Journal of Business and Technical Communication Jul 2007

Writing to Learn by Learning to Write in the Disciplines

Michael Carter ; Miriam Ferzli ; Eric N. Wiebe

Abstract

The traditional distinction between writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines (WID) as writing to learn versus learning to write understates WID's focus on learning in the disciplines. Advocates of WID have described learning as socialization, but little research addresses how writing disciplinary discourses in disciplinary settings encourages socialization into the disciplines. Data from interviews with students who wrote lab reports in a biology lab suggest five ways in which writing promotes learning in scientific disciplines. Drawing on theories of situated learning, the authors argue that apprenticeship genres can encourage socialization into disciplinary communities.

Journal
Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Published
2007-07-01
DOI
10.1177/1050651907300466
Topics
writing across the curriculum scientific writing

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (5)

  1. Lin et al. (2023)
    A Systematic Review on Inquiry-Based Writing Instruction in Tertiary Settings
    Written Communication
  2. Fisher (2021)
    The Fact of the Text: Exploring Misalignment in Undergraduate Lab Reports
    Research in the Teaching of English
  3. Cutrufello (2021)
    Scanning as a Rhetorical Activity: Reporting Histories of Ether Experiments in …
    Written Communication
  4. Vealey (2017)
    Kenny Fountain, T. (2014). <i>Rhetoric in the Flesh: Trained Vision, Technical …
    Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
  5. Mackiewicz (2012)
    Relying on Writing Consultants
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication

Cites in this index (14)

  1. Carter (2007)
    Ways of Knowing, Doing, and Writing in the Disciplines
    College Composition and Communication
  2. Carter et al. (2004)
    Teaching Genre to English First-Language Adults: A Study of the Laboratory Report
    Research in the Teaching of English
  3. HILGERS et al. (1999)
    “As You're Writing, You Have these Epiphanies”
    Written Communication
  4. RUSSELL (1997)
    Rethinking Genre in School and Society
    Written Communication
  5. BLAKESLEE (1997)
    Activity, Context, Interaction, and Authority
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Show all 14 →
  1. FREEDMAN et al. (1996)
    Learning to Write Professionally
    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Hilgers et al. (1995)
    Doing More Than “Thinning Out the Herd”: How Eighty-Two College Seniors Perceiv…
    Research in the Teaching of English
  3. PRIOR (1994)
    Response, Revision, Disciplinarity
    Written Communication
  4. FREEDMAN et al. (1994)
    Wearing Suits to Class
    Written Communication
  5. ACKERMAN (1993)
    The Promise of Writing to Learn
    Written Communication
  6. Bazerman et al. (1991)
    The Second Stage in Writing across the Curriculum
    College English
  7. Russell (1990)
    Writing across the Curriculum in Historical Perspective: Toward a Social Interp…
    College English
  8. McLeod (1989)
    Writing across the Curriculum: The Second Stage, and beyond
    College Composition and Communication
  9. Herrington (1985)
    Writing in Academic Settings: A Study of the Contexts for Writing in Two Colleg…
    Research in the Teaching of English
Also cites 15 works outside this index ↓
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  2. Broadhead, G.J. (1999)
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CrossRef global citation count: 82 View in citation network →

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