Written Communication Jul 2006

The Origins of Writing in the Disciplines

Otto Kruse

Abstract

The introduction of seminars to university teaching marks the onset of a new teaching philosophy and practice in which writing is used to make students independent learners and researchers. Although the beginnings of writing pedagogy at American universities are well documented, little is known about its origins in Germany. The article tracks the history of seminar teaching back to its roots and reviews its historical development from the very beginnings to the point when seminars became the pedagogical flagship of the Humboldtian research university. Twenty seminar regulations from Prussian universities, written between 1812 and 1839, are reviewed with respect to the prescriptions they contain about writing. They reveal that a writing-to-learn pedagogy was elaborated as early as about 1820. The most important claim of the article is that an early concept of writing in the disciplines was central to the development of the Humboldtian research university.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
2006-07-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088306289259
Topics
writing pedagogy writing across the curriculum multilingual writers

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Cutrufello (2021)
    Scanning as a Rhetorical Activity: Reporting Histories of Ether Experiments in …
    Written Communication
  2. Bazerman (2008)
    Theories of the Middle Range in Historical Studies of Writing Practice
    Written Communication

Cites in this index (0)

No references match articles in this index.

Also cites 11 works outside this index ↓
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  2. 10.1017/CBO9780511496868.004
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  4. 10.1515/9783110907766.155
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  5. Ehlich, K. & Steets, A. (2003). Wissenschaftliche Schreibanforderungen in den Disziplinen. Eine Umfrage unter…
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  6. Gossman, L. (1994). Philhellenism and antisemitism: Matthew Arnold and his German models. Comparative Literat…
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  8. 10.7591/9781501737374
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  10. 10.1007/0-306-48195-2_8
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  11. 10.1017/CBO9780511496868.012
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CrossRef global citation count: 38 View in citation network →

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