EGW 4 Speaking and Writing

This will be a little different, so follow the instructions closely! This is a longer EGW, so I am going to give you a much longer time frame to get it done. Usually all EGWs are due on Thursdays, but this one will be due no later than Monday, 20 September. Read through everything and plan out your time. All peer responses must be finished no later than Monday, 20 September.
You will have to find someone to try this speaking experiment with you.
Speaking:
Find someone to speak to and speak about something. Below is a list of possible topics. Just pick one:
Describe how you got to school or work today.
Describe what you did for breakfast or lunch today.
Describe what the weather has been like for the last couple of days.
If you partner wants to try this too, then take turns speaking your descriptions. Try to be detailed in your descriptions! This should take about 5 minutes.
Writing:
Now get to your computer (or a piece of paper) and write out this same description that you just expressed verbally. Try to be as detailed in writing as you were in speaking–perhaps even more. Give yourself about 10 minutes to do this part. YOU ARE NOT TURNING THIS IN!
Now you are ready to write on the real topic for this discussion post!
Part A Topic: You all should have these posted NLT the 16th.
What was different for you between speaking this description and writing it? Which was easier or harder for you? Why? From this experience, what conclusions and statements can you make about the difference between speaking and writing for communicating? From this experience, can you say anything that you think are more deeply or philosophically true about the nature or either speaking or writing (and possibly their relationship)? [length 250 words minimum–no responses to others needed] Post to the discussion forum. On the 16th, you should be able to move on to Part B.
Now, before you get to part B, read all the responses people put down for part A. Make note of particularly interesting insights and conclusions you read. Next read (or reread) the articles by Janet Emig and Dr. Irvin listed below:
“Writing as a Mode of Learning” by Janet Emig (first half deals specifically with speaking and writing)
“What is Academic Writing” by Dr. Irvin (particularly pages 3-6)
Part B Topic: You will reply to your Part A posting
Hopefully, from all this reading your thinking has developed and even changed on this topic. For this part, revise what you wrote for PART A to reflect your more developed understanding and reply to yourself. Your final version should make reference to at least TWO views expressed by your peers by name and TWO views from the above articles. You may quote or paraphrase their ideas. Include your own commentary/reaction to each view. You will have a total FOUR views from others that you incorporate into your own discussion. [length 400 words minimum] PLUS TWO short responses to your classmates’ Part B.
You will have
a total FOUR views from others (the articles and two peers) that you incorporate into your own discussion
Part B length — 400 words minimum
PLUS TWO short responses to your classmates’ Part B. (25 to 50 words for each response)
Here is an example Part B response from a real student. I took out the student names from this example and just used the first initial. You may use each others’ names in this post.
Part B Response
The difference between speaking and writing about my trip to SAC this morning dealt mostly with how people talk and interact with one another. As K. mentioned “there is another person that I can speak to, I can receive positive or negative feedback on my description. In being able to receive this feedback I can alter my description to be more vague or more detailed. For example, if the individual I am speaking to does not understand what road or place I am talking about, I would have to go into more detail for them to understand my path. If they know the area pretty well then I can “short-hand” my speech and generalize because I know they will get what I am saying.” In addition, when talking people tend to use slang making conversation less formal as well as incorporating body language. This provides a sort of second language, making it easier for the speaker to convey how they feel on the subject matter.
S. wrote “When it comes to communication, I think it really depends on the person as far as which is easier goes. It’s all about how comfortable you feel doing what you do. Some people are far more comfortable writing, typing expressing on paper than they are with verbally expressing it, especially to another person.” For me, on the other hand, I found it to be just the opposite. Speaking comes much more naturally to me than writing. I didn’t have to pause for a moment to consider how I should structure a particular sentence, whether a word was misspelt, or if I was using correct punctuation. Speaking requires fewer thought processes whereas with writing you must think before you “speak.”
Janet Emig wrote in “Writing as a Mode of Learning” that talking “leans on the environment, writing must provide its own context” which is supported by Dr. Irvin in his paper, “What is Academic Writing.” “When we speak, we inhabit the communication situation bodily in three dimensions, but in writing we are confined within the two-dimensional setting of the flat page … Separate from our audience in place and time, we imaginatively have to create this context. Our words on the page are silent so we, must use punctuation and word choice to communicate our tone. We also can’t see our audience to gauge how our communication is being received or if there will be a response.” With writing it is imperative to take the time to ensure everything is as detailed, accurate, and descriptive as possible.
(423 words)

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