Writing Things Down vs. Writing Things Up: Are Research Papers Valid?
Robert J. Kloss For whatever reason, the task most college teachers settle on, if not insist on, as the sole writing assignment is the research paper. Indeed, it frequently replaces all other writing in the department or across the curriculum. When this is the case, it is detrimental to both teacher and student. The research paper, however, may not be as valid an approach to the acquisition of either knowledge or of writing skills as is commonly believed. The satisfactory completion of such a paper requires a long, sustained intellectual effort by stu- dents who understand the purpose and import of the task and who already have the basic analytical tools to accomplish it. Most freshmen and sophomores are ill- prepared for such an undertaking. True, writing a research paper might help students develop various research skills and practice the analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and presentation of a large body of material. On the other hand, if not carefully supervised from beginning to end
