The Mixing of Disciplines
The readings below demonstrate that science and english intertwine in the world of writing. The aspects of scientific reports, such as structure, can be taken and then be applied to produce a piece of literature. The annotations provided below are my thoughts on how each respective piece blends the two aforementioned disciplines. Science and english should not be thought of distinct disciplines. They should be seen as two areas of study that have the ability to build upon one another to put forth stimulating works.
Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers by Nancy Sommers
In this piece Sommers' approach to analyzing the revision strategies of more experienced writers and student writers mimics that of an scientific experiment. Sommers includes a methodology section in her work to describe what steps she has taken to investigate how writers with varying levels of experience edit their essays. Essentially the practice of including a methods section is very common in lab reports and scientific studies within journals. Thus, this article evinces the fluidity of writing, as it can take aspects from different disciplines in order to advance a literary work.
A Cognitive Process Theory of Writing by Linda Flower and John R. Hayes
Flower and Hayes introduce the “Cognitive Theory of Writing” within this work. To advance their theory, Flower and Hayes explain four points upon which the theory’s foundation is built on. In the scientific world, theories such as evolution, must be proven with evidence to be considered legitimate. The paper also provides examples to support its argument, in this sense it begins to solidify the theory as it logically examines each premise it rests upon.
The Composing Processes of Unskilled College Writers by Sondra Perl
Similarly to Somer’s piece, Perl examines how writers allocate their time during the writing process. This piece is imitates the set up of a scientific report as it follows the outline of a behavioral study (see the tab labeled Costa Rica Study). The Composing Style Sheet is like a chart an observer would create when formulating an activity budget chart. Perl’s study exemplifies that the crossover between the disciplines of english and science are not limited to merely the set up of the paper.The actual methods used within scientific studies can be used for those used within the sphere of english.
