Inventing the University

Diamond Moore

ENG 1001-027

Rhetorical Analysis 

10 February 2020

Inventing the University 

In the piece “Inventing the University” by David Bartholomae, writes about the problem students face when writing. They must learn the discourse of the community that is being addressed. Bartholomae states “The students have to appropriate (or be appropriated by) a specialized discourse, and they have to do this as though they were easily and comfortably one with their audience, as though they were members of the academy.” The student not only will need to write the language of the community but succeed in speaking it as well.

Bartholomae explains that there are two routes writers may use while writing. The first way we were introduced is writer-based prose. Writers based prose explained by Bartholomae is “the record of a writer who has lost himself in the discourse of his reader.” This means the writer is no longer writing for the reader, but for themselves instead.  The second approach of writing is readers-based prose, which is when students write with the reader in mind. Linda Flower argues that more experienced writers are better at readers-based prose and can “better imagine how a reader will respond to a text and can transform or restructure what they have to say around a goal shared with a reader.”

Bartholomae believes that Colleges and Universities have failed to include basic writing in projects that would ultimately help them act as if they are colleagues in an academic enterprise. The academic community is responsible for determining what their conventions are and to write them out.

Purpose/Audience

David Bartholomae’s piece is written with the intended audience to be teachers. But at the end he stresses to both the student and teacher that writing needs to show progress over time. This piece was written to inform and persuade both experience and inexperienced writers. His purpose is quite clear throughout the writing piece. Bartholomae shows different examples of students throughout the reading. He says most that most students are only basic writers, most have an idea of how to write, however, they do not develop what is needed to say in their essays. This reading made me step back and analyze my way of writing.  Writers can sometimes start to write about what they think about a topic instead of speaking. 

Content Analysis

The author addresses the problem that Colleges and Universities have failed to include basic writing in projects that would ultimately help them act as if they were colleagues in an academic enterprise. He then continues to say that the work students do is test-taking, report or summaries, that place the students outside of the working discourse of the academic community. “This is a failure of teachers and curriculum designers who, even if they speak of writing as a mode of learning, all too often represent writing as a “tool” to be used by an (hopefully) educated mind (Bartholomae, p.11).” He wants to fix this problem by adding more writing in the classes. I agree that students need to be aware that there are better ways to write and that it needs to be taught. “What is underdeveloped is their knowledge both of the ways experience is constituted and interpreted in the academic discourse community and of the fact that all discourse communities constitute and interpret experience. (Bartholomae p.11-12)

Organization

The tone used by the author, Bartholomae, in “Inventing the University” is very calm. It makes the reader feel like he is trying to talk to the reader versus talk at the reader. This makes the reader engaged in the reading, it also makes it easier for Bartholomae to persuade the reader in believing what he is saying. By using examples of everything he talks about to back up his reasonings. This may also draw in the reader and makes it easier for Bartholomae to prove his point. The sentences and vocabulary were easy to understand, this makes the piece better to read for almost anyone. 

Evidence

            The essays used as evidence throughout the piece is very clear and effective. The essays are easy to understand and support what he is trying to make the reader understand. Bartholomae never goes off topic unless it is used as support, this allows the reader to follow along with ease. I feel as if the author did a good job in using the correct evidence at the proper time to help support. 

Final Assessment

            I learned that if I want to have a good paper, I need to take my time and think about what I want to write and how I write it. I learned that my audience is equally important to my topic. I need to consider my audience in all papers. The intentions of this piece are to get the audience to understand that audience in a writing are very important. This can make the writing piece better in some cases or easier to write. This piece can help teachers help their students with writing. This piece is here to help students get comfortable with their writing skills; I imagine this piece would be read in an English class. 

Conclusion

“Inventing the University”, by David Bartholomae relates to me as a University student because I am not the best writer so learning to writing better helps. I have learned that I need to consider my audience instead of just writing to answer a prompt question. I will apply “Inventing the University” to my coursework by writing towards an audience rather than just trying to finish work and answer questions. It may improve my quality of work as well. 

Works Citied

Bartholomae, David. “Inventing the university.” Journal of Basic Writing, vol. 5, no. 1, 1986, pp. 4-23.