Process and Structure in Composition

Process and Structure in Composition focuses on both process and product. It aims to bring students to an appreciation of the qualities of effective writing, and it offers procedures that help students develop the skills that yield such writing. This is a tall order, and any text that combines process and product orientations risks oveewhelming the students with an abundance of information. For this reason, Process and Structure in Composition is paced in a way that presents material gradually so students can work on a few skills at a time while they are discovering the writing procedures that work the best for them. While all students will appreciate the pace of the text, less experienced student writers will find this pace especially helpful. In addition to the concern for both process and product, a key feature of Process and Structure in Composition is its presentation of writing as a purposeful activity, something performed in and out of the classroom, on and off the job, for private and public ends. The text focuses heavily on audience and purpose, motivating students by showing that they are likely to write for a variety of reasons and for a variety of people. For this reason, the text incorporates both experimental writing and objective writing throughout. --- excerpt from book's Preface