From Inquiry to Academic Writing A Practical Guide, 3rd edition

WRiTing A SynTHESiS 179

author

and sourCe

Gist of

arGument

examples/

illustrations CounterarGuments

What

i thinK

Clive Thomp-

son, “On the

New Literacy,”

Wired (2009)

research chal-

lenges prevail-

ing arguments

about elec-

tronic media’s

effects on stu-

dents’ literacy,

suggesting they

may be more

literate than in

the past.

The Stanford

study, with its

sample of more

than 14,000

pieces of writing

and random-

ized sample of

student partici-

pants. One case

example.

Student writing

is full of “texting-

speak.”

The Stanford

study is per-

suasive, espe-

cially given

the size of the

study. Not

much counter-

evidence.

Cynthia

Haven, “The

New Literacy:

Stanford Study

Finds richness

and Complex-

ity in Students’

Writing,” Stan-

ford Report

(2009)

A study indi-

cates a possible

revolution in

literacy. using

online social

networks to

create change,

students now

write more,

more persua-

sively, and

more adap-

tively than ever

before.

Stanford

study and case

example of one

student.

Students who

spend most of their

time writing on

electronic networks

do not attend to the

technical aspects

of communication

and have a limited

sense of their audi-

ence.

This is a more

thorough

review of the

Stanford study.

It emphasizes

how much

more meaning-

ful writing is

outside of the

classroom.

Josh Keller,

“Studies

explore

Whether the

Internet Makes

Students Bet-

ter Writers,”

Chronicle of

Higher Educa-

tion (2009)

Two studies

suggest that

electronic

media, in giv-

ing students

more opportu-

nities to write

and honing

their sense of

audience, have

made them

better writers

than previous

generations.

But an emerg-

ing body of

evidence chal-

lenges these

recent claims,

which force

educators to

consider what

they consider

good writing.

Studies at Stan-

ford, Michigan

State, and

George Mason.

expert opinion

from faculty at

Florida State

and the univer-

sity of Wiscon-

sin.

Critics like Profes-

sor Bauerlein at

emory university

argue that literacy

is not progressing

steadily, as some

have observed, at

least not based on

standardized tests.

He suggests that

writing solely to

one’s peers online

encourages spon-

taneous but unfo-

cused thought and

a limited vocabu-

lary.

The three stud-

ies together are

quite powerful.

I am not sure

that standard-

ized tests

developed a

generation ago

are the best

way to mea-

sure increases

in literacy.

And Bauerlein

relies on anec-

dotal evidence

to make his

argument:

that writing

in electronic

media limits

thinking or

writing quality.

I should check

if any studies

exist to support

Baeurlein.

FiGURe 7.2 Worksheet for Writing a Synthesis

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