Robert Taylor - Blog Post 8

The advantages and disadvantages between the two case studies, Lorraine vs. Fan, non-fiction vs. academic, can be boiled down to access: the audience’s access to the case study itself, access to the research methods being used by the tutor, and the student’s access to the genre of writing being taught. 

I was more engaged with the non-fiction case study because it was written using the non-fiction genre as opposed to the academic writing style of the academic case study. It felt like a story, and my story-loving brain enjoyed being invited to the table. The academic case study, while interesting, made me work for the information it offered, and I found myself skimming in moments that did not capture my attention which meant I had to go back, reread, and check my comprehension. For this audience member, my ease of access to the non-fiction case study led to more enjoyment.

The non-fiction case study did come with one key disadvantage: access to research methods that can be applied generally to other circumstances. The academic case study was meticulous in its deployment and presentation of research techniques, which provided an abundance of practical information to tutors looking to increase their stock. Whereas the non-fiction case study can only be applied to that particular student, with those particular background circumstances, and in that particular writing situation, the academic case study seemed to reach more broadly to a spectrum of writers and tutors.

While both genres of writing, non-fiction and academic, are challenging in their own way, access to non-fiction writing seems to come more naturally to writers. It’s the reason I start my high school curriculum with a personal essay assignment. It gives students an “in;” it gives them the authority to explore their writing voice without being completely bogged down by the rules of academic writing. I see great value in allowing students to enter the world of writing through personal, non-fiction writing exercises, yet I also recognize that the limits that this genre has from a political/power dynamic.

Comments

  1. Sean TylerOctober 26, 2020 at 1:49 PM

    I think accessibility is an important point here. The non-fiction case study is much easier to digest. This could make it easier for beginning tutors to start studying tutoring research and strategies. I think the non-fiction method also presents the opportunity to work with students as individuals and for tutors or students who identify with those individuals it could make the work resonate.

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