Confronting the Challenges of Undergraduates’ Argumentation Writing in a “Learning How to Learn” Course

Written Communication Apr 2023

Confronting the Challenges of Undergraduates’ Argumentation Writing in a “Learning How to Learn” Course

Patricia A. Alexander University of Maryland, College Park ; Jannah Fusenig University of Maryland, College Park ; Eric C. Schoute University of Maryland, College Park ; Anisha Singh University of Maryland, College Park ; Yuting Sun University of Maryland, College Park ; Julianne E. van Meerten University of Maryland, College Park

Abstract

In this article, we share what we learned about undergraduates’ struggles in writing quality summaries, comparison texts, and argumentative essays that were components of a unique course, Learning How to Learn. This course was designed to address core psychological issues that impede optimal learning for students from all majors, many of whom are preparing to attend professional or graduate school. Although never intended to be a course devoted to academic writing, the struggles we uncovered made it apparent that without addressing these students’ writing difficulties, especially with argumentation, optimal learning was not achievable. For each form of writing central to the course (i.e., summaries, comparisons, and argumentation), we not only describe the challenges we have documented over the past six years, but also the instructional responses we instituted to counter those challenges. We conclude by sharing insights we have garnered from this experience that may serve others who are confronting similar issues in their students’ writing abilities.

Journal: Written Communication
Published: 2023-04-01
DOI: 10.1177/07410883221148468
Open Access: Closed
Topics: multimodality argument

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

Ferretti et al. (2023)

Perspectives about Disciplinary Argumentation in the Era of Post-truth: Introdu…

Written Communication

Cites in this index (2)

Juzwik et al. (2006)

Writing Into the 21st Century

Written Communication
ACKERMAN (1993)

The Promise of Writing to Learn

Written Communication

Also cites 55 works outside this index ↓

10.3102/0013189X032008010

↗
10.1007/978-3-319-74338-7_3

↗
10.3102/00346543064002201

↗
10.1016/S0883-0355(99)00024-5

↗
10.4324/9781138609877-REE203-1

↗
10.4324/9780429443961-26

↗
10.5539/ijel.v7n4p197

↗
10.1016/j.lindif.2013.01.007

↗
10.1007/s11251-015-9359-4

↗
10.1016/j.learninstruc.2010.02.002

↗
10.1016/S0022-5371(83)80002-4

↗
10.1111/jcal.12349

↗
10.3102/0013189X032001009

↗
10.1007/s11145-021-10183-0

↗
10.2307/2011400

↗
10.1037/10903-000

↗
10.1080/105735699278297

↗
10.3102/00346543061002239

↗
10.1002/rrq.366

↗
10.2307/356095

↗
10.1207/S1532690XCI2004_1

↗
10.1006/ceps.1999.1022

↗
10.1177/001440299205800605

↗
10.1080/00220671.1982.10885394

↗
10.3102/00028312022004549

↗
10.1016/j.cedpsych.2009.11.002

↗
10.1080/00461520.2018.1481406

↗
10.2307/1510517

↗
10.1207/s15548430jlr3502_3

↗
10.1016/j.linged.2008.06.003

↗
10.1037/11059-000

↗
10.1007/978-0-387-68282-2

↗
10.11648/j.ijll.20140204.14

↗
10.1080/00461520.2017.1329014

↗
10.1080/00461520.2018.1505514

↗
10.1037/0022-0663.87.4.537

↗
10.17239/jowr-2019.11.01.06

↗
10.1037/edu0000011

↗
10.1037/0003-066X.41.9.954

↗
10.1007/s11145-018-9871-4

↗
10.1080/13504622.2017.1360842

↗
10.1007/s11145-010-9292-5

↗
10.1002/sce.21471

↗
10.3200/JEXE.76.1.59-92

↗
10.1007/978-1-4020-2739-0_29

↗
10.1016/j.chb.2009.09.001

↗
10.5840/monist190515230

↗
10.1044/jshr.3103.327

↗
10.1016/S1060-3743(99)80127-1

↗
10.1037/0022-0663.87.3.455

↗
10.1016/j.learninstruc.2014.11.002

↗
10.1080/00220973.2022.2133075

↗
10.1023/A:1003196224280

↗
10.1037/stl0000256

↗
10.1080/13546780701527674

↗

CrossRef global citation count: 9 View in citation network →