Demystifying Disciplinary Writing: A Case Study in the Writing of Chemistry

• Published in: Across the disciplines Vol. 2; no. 2; pp. 1 - 21
• Main Authors: Fredrica L. Stoller, Jones, James K, Costanza-Robinson, Molly S, Robinson, Marin S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: WAC Clearinghouse 2005
• Subjects: Arizona; Chemistry; College Science; Content Area Writing; Curriculum Development; Interdisciplinary Approach; Majors (Students); Metacognition; Teaching Methods; Writing (Composition); Writing Across the Curriculum; Arizona
• ISSN: 1554-8244; 1554-8244
• DOI: 10.37514/ATD-J.2005.2.2.02

This article describes steps taken to demystify the writing of chemistry as part of the development of a junior level writing course for chemistry majors at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Although the course is offered by the chemistry department, its conception, development, implementation, and assessment have been the result of an interdisciplinary effort among course-development team members from both chemistry and applied linguistics (the latter housed in NAU's English department). To describe the process of demystifying the writing of chemistry, the authors first provide a brief description of the course that they have developed over the last four years. They then focus on the steps taken thus far to demystify the writing of chemistry for three primary groups: (1) chemistry faculty who have little experience teaching writing; (2) applied linguists, on the course-development team, who have little, if any, chemistry knowledge; and (3) junior-level chemistry students who have had little, if any, exposure to and experience with the professional genres of chemistry.