PHD WRITING

Improving the writing skills of college students

RONALD T. KELLOGG AND BASCOM A. RAULERSON IIISaint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri

Sun Ningning Hanaa Mohamed 28/11/2024

INDEX

Main Claims

Structure

Objectives

Strengths and Limitations

Findings

Design of the article

Suggestions

Conclusion

Research Questions

Objectives

• Propose that deliberate practice is a foundational principle for improving college students’ writing skills.
• Highlight the role of cognitive control and working memory in writing.
• Suggest strategies to enhance students’ writing abilities, such as systematic training, repetition, and timely feedback.

Structure of the Article

• Introduction:

Importance of writing for academic and professional success.Highlighting low proficiency levels in national assessments.

• Cognitive Control in Writing:

Explanation of working memory demands and their role in writing.

• Deliberate Practice:

Detailed discussion of its principles and application to writing. Challenges:Logistical difficulties in feedback and practice distribution.

• Key processes:

planning, text generation, and reviewing.

• Role of Technology

Automated essay scoring as a tool for practice and feedback. Benefits and limitations of technological approaches.

• Challenges in Implementation

Instructor workload. Resistance to technology and resource constraints.

• Conclusion:

Calls for deliberate practice and further research into its application .

Main Claims

• Writing proficiency is crucial for academic and professional success.
• Writing demands significant cognitive control over planning, text generation, and reviewing.
• Deliberate practice, characterized by structured, repetitive exercises and feedback, can improve writing skills by enhancing working memory capacity.
• Automated essay scoring tools can alleviate the grading burden on instructors, allowing for increased writing practice and more immediate feedback.

Design of the study

• Theoretical Framework:

It synthesizes findings from cognitive science, psychology, and educational research to establish a framework for deliberate practice in writing.

• Comparative Analysis:

Draws parallels with other fields (e.g., music, chess, sports) to validate deliberate practice.

• Case Studies and Example:

Real-world examples, like Stephen King’s writing routine and studies on writing-intensive courses.

• The combination of a conceptual and literature review approach.

• Challenges in implementing these strategies, such as logistical constraints and the reliability of automated grading systems, are explored.

Results/Findings

• Cognitive Demands:

Writing involves taxing cognitive processes requiring executive attention and working memory.

• Deliberate Practice:

Structured, repetitive writing tasks enhance students’ ability to manage complex interactions among planning, generation, and reviewing.

• Feedback:

Timely and relevant feedback is critical to the effectiveness of practice, with automated systems showing potential for scalability.

• Spacing Effect:

Writing practice distributed over time improves retention and performance.

• Practical Challenges:

The implementation of deliberate practice faces obstacles, such as instructors’ grading workloads and resistance to automated scoring tools.

Strengths and Limitations

- This article is well-structured. - Interdisciplinary approach (cognitive science + education). - Practical strategies for feedback and skill-building. - Evidence-backed emphasis on structured practice.

Positive Aspects:

Limited Empirical Data: The article lacks large-scale studies specific to deliberate writing practice. Technological Resistance: The proposal to use automated scoring might face pushback from educators skeptical about its reliability and validity. The authors selected students of Grade 4, Grade 8 and Grade 12 as examples, but they did not explain why these three grades were chosen and what made them different from the others ?

Negative Aspects:

Suggestions

• Deliberate practice is a foundational principle for improving college students’ writing skills; but how to train instructors to fulfill this goal effectively is not adequately discussed.

• Broader Application:

Expand research to high school and middle school levels to develop writing skills earlier in students' academic journeys.

• Hybrid Feedback Models:

Combine automated scoring with peer and instructor reviews to balance efficiency with depth of critique.

• Professional Development for Educators:

Train instructors to implement deliberate practice and leverage technology effectively in writing instruction.

• The different backgrounds of students, which might affect the adoption of deliberate practice strategies in diverse educational systems, are not thoroughly discussed.

Personal Opinion

The article offers a well-reasoned and innovative perspective on writing education. Its emphasis on deliberate practice is compelling and aligns with evidence from cognitive science. However, the article could benefit from more concrete implementation strategies and real-world case studies.

Research Questions

1. How can deliberate practice be adapted for diverse learners? 2. What long-term effects do automated scoring systems have on writing quality? 3. What strategies can increase student motivation for sustained writing practice? 4. How can creative aspects of writing fit into skill-based deliberate practice frameworks?

Conclusion

• Deliberate practice, when applied to writing education, can significantly improve students' writing skills by enhancing cognitive control and reducing working memory demands.
• Technology, such as automated essay scoring, offers a scalable solution for providing frequent and timely feedback, making more writing practice possible.

Final Thoughts:

• While the article's framework is theoretically strong, future research is needed to validate these claims in real-world educational settings.
• Combining deliberate practice with automated feedback and human critique could revolutionize writing instruction and better prepare students for academic and professional success.

Thank you for your attention!