Just to second Kathryn's suggestion about Hjortshoj's "Understanding
Writing Blocks." I especially liked his emphasis on the fact that
*good* writers and conscientious students (and teachers) are just as
likely as (perhaps even more likely than) weaker writers to have
writing anxiety and writing blocks because they care so much about
what they're doing. In other words, it's a natural and inevitable
part of completing any major writing task--and he gives excellent
suggestions for working through it.
We're waiting to hear if our recommendation for the creation of a new
university-wide writing centre will be funded--until we hear, it
seems premature to encourage anyone to look at the report and
recommendations we (the University of Alberta Writing Task Force) put
together (since we don't know yet if all our work will come to
anything). But you're welcome to take a look at
http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/wtf/index.htm
Let me know if anything there proves useful.
Bets, Betsy
At 05:52 PM 9/11/2006, you wrote:
>At 02:05 PM 9/11/2006, you wrote:
>
>Hi folks,
>
>One of the best books I have read on writing anxiety is a short
>monograph by Keith Hjortshoj titled "Understanding Writing Blocks"
>(2001) Oxford Press that really looks at the higher order issues
>related to writing anxiety. Unlike many books about writing
>problems this book is aimed at academic writing - more at the
>upper division and graduate thesis level. Hjortshoj is the the
>director of Cornell University Writing in the Seminars program.
>
>http://www.us.oup.com/us/catalog/he/subject/English/Writing/Composition/?view=usa&ci=9780195141368
>
>Here is an example handout from Chapel Hill that utilizes and cites
>Mike Rose's "When a writer can't write" and Hjortshof's book
>http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/writing_anxiety.html
>
>
>I like Hjortshoj's text because it uses case studies and is more
>scholarly in terms of the knowledgability about working with
>advanced academic writers and the composing process and doesn't only
>address "the Problems" as time management, skills deficit or
>cognitive distress issues -
>
>I also read it when I was going through my own writing block issues
>when working through my dissertation process and I found it really helpful
>
>Cheers
>
>Kathryn
>
>
>>Dear Inkshedders,
>>I'm currently involved in a research project at McGill that is
>>looking at the impacts of issues related to writing anxiety on
>>student performance, and what can be done to help deal with these impacts.
>>We've started by doing some interviewing here at McGill, but our
>>time and resources are limited. Do any of you have any information
>>either from your institutions or from research that you've read
>>that reflects a relationship between reading and writing skills and
>>things like drop-out rates, completion times, etc.? Also, can any
>>of you recommend any studies or reports (again, from your own
>>institutions or elsewhere) that have been useful in the constant
>>battle for resources for writing centers (including getting a
>>writing center started)?
>>Any insights would be much appreciated.
>>Thanks!
>>
>>Miriam
>>
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>
>_________________________________________
>
>Kathryn Alexander, Ph.D.,
>Writing-Intensive Learning Office WILO
>Learning and Instructional Development Centre LIDC,
>Simon Fraser University,
>Burnaby, B.C. V5A 1S6
>Office: EBD 7647.4
>Website: http://www.lidc.sfu.ca/teaching/writing
>
>
>Tel: (604) 268 - 6799 Fax: (604) 268 - 6915
>email: [log in to unmask]
>
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To leave the list, send a SIGNOFF CASLL command to
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For the list archives and information about the organization,
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