Emig's view of the writing process
Janet Emig's inquiry using the "compose aloud" technique is also based on the assumption that, "composing aloud, a writer's effort to externalize his process of composing, somehow reflects, if not parallels, his actual inner process" (Emig, 1971, p. 40)
In 1964, she collected data from professional writers to ascertain what their processes entailed.
- Some used very formal outlines
- The majority of writers were "middle of the road" and used an informal outline or sketch
- Writers also prewrote differently depending on the genre of the writing
*Poets tended to do the least prewriting; particularly, no prewriting.
Data from this questionnaire also disproved the idea that writing was a purely linear process, particularly that all prewriting proceeds writing revision. What she found was the stages occur and repeat throughout the process
Emig also took a study of student writers in 1964. In it, she hoped to examine two hypotheses:
- Student writers organize with outlines?
- The most skilled writing be gauaranteed by creating formal outlines.
To examine these hypotheses, she used the Helmholz/ Wallas four stage description, and uses a "composing aloud" prewriting approach.
Stimuli Included:
- Informal Discussion
- Composing aloud
- Writing the piece down in whichever mode desired
The first session produced nothing but writing in the extensive mode (5 paragraph essay). She postulates that it may be the mode with which they are most familiar. One can't help but wonder if they are so used to adopting someone else's "voice". As students, they are probably very concerned with "What do 'they' (the teachers) want?" This alien form is so engrained in them, that they have a "cognitive laryngitis"; that is, they no longer can speak or hear in their own voice, only the voice of the 5 paragraph essay.
In 1964, she collected data from professional writers to ascertain what their processes entailed.
- Some used very formal outlines
- The majority of writers were "middle of the road" and used an informal outline or sketch
- Writers also prewrote differently depending on the genre of the writing
*Poets tended to do the least prewriting; particularly, no prewriting.
Data from this questionnaire also disproved the idea that writing was a purely linear process, particularly that all prewriting proceeds writing revision. What she found was the stages occur and repeat throughout the process
Emig also took a study of student writers in 1964. In it, she hoped to examine two hypotheses:
- Student writers organize with outlines?
- The most skilled writing be gauaranteed by creating formal outlines.
To examine these hypotheses, she used the Helmholz/ Wallas four stage description, and uses a "composing aloud" prewriting approach.
Stimuli Included:
- Informal Discussion
- Composing aloud
- Writing the piece down in whichever mode desired
The first session produced nothing but writing in the extensive mode (5 paragraph essay). She postulates that it may be the mode with which they are most familiar. One can't help but wonder if they are so used to adopting someone else's "voice". As students, they are probably very concerned with "What do 'they' (the teachers) want?" This alien form is so engrained in them, that they have a "cognitive laryngitis"; that is, they no longer can speak or hear in their own voice, only the voice of the 5 paragraph essay.