing their jobs. They should not have to be taught at this level but maybe refreshed.
Composition is something high schools are letting some students take before they go to college to get ahead. In the working field they are sending some of their employees back to school to take composistion to keep their job or get a higher role. I personaly think that universities should teach composition because you learn the many different aspects of writing and not just the spelling, vocabulary, or grammar and machanics.
In spelling, vocabulary, and grammar classes you learn only one way to write and composition you learn how to write letters an MLA styled paper and many others that are important in the work field or in life.
The extreme use of improper grammar is a very big pet peeve of mine. People sound so uneducated when they don't use proper grammar. I think colleges should teach both composition and writing and make both a requirement! If teachers at all education levels don't get more strict on spelling, grammar, and vocabulary now we may not even be able to understand what future generations are saying. I think if you are representing your company in an email or phone conversation, you sound much better if you can speak properly.
I believe that universities should teach both composition and writing. I think that the focus should be on spelling and grammar. How are you supposed to do anything with words if you cannot spell or combine them correctly? I also agree with bokvach, more should be done writing on paper rather than typing on a computer. I myself prefer to write rather than type.
I think that composition is the more important part of having a well written piece because if a person makes a few grammatical errors it can sometimes make little difference in what the reader gets out of the piece. Whereas if you know how to use correct punctuation but not how to write, your piece will have absolutely no character at all.
On the other hand, using certain grammar rules to your advantage can greatly enhance and even alter completely the character of your piece.
So in the end I think that both of them should be taught in universities because each needs the other to reach the highest levels of writing.
I believe that both writing and composition are equally important and should be taught in Universities. However, I believe that writing skills which include: spelling, grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary should be more emphasized since they are the basic standards/elements that set up the foundation of our communication skills. Composition skills such as website design, brochures and Powerpoint are also important especially in the technological age we live in but they wouldn't have come about if we didn't first learn how to write using the proper grammar. I believe the main focus should be on writing skills because they set the ground work for other forms of communication but Universities should offer both writing and composition in order to equip their students with all the skills necessary to survive the challenging world out there!
I think that the universities should teach both of the programs in one class. I feel that it is essential that everyone gets a good review on their vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. Some people don’t go to college right away and forget the things that are needed. I also fell that they should get the composition part of it because it is important in our day in age to know how to do PowerPoint’s, websites, and other visual media. Since it is what most people use today. Writing is a big part in the world today also. In most jobs you will have an email and you will be getting emails from a boss and you don’t want to send them an email making you sound stupid. So I believe that they should teach both composition and writing in one class giving people a great idea of what there is to come in the world.
I feel that universities should focus in on the composition part of it. However both are very important. I usually have more problems in grammar than using power points and such. In my opinion even though I really don't like grammar colleges should be teaching that instead of power points mainly, because our generation already knows hot to do that kind of stuff. We must be able to use composition in our jobs, applying for jobs, or just in our everyday life.
I think that universities should teach both composition and writing. I have never been good at vocabulary, grammar, and everything else that has to do with writing. How important is it now to learn how to design websites and do power points? I don’t plan on having to design websites or make brochures. I think the focus should be on learning how to write using proper grammar, punctuations, spelling, and vocabulary. They should also teach us how write about a situation that has happened in our life, or come up with new ideas to write about. Some people could write great essays they just need help putting their ides on paper.
I feel that universities should teach both composition and writing. Both areas are important aspects of business, and the amount of success you will achieve. I feel that the more you know the better prepared you will be. Vocabulary, spelling, and grammar will only help you if you are tough in a recursive process. It is a life skill to be able to affectively communicate with others. Schools and universities should focus more in these areas.
I believe that composition is the more important of the two, and it should be taught instead of just plain writing, I don't believe in these days your boss will care much about your grammar, unless ofcourse you end up being a writer, or an english teacher, I also think that composition gives you experiences with other things that are useful, like the internet, it has become a very powerful tool, and it's used by almost everyone everyday, with that said I do agree with rachel pickett, vocab and grammar would help me out a great deal and make me a better writer
I believe that composition is more important but, that students also need to be taught spelling, vocab, and grammar aswell. I also believe that both should be taught these skills throughout their educational career. Practicing your writting skills will only help you with future things in life and can be very benifical.
If it were me I would choose to refresh my spelling, vocab, and grammar because, i feel that is were i lack. However with technology these says it is easy for one to not be very good in those areas and still create a good paper by using spell check and other grammar tools on the computer.
I believe both aspects are very important. we have to look at our culture and decide what we value as a whole. Looking at our society, we value technology. We can't live without computers and other advances in technological communication. Since we rely so heavily on these advances, everyone is expected know and thus needs to know how to use and utilize these communication avenues to there fullest.
On the other hand, people need to know how to compose professional and well written papers. We need to be able to write resumes, thesis, essays, etc to succeed in our future career goals. In order to do this, we need to know how to write grammatically correct sentences. We need to know how to properly write in many different formats, and be able to do it correctly.
I believe we need to embrace and learn the new technologies so we don't fall behind, as they are only going to continue the advances. We also need to remember our original method of communication and learn it correctly so it doesn't get lost in all the advances.
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