College Writing and Beyond: Five Years Later - CF 26 - Retrospective

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by jayni

The essay examines problems with the sample curriculum previously proposed in College Writing and Beyond, focusing on key curriculum-design factors for college-level writing courses. It addresses assumptions about course goals, the choice and sequencing of genres and assignments, the number of assignments, and how content and pedagogy support positive transfer of learning. Drawing on ethnographic studies and the author’s teaching experience, it outlines four problem areas and recommends curricular and pedagogical modifications to strengthen academic writing skills.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

College Writing and Beyond: Five Years Later

Re-examining curriculum assumptions and writing goals

Transfer of learning in writing studies

Revisiting Appendix A: course corrections and problems

Context: knowledge domains for expert writers

Clarifying learning goals in writing courses

CF 26: Retrospective: COLLEGE WRITING AND BEYOND by Anne Beaufort Page 1 of 13 Composition Forum 26, Fall 2012 [http://compositionforum.com/issue/26/](http://compositionforum.com/issue/26/) College Writing and Beyond: Five Years Later [[http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=compforum](http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=compforum)] Anne Beaufort Abstract: In this essay, I examine the problems I now see with the sample curriculum I proposed in College Writing and Beyond: A New Framework for Writing Instruction in 2007. There are numerous factors that must be considered in designing a writing course: choice of subject matter, choice of genres to assign, sequencing of writing assignments, number of assignments, and using both content and pedagogy to enhance the possibility for positive transfer of learning for student writers. The problems in these areas of curriculum design, both in my work and in writing studies at large, as well as recommendations to eliminate those problems are explored here. In the last few decades, writing studies scholars have called for a re-examination of our fundamental assumptions about the goals and curriculum in college-level academic writing courses. Challenges to the traditional rhetorical modes approach to teaching writing (Connors), to the expressivist approach (Bartholomae), the cultural studies approach (George and Trimbur; Lovitt and Young; Tate) have been expressed. And the issue of transfer of learning—whether skills taught in first-year composition courses prepare students for writing in other academic courses and beyond—has created a significant new strand in writing studies research and debate (Beaufort “Transferring Writing Knowledge”Beaufort, Writing in the Real World; Beaufort, College Writing and Beyon; Mikulecky and Peers; Wardle,“Understanding ‘Transfer’”) . In Appendix A to my second book [college-writing-beyond-appendix1.pdf](College Writing and Beyond), I offered a sample course outline and pedagogical suggestions that apply findings from two ethnographies in order to improve learning outcomes, including positive transfer of learning for an academic writing class. But five years later, after further reading, reflection, and observation of difficulties my students have, I would rewrite Appendix A to give students a stronger skill base in academic writing and to foster more positive transfer of learning from writing courses to other contexts for writing. Here I articulate the problems I see with my earlier proposed revision to writing curricula and what I am now experimenting with as I continue to teach writing at college and graduate levels. Specifically, I will address four problems I see with the sample curriculum and pedagogy suggestions in Appendix A: 1. failing to acknowledge the underlying values and assumptions I’m making about goals of academic writing classes and conflating transfer of learning goals with goals for developing academic skills; 2. failing to offer explicit guidelines for choice of course themes in order that the new framework for writing instruction I propose can be applied to a variety of course themes; 3. failing to articulate clearly the necessity to explicitly teach the framing concepts of writing expertise in any context for writing, regardless of the writing tasks; [http://compositionforum.com/issue/26/college-writing-beyond.php](http://compositionforum.com/issue/26/college-writing-beyond.php) CF 26: Retrospective: COLLEGE WRITING AND BEYOND by Anne Beaufort Page 2 of 13 4. failing to consider what and how many types of writing assignments in a quarter or semester would most likely equip students with skills that they will use frequently in other academic contexts for writing. As I articulate each problem, I will suggest curricular and pedagogical modifications that I believe will lead to strengthening acquisition of essential academic writing skills and facilitate more positive transfer of lear

FAQs

What curriculum issues does the essay revisit from the 2007 framework?

It revisits curriculum-design problems involving assumptions about goals, genre and theme choice, the explicit teaching of framing concepts of writing expertise, and how many types of writing assignments are offered and sequenced.

How does the author define positive transfer of learning in writing courses?

The author treats transfer as students using skills taught in first-year composition to write in other academic contexts and beyond, supported by principles drawn from cognitive science research.

What evidence does the author use to support the “course corrections” proposed?

The observations are based on two ethnographic studies of writers learning in new situations and the author’s work across three higher-education institutions over 17 years as a writing professor and administrator.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by jayni