Harmon's Guiding Principles for Writing Well & Classroom Success
1. LET GO OF MISCONCEPTIONS. Let go of all the preconceptions that you have about who you are as a writer and as a student. What happened yesterday or what might happen tomorrow aren't important. Pay attention to what is in front of you right now. The grades you had in previous courses are not important. Do not use grades as a the sole measure of your success. By the end of the term, the goal is for you to see your own GROWTH, growth of both critical thinking and writing skills
2. LET GO OF FEAR. Fear keeps you from writing well. Stop being afraid and find your voice. Growth is change, and that's scary sometimes, but you are in a safe space to explore. Don't allow the fear of having the "wrong" answer prevent you from speaking up in class. The point of intellectual growth isn't having the "right" or the "wrong" answers. The point is to ask the best questions.
3. EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE. Writing is often very difficult,even for those that have been writing for many years. Be okay with that because you cannot change it. Growth can be painful, but is is also full of joy and wonder. Developing one's critical thinking skills is also challenging and may be intellectually uncomfortable because you are presented with the types of tasks that you have no attempted in the past (such as writing about art and film). Just give 100% and do the best you can, whatever that is for you.
4. BE PATIENT AND REMAIN FOCUSED. Good writing takes a large investment of time (see #3 above). It is a process that takes place over a period of time, not in one sitting. Don't expect immediate results. Study other texts, do invention work (freewriting, brainstorming, mapping),write multiple drafts, get feedback from other writers and reader, and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Critical thought takes a large investment of time as well. Critical analysis asks you to examine the small parts of a text and argue what you see as each part's significance to a text as a whole. This process cannot be rushed. Look at each week's assignments on the course schedule and make sure you set aside the appropriate amount of time for each. Managing your time is your responsibility.
5. CRITICAL THINKING IS IMPORTANT. Good writing requires deep critical thought and analysis. If your head's not hurting and you aren't completely frustrated at times, then you probably aren't growing as writer. The two go hand in hand.This manifests itself if various ways. You may want to throw your laptop against a wall, you may yell at your dog, or you may be unable to sleep because you can't turn off the voices in your head. Forming a coherent message and making connections is rarely easy.
6. TAKE A MENTAL BREAK. When you are stuck and the words just won't flow, take a mental break. As one great philosopher once said, "Being and non-being define one another; difficult and easy define one another; High and low rest upon one another; Voice and song meld into harmony."
When the intense focus on the task at hand leads to a lack of creativity and ideas, give the mind what it needs: playfulness and/or distraction. Take a walk, talk to a friend, workout, or watch some trash TV. When you return to your writing task, you will return with an open and refreshed mind, more creativity, and, most importantly, a new perception.
7. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE AND YOUR AUDIENCE. Know what you wish for this piece of writing to accomplish. Is it informative, argumentative, mean to entertain? Who is your specific audience? Picture them in your mind as you write. Don't lose sight of either of these while you compose. READ EVERY WORD OF AN ASSIGNMENT"S INSTRUCTIONS and ask questions if you are unsure of something.
8. USE THE APPROPRIATE VOICE. While we all have our own unique perspective, it is important that we remember that we speak with multiple voices in our writing and that we make use of the one that is appropriate to our audience and writing purpose at hand and adjust our tone and content in response.
9. FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT. Feedback from other writers and potential readers is necessary for improvement. Learn to give and receive constructive criticism. Leave your ego outside of the classroom and don't allow it to interfere with improving your paper. Not only is it not conducive to producing better writing, but is also not conducive to learning either. Make use of the tools provided for you (peer critiques, feedback from Smarthinking tutors, the Writing Center, and ask me questions when you have them. You have been given multiple ways to reach me).
10. LEARN TO SEE THE POSSIBILITIES. Don't seek perfection. Seek to be engaged in the process. Good writing isn't formulaic. It involves a lot of trial and error. Allow yourself to make mistakes, but seek to grow because of them. This is true of critical thinking as well. Learn to see beyond the surface of things. A visual artist's use of a particular color, or a film director's placement of items in a scene, was a conscious choice on their part for a particular reason. Your job this term is to think about WHY they would make those types of choices and for what purpose. Think about all of the possibilities and choose your strongest argument.
11. SAY SOMETHING OF IMPORTANCE. College papers are about the quality and content of the message and how that message is presented. Give your reader your unique perspective. Placing words on a page and handing this in to the professor doesn't mean you have successfully communicated a point. See #5 and #7 above.
12. BE CURIOUS. Don't simply do assignment for a grade. Approach it with curiosity. In addition, don't concern yourself with to what degree you "like" a task or are "interested in it." Instead ask yourself what you may gain from it.
THE GOLDEN RULE: NO WHINING, LAZINESS, OR CRYING (SERIOUSLY): See numbers 1-5 above. You have a course schedule. It is my "reminder" to you of when assignments are due. Although, I may mention homework assignments in class, some days I may not. Look at the schedule every day. Plan your life and manage your time as any adult would. Only you know what your commitments are. Plan for them and be present in class. If you don't understand what is going on, it's likely because you aren't managing your time, attending class, or completing assignments. That is your responsibility and your job. If you ever have any questions, just ask. You can do so by email, telephone, text, or before or after class.
As the course syllabus notes, I do not accept late work. Any items that are emailed to me will be deleted and unread.
Just do your best, whatever that may be for you, and don't bring negativity into the classroom. It won't be tolerated or entertained.
