10-second review: I have been reading criticism lately about the response of colleges to the SAT writing sample, mainly that it is not very useful. Could the following be part of the reason?
Source: Braddock, 1963, pp. 43 and 44.
Summary: “Doubtless one reason that the CEEB has given up grading the composition it includes in its examination is that colleges differ in their emphases in composition instruction. How can the CEEB rate papers in a manner valid for all colleges if some colleges emphasize narration, others exposition, still others argument or literary criticism? And within these emphases, one college may stress content and organization, another style, still another ‘correctness.’ ”
Comment: Do all colleges agree on what they emphasize in teaching writing? When I was in college (1952-1956), I was given a book of literary excerpts in my writing course. The instructor never used it to help teach writing, and, in fact, the instructor spent most of his time commenting on the literary passages rather than in demonstrating to us how to write. I think it would be interesting to find out how many colleges agree on teaching writing. RayS.
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