Katherine Fitzgerald, et. al. Conversations in Context: Identity, Knowledge and College Writing. Fort Worth: Harcourt, Brace College Publishers, l998. $32.50. 482 pages. ISBN: 0-15-503710-2.
Over the years, I've used anthologies and textbooks with limited success. While they can provide useful resources for writing, they often consist of rigid, prescriptive, and dull materials that give students less than they paid for. When I skimmed Conversations in Context for the first time, it looked promising as a more complete resource, particularly for 209 honor students. Readings by Fish, Tompkins, Bartholomae and Burke would perhaps inspire inquiry, writing and questions, and the suggested assignments could challenge critical thinking.
In the Spring Semester, I decided to use it as a space to investigate rhetoric. Students were invited to join conversations about identity, knowing, and writing in the first three parts of the text. The texts are preceded by introductory comments under the headings of Reading the Rhetoric, and Reading the Conversation. Follow-up activities include suggestions for Discussing the Rhetoric, Discussing the Conversation and Joining the Conversation.
An Instructor's Manual is available with a sample syllabus, supplemental information on the texts, and suggestions for in-class activities. The suggestions for use of Corder's Argument as Emergence and Rhetoric as Love worked well in the studio. In whole and small groups, students considered thoughtful questions and provocative statements in order to diffuse Corder's primary points on argument, language, audience, and life.
As students read, responded to and analyzed other texts published in the popular and academic press, the concept of rhetoric became accessible. The class seemed to discover reading and writing strategies for many different audiences and purposes. The section on Conversations about Knowing was particularly challenging and productive. It includes selections that discuss the historical, theoretical and cultural perspectives of science. Students anticipated that these scientific texts would be clear, logical, dry and boring. As we worked through this section, we found quite the opposite: texts full of contradictions that asked more questions than they answered. The section provided a wonderful opportunity to share reading strategies, analyze the rhetoric of science, and theorize ways of knowing in discourse communities in preparation for a synthesis paper. In this assignment, students were to make connections among the ideas and texts, develop a thoughtful and compelling thesis, and synthesize their ideas in a formal paper and reflect on their process. Although students struggled with their thinking and writing processes, these were some of the best papers written during the semester.
Other writing assignments ask students to make connections with the ideas and the rhetoric in the texts and to develop claims of their own. Choices are given for summary, analysis, synthesis and evaluation papers. The assignments are clearly written, ask students to employ a variety of rhetorical strategies and skills, and can be modified to fit the goals of the course. Student Models and Peer Response Questions are provided for each assignment. An Appendix of Rhetorical Terms for Readers and Writers provides additional guidance and support for students.
This anthology is by no means comprehensive, but it can be a workable resource for 209 honors students. When asked to write a review of this text in preparation for an evaluative review of the entertainment media, here is what students had to say:
Organization:
• The book is divided well, includes useful summaries and is challenging (something we need more of).
• The introductions to each piece and the follow-up questions were helpful in organizing my thoughts, providing an excellent starting point for analysis, and focusing my energy.
• I found the student models and information in the Appendix extremely helpful when I was writing my own papers.
Readings:
• The selections chosen displayed a wide range of ideas and personalities while still being able to thoroughly engage the reader. It made me think; personally, it made me want to think.
• We struggled through many readings, maybe not finding how one or two applied to our overall goal, but always learned something – either it was about life, science, or rhetoric. Although some of the readings were dry, we have to learn that we won't always love or agree with what we read. The experience makes us better readers and writers.
• Each reading challenged my mind to understand a topic that often was unfamiliar. Then as if that wasn't enough, there was always the task of reading for rhetoric that kept me thinking.
Writing and Rhetoric:
• Students, as Wade would say, have to step away from their comfort zones. The whole idea of higher learning is to challenge our ideas and even challenge other's ideas. This text offered different approaches so its readers walked away with a well-rounded knowledge of different styles of writing and story telling that each author offered.
• The actual content of the readings was really neat-o. Talking about the construction of meaning and truth in different manners is applicable to all areas of study. Discussing these nebulous concepts allows us to extrapolate ideas into our respective disciplines.
• The text exposes all sorts of academic writings. Of course, they throw in a magazine article now and again to talk about audience, but a great portion of the readings are written in an academic context. Once you've read the different conversations, you start to see patterns and a formula for how this writing is done. This opens the door so you are not lost when asked to join in the debate or silenced by your lack of ability to function in an academic context or discourse community.
If you are interested in using a textbook/anthology that provides an inquiry into rhetoric, prompts critical thinking and encourages students to discover strategies to develop and refine their writing, then this book is definitely worth a look and your students' dollars.