In Nancy Sommers article, “Revision Strategies of Student Writers and Experienced Adult Writers,” she enumerates a variety of differences between the revision processes as approached by student writers in comparison to more experienced writers. The composition process and the incorporation of the act of revising are largely contingent upon the linear models established for writing – conception, incubation, and production being the three main components. However, because of the reliance on linear models of writing based on traditional models of rhetoric (speech), the presence of revision as a core component is diminished. Yet the possibility of revision is what may be considered the distinguishing factor of text from speech. Revision’s role within composition is seemingly deemphasized, but the author claims that its role is vital to the overall purpose of the composition.
After reading the article, it really made me evaluate my own writing process and specifically my attention to revising, or lack thereof. Based on the author’s evaluation of students’ responses to the revision process, it is evident that much emphasis is placed on word choice and sentence structure without much attention to the overall intent of the composition. However, I personally do not consult a thesaurus for word choice changes, etc., yet it seems to be quite prevalent especially in lower level writing. The oversight for revision, however, may be attributed to the styles of writing taught throughout elementary, middle, and high schools, especially the five-point paper, thesis first, etc. It all seems to be very formulaic. I also think this may be attributed to the emphasis placed on standardized testing and therefore writing for the sole purpose of covering all grammatical bases and rules as determined by the audience. The issue is that the audience is in effect responsible for the writer’s grade, acceptance, etc. and so the idea of the writing being a process of discovery is lost in the shuffle. The basis by which we are taught to write needs to be reevaluated if the incorporation of revision and the idea that “good writing disturbs” is of significance to the quality and future of composition.
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You clearly understood the article and its critique of how revision is taught in education systems. I agree that revision in lower levels of writing is predominantly for appearance (using a thesaurus). I feel as though the discovery of meaning when writing for school is rare, though. But when that discovery does occur, the piece of work does result in much more insightful writing. What ways do you think student writers can transition into revising with the process of discovery every time?
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