TO INSTRUCTORS
Writing and Rewritingis based on the conviction that college freshmen can be taught to see and to correct their own errors and faults.
Criticism by means of marginal numbers, referring to pieces of advice in a rhetoric or a manual, has long been utilized to economize the instructor’s time. It has not been generally realized, however, that this method, which requires the student to inspect and rewrite a faulty sentence in the light of an illustration in his book, is successful also in teaching him to rewrite faulty sentences before he submits his manuscript to his instructor.
The best device to encourage the student in self-correction is the preliminary copy or rough draft. This may be written rapidly in pencil on theme paper or on scratch paper, with lines far apart to leave room for modifications. After this is written the student should read it with his eyes open for the appearance of his pet blunders, and should do his own rewriting. If the rough draft is submitted with the finished copy, the instructor can discover whether the student is endeavoring to correct his own faults.
The best way to useWriting and Rewritingin class is to copy the faulty passages or to clip and paste them on cards. In class the student, using only the slip, may then be required to write the correct version on the blackboard, later reciting and specifying the fault, or the principle of style which is violated.
In colleges where the marginal numbering of errors and faults is supplemented by personal conferences, the swiftest improvement will be found to follow the practice of requiring the student, before the conference, to copy his faulty passages on a new sheet of theme paper, to copy also the admonition indicated by the marginal number, and to rewrite each passage in accordance with the admonition. A file of these sheets will reveal whether the student is improving or standing still.
Writing and Rewritinghas several relatively novel features. Chapters IV and V make it possible to criticize by marginal numbers the most common violations of the principles of the whole composition and of the paragraph. Although the admonitions criticize faults, the book contains few “don’ts.” Instead, the advice given is positive, constructive, and concrete. Each number refers to only a single fault. Few admonitions fill more than two lines of type. It has thus been possible to insert a criticism of every fundamental fault found in freshman themes. Probably every number ought to be used at least once in every hundred themes. The division of sentence criticisms into chapters on Correctness, Clearness, and Vigor is logical and obvious. The numbering of admonitions is not consecutive, but a new hundred begins with each chapter as a help in more quickly locating the number desired. Additional copies of the index to the admonitions will be furnished free on request to instructors who wish to paste it on a sheet of cardboard to facilitate their work in criticizing themes. The list of suggestions for subjects is a compilation of the practices of many successful teachers.