The Transition to College Writing

by Keith Hjortshoj

An academic survival guide, this brief rhetoric teaches new students the critical reading and writing strategies they need to achieve success across the curriculum.

Genres: Academic, Writing

229 pages, Paperback

First published January 16, 2001

Reviews

[Hillary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think 3.5 stars. I came across this book from another reader on Goodreads, one of my friends. I thought it looked intriguing, as I teach college prep language skills to international 11th and 12th graders. So I bought it, saved it to read over the summer and have now finished it.

There is a ton of good information here. The idea is that whatever you learned in terms of writing (and reading) in high school was fine for those years, but you need to adapt to new methods for college study. The author carefully dissects aspects of reading and writing, explaining what's different in college, and why. He presents practical and doable solutions for every student. There is even a section for international students. Overall, it's about not only style, but depth and thought.

I read this book with highlighter in hand (a technique he discusses in one chapter--spoiler: It's a valid, but limited method) and a pack of mini sticky notes. I didn't want to muck up the pages with a pen, because I envision photocopying various parts as exercises and discussion topics for my students.

This book seems to be a good tool that I can incorporate into existing units. I am grateful to have stumbled upon it.

[Nicole Selden]

interesting but gbn taught me better

[grace · Rating 1 out of 5]

BOOOOOOOOOO. useless read.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend this fairly short and very readable book. The author focuses on the freshman and sophomore college student who is making the transition from high school to college. The book demonstrates an understanding of the fears and frustrations college students experience as they move from one type of learning environment to another.

The author offers realistic and helpful advice on topics such as: what is the difference between the way writing is learned and taught in high school as opposed to in college? What do professors expect from students? What are good techniques for producing successful papers? How can one stay on top of all the reading? What makes for a good research paper?

I also like how the author stresses the importance of framing questions in helpful ways. Too often beginning writers think of an essay as just a way to regurgitate information. In reality, though, a good essay will have at its heart a question that the paper then explores

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book not only does a lovely job of articulating the difficulties of transitioning to college writing, but it also manages to do so in a way that is accessible to faculty and students, alike. Hjortshoj introduces students to the full range of transitions they will need to make as college students, from strategies associated with reading and note taking to different formats, genres, and types of writing they might expect to conduct in college. His approach is driven by a genuine impulse to help students understand not only what makes college writing different, but why it is different and why certain conventions (e.g., citation) exist. I especially appreciated his unwillingness to discuss ELL writers in a separate space: as he notes, there's very little that separates many of the "problems" such writers have from those of any other student beginning a college writing career.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is quite a good book: it explains to student writers what professors REALLY want to see in research papers (even if they don't say so), and it also highlights some qualities of good writing that many of us aren't teaching successfully enough, even though we evaluate student writing according to these standards that, for us, go without saying, but for students are a complete mystery.

[Teresa Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading it from a teacher's perspective was enlightening. There are things that I have forgotten from my college writing days. Things that are important to share with my students so that they can be successful writers in college. a must-read for students and teachers alike.