Often, a “good” high school writer struggles in ENG 101 while a student who didn’t do well in high school language arts finally finds success. What is it about ENG 101 that is so dramatically different from high school language arts, and how can you help your teen come through ENG 101 with success?
We spend 10+years helping young students learn to express themselves through writing. They write stories, prepare book reports, explain what they think, and argue a side of a debate.
Then they get to college, and the rules change.
One of the biggest transitions students make in ENG 101 and beyond is moving from personal or opinion-based writing into academic writing.
In personal writing, we want the student to use their own experience and opinion:
“I think the student driving age should be 15 because…”
In academic writing, the student’s opinion isn’t the problem. Unsupported opinion is the problem.
The student can absolutely argue that the driving age should be 15, but now they have to establish why. What does the research say? What evidence supports the claim? Are there credible sources? What does the opposing evidence show?
College writing teaches students that “because I think…” starts an argument, not completes one. This is a challenge most students aren’t ready for. This struggle doesn’t mean anything is wrong, it means your young writer is building their muscle- the writing muscle that they will need during all four years of college.
Students who have a natural talent or desire to write from their own point of view often struggle with the shift away from creativity and free-thought. This change toward a more rigid academic style can be a shock! But the silver lining is that students who struggle with the “creative” aspect of writing- especially storytelling- may finally find success in writing in college. Often this shift away from creative writing gives them an opportunity to feel much less insecure about sharing their own thoughts and feelings when the assignment requires a more “formal” approach.
Here’s a simplified way to think about the progression:
BACHELOR’S DEGREE: Learn to work with the body of knowledge.
The student becomes a hunter-gatherer of information. They learn how to locate credible information, distinguish among types of sources, properly cite them, compare ideas, and synthesize what others have already established.
At this level, citation is a foundational academic skill. Students are learning: What counts as evidence? What is a credible source? Whose idea is this? How do I give that person credit?
MASTER’S DEGREE: Learn to master the current body of knowledge.
Now the student is expected to understand the landscape of the field much more deeply.
It isn’t enough to simply have sources. They need the right sources.
Which researchers matter? Which studies are foundational? What is outdated? Where do experts disagree? What is the current thinking in the discipline? What important evidence would a knowledgeable reader expect to see?
The student moves beyond collecting sources and toward understanding how those sources relate to one another. Depending on the master’s program, the student may also begin conducting original research.
DOCTORATE: Contribute to the body of knowledge.
In a research doctorate, the student eventually moves from primarily consuming and synthesizing scholarship to creating it.
The goal of doctoral research is an original contribution to the discipline. Instead of simply asking, “What does the research say?” the doctoral researcher eventually asks:
“What don’t we know yet, and how can I help answer that question?”
That new research then becomes part of the body of knowledge future bachelor’s and master’s students may study and cite.
Learn the knowledge → Master the knowledge → Contribute to the knowledge.
That’s a simplified progression, but it’s a helpful way to understand why college writing feels so different from the writing many students have done before.
One final thought: an ENG 101 class is only 1 semester wherease a honors level 12th grade language arts allows a full year. In most cases, similar skills are taught. Keep in mind that the speed and pace of a 1-semester class may not allow your student enough time to develop the right kind of skills needed to be successful in ENG 101. That’s ok! The most important thing to remember is that you are helping them with the onramp to college- and choosing courses that allow them to be successful is the most important part!
