Identity Is The Backbone Of Writing

Up until this point, I believed, no matter what, identity is the backbone of writing. Likewise, in his article, Bronwyn Williams elaborates on how identity is present in writing, which made me realize that scholars and researchers argue identity is not present in writing. Williams starts off by stating there is no such thing as “a single set of academic writing skills we can teach students” (Williams 711), mainly because diversity reflects distinct methods of communication and knowledge. For example, when a college professor assigns a personal essay, ideas can vary from student to student based individual morals and values. Additionally, pupils have the option to use the rhetorical I, or “the establishment of a position…regardless of whether the writing is done in first person” (Williams 713). Even if identity was avoided, it would still remain in a paper. For instance, Williams references an article about a World War II study that he believes is “impossible to read… without a sense of the passions that drove Milgram’s [the author] inquiry and what importance he placed on the results” (Williams 713). With this characteristic, the reader assumes that the author lived through those tragic events, which demonstrates the author’s identity.

While confirming the role of identity in her paper, Penny Jane Burke states that all students are simply taught the “mechanics of writing,” from simple punctuation to a wide vocabulary. She believes that teachers cluster these skills into a straightforward, “linear process” that prevents students from thinking crucially and emotionally (Burke 206). In order to allow them to express themselves in this manner, students should also learn what Burke calls “methodology,” or the means of presenting ideas...

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...tion in English. As a result, they may have missed the opportunity to master the mechanics of writing. Furthermore, since they are missing an extra, but important part of their education, they may not be able to present the use of methodology because they lack the ability to articulate their thoughts clearly. As a result, their papers will represent an identity that a harsh reader might perceive as uneducated. Regardless, Burke argues that while students generally struggle to focus on the mechanics, it is the only thing that they were taught. However, on the other hand, I have mastered a sophisticated use of vocabulary and a balance in sentence length, for example. While I agree with Burke and many students that methodology is important for students, I believe mechanics are also important and have helped me succeed. However, I seek to better understand methodology.