Transferring Knowledge

Throughout life, people in many positions attain knowledge that can be of use in a variety of different ways, such as a job, a social setting, or an educational setting. Throughout the first semester of freshman year at the University of Oklahoma I was a participant in a Principles of English Composition class that was intellectually challenging whilst still maintaining the expectations of a first year English class. In the semester of English 1113, the class discussed discursive practices, metacognition, critical reflection, and strategies to transfer knowledge that has been gained to other events in our lives. Learning about the structures of discourses and how writing is constructed specifically to the context by which the writing is produced in is a very valuable skill which can be transferred to many other situations I may face in my future. The process by which writing is begun, knowing how discourse communities function, and understanding the metacognitive approach to writing will serve useful in my future in future courses, jobs, and social settings.

John Swales, a professor of linguistics at the University of Michigan, developed a model of writing known as the “Create a Research Space” (CARS) Model. Swales explains the three moves that are establish a territory, establish a niche, and occupy the niche (Wardle and Downs). These guidelines help almost any student in an English class when beginning a research paper because it is a simple guideline that can be tapered for the needs of the specific essay. This model of writing proved to be very helpful in English 1113. In all papers, an argument was meant to be made. Using that approach to writing allowed my papers to not only have a clear argument, but it also allowed me t...

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...ocus in the English class, taking the skills learned and figuring out how to transfer them to other aspects of life and courses I will take in the future. The benefits absolutely outweighed the time and effort spent on the essays and assignments that were completed. The substantial amount of knowledge gained spearheaded by the metacognitive approach to writing, how discourse communities function, and how to begin writing will serve as important skills in future courses, career, and social settings.

Works Cited

Branch, Dalton. "Analyzing a Discourse Community." Engish Report. University of Oklahoma, 2013.

Swales, John. "The Concept of Discourse Community." Wardle, Elizabeth and Doug Downs. Writing About Writing. Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011. 747.

Wardle, Elizabeth and Doug Downs. Writing about Writing. Boston: New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2011.