Classic Models In the Writing Center

By Jamie Nadel

While still a young man, John Courtney Boot had, as his publisher proclaimed, ‘achieved an ensured and enviable position in contemporary letters.’ –Scoop by Evelyn Waugh, p.1

While essentially unintimidating, the British aristocrats had, as their contemporaries noted, forged a meaningful and memorable victory in the document of the Magna Carta.

Imitation Cognition and Writing“Learning by Watching”

• Mirror Neurons allow us to replicate the actions of others

• Professors use templates to teach style in writing classes– They Say, I Say by Gerald

Graff and Cathy Birkenstein

The Reason and The Focus

• Non-directive + Directive • Theses and Topic Sentences – Declarative and Organizing

What do you mean? Model Topic Sentence

The Method

• STEP 1: Identify the Problem

• STEP 2: Choose a Model*

• STEP 3: Imitation Attempts

• STEP 4: Discussion

The Discussion

• Understanding the tricks

• Comparison

• Ask Questions

The Nuance

Community of Writers