Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ihuxn!gadfly
From: gadfly@ihuxn.UUCP (Gadfly)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: Writing, programming, music and mechanics
Message-ID: <1445@ihuxn.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Jun-86 10:10:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxn.1445
Posted: Thu Jun 12 10:10:03 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Jun-86 06:38:47 EDT
References: <2671@sdcc6.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 39

--
> My research over the past two years has been how to improve and
> foster writing by using electronic mail to facilitate discussions of
> social science lecture class topics.  One of the things I notice
> reading the news is the overall high quality of the writing in the
> articles.  It is not possible to pass this off as being the result
> of a few articulate posters, there are too many people involved.  My
> point, and question, is this: how much of this is attributable to
> a possible correlation between programming and writing?

The quality of writing on the net is somewhere between poor and
pathetic.  It is replete with errors in spelling and grammar.
Most computer professionals (in my experience) cannot write their
way out of a paper bag.  But then, most never learned how.
What you stand in awe of is indeed the work of a few articulate
posters.  Or else you yourself cannot recognize bad prose.
 
> If there is a correlation, or a researchable chance of one, where
> would one begin to look and how could this be used to
> recontextualize the writing?  Take for granted that the students
> involved are *NOT*, by and large, computer types.  They are usually
> freshpersons, taking the class because it is a pre-req and many of
> them become enamored with computers as a result.  My job is to get
> the disadvantaged students, those with limited basic skills,
> "hooked" into participating without loosing the more competent ones.  
> 
> Bruce Jones

"As being the result of"?  "Recontextualize"?  "Loosing"?
"Freshpersons"?  "Limited basic skills"?  Quotes around the word
"hooked"?  "Taking the class"?  Taking what class?  Mr. Jones,
you *teach* writing?  That's not a good sign.
-- 
                    *** ***
JE MAINTIENDRAI   ***** *****
                 ****** ******  12 Jun 86 [24 Prairial An CXCIV]
ken perlow       *****   *****
(312)979-7753     ** ** ** **
..ihnp4!iwsl8!ken   *** ***