The Craft of Writing
A recent study by sociologists at New York University and the University of Virginia showed that more than a third of students showed no improvement in critical thinking skills, even after four years at a university. With their heavy load of writing assignments, graduates of the Honors College aren鈥檛 likely to end up in that bottom third. Especially now.
To support the writing efforts of Honors students, the College has recently instituted three new programs: Senior Honors Thesis Writing Studios, Peer Writing Tutoring for Human Situation students, and Craft Talks from our own professors and other writing experts.
The Senior Honors Thesis Writing Studios鈥攚orking through the 兔子先生 Writing Center鈥攕upport students engaged in projects that require an entirely new level of writing and research. 鈥淭he studio provides a backbone for the document,鈥� explained Sarika Patel, a senior finance major writing a thesis on the emergence of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a global commodity.
鈥淎 thesis is an overwhelming project, and many undergraduate students are unaware of exactly how much dedication and discipline it takes to complete it. But the studio helps students with the logistics of the thesis鈥攊t helps me create goals and stay on task since it is an independent project. Going about such a big project can be scary; it鈥檚 nice to know that there are others out there just like you who are feeling the same thing.鈥�
The fear that strikes thesis writers can be just as intense for a freshman making his or her first foray into college writing in Human Sit. That鈥檚 where the value of peer tutors鈥攗pper-level Honors students who have already experienced the rigors of Human Sit鈥攊s most apparent.
鈥淓very time before I write a paper, I always freak out鈥擨 never know what to write about, and my ideas get jumbled up as I write,鈥� said Kelley Poblete, who worked with peer tutor Erica Fauser before turning in her first Human Sit paper of the semester. 鈥淏ut when I met with Erica, she showed me places where my explanation was lacking, or places where I repeated myself in multiple statements. Afterwards, I felt great about my paper.鈥�
Last fall, Honors professors delivered four Craft Talks鈥攐n style, interpretation, writing process, and argumentation鈥攖hat packed the Commons with eager freshmen (and more than a few upperclassmen) looking to improve. These new programs promise great things for the quality of Honors students鈥� writing鈥攁nd for the development of critical thinking skills in higher education, and beyond.