Lecture Notes: University of Chicago's Writing Program

Introduction to the Writing Program

• University of Chicago's Writing Program takes a top-down approach to writing, unlike most schools which adopt a bottom-up approach.
• No freshman composition courses; instead, the program focuses on faculty and graduate students.
• Original goal: To help faculty who struggled with writing, not students.
• The program challenges the notion that writing is a basic skill learned early on.

Nature of the Program

• Not a remedial writing course; targeted at advanced writers.
• No rules-based writing instruction; attacks traditional rule-governed writing practices.
• Emphasizes understanding readers over rules.
• Focuses on producing high-value writing over churning out frequent low-value documents.

Challenges for Expert Writers

• Expert writers: writing about complex subjects in which they have expertise.
• Writing helps them think; it's not just a final product of thinking.
• Different patterns in writing and reading can create challenges.
• Expert writing can interfere with readers' reading processes due to different patterns.

Readers and Value

• Readers' reactions: Slow down, misunderstand, get aggravated, and ultimately stop reading.
• Real-world readers are not obligated to read; they need to find value in the text.
• Faculty as writers face a different challenge since earlier readers (like teachers) were paid to read their work.

Making Writing Valuable

• Writing needs to be more than clear, organized, and persuasive; it must be valuable to readers.
• Value isn't inherent in the content but perceived by the community of readers.
• Knowing your readers: Essential for creating valuable and persuasive writing.

Codes of Value in Writing

• Articles must have language that signals value: nonetheless, however, although, inconsistent, anomaly.
• Weekly practice: Circle value-creating words in field-specific articles to build a valuable word list.
• Community knowledge: Understanding the codes and jargon of the specific academic community is crucial.

Problem vs. Background

• Academic writing must start with a problem that matters to the readers, not just background information.
• Use language to create instability and tension rather than stability and continuity.
• Costs and benefits: Highlight how solving the problem benefits the readers or increases their costs if left unresolved.

Literature Review

• Functions differently in professional texts compared to student papers.
• Should enrich the problem rather than just listing past works (year-by-year summary).
• Use the literature to show layers of complexity and instability and highlight the significance.

Example Analysis: Sewell and Totino

• Sewell’s introduction method: Places historical events in contradiction to scrutinize theoretical categories, indicating instability.
• Totino's approach: Uses bold statements and examples to challenge existing views, pegging the problem in recognized historical narratives and significance.

Final Takeaways

• Writing functions to change readers' ideas, not just communicate your own.
• Importance of externalizing knowledge and focusing on how it impacts the community discussion.
• Think strategically: Always write with the goal to make the work valuable and engaging for your specific audience.

Practical Tips

• Devote 15 minutes weekly to identifying value-creating codes in published articles.
• Develop a word list for revising your work to ensure it's valuable.
• Recognize and adapt to the particularities of your academic community.

Writing Program Support

• Larry McEnerney is available for appointments to discuss writing but plan ahead.
• Emphasizes the seriousness of the writing challenge and offers personal support.