First Name:
Elliott
Last Name:
Barnett
Major Department:
English and Secondary Education
Thesis Director:
Mark Vogel
Date of Thesis:
May 2013
Teaching students to self-edit is an important process for encouraging and developing an interest in reading as well as an appreciation for literature. Among numerous research articles pertaining to adolescent literature in the high school classroom, one of the reoccurring and most integral points reiterates that many high school students view reading very negatively. Preliminary research also states students’ reading and writing abilities reflect self-esteem and motivation: if a student performs poorly in reading and writing, students will view themselves as poor readers and writers. Ultimately, academia suffers. By developing reading and writing skills through a necessary foundation in editing, which fosters appreciation for literature, students will invariably raise self-esteem and therefore academia as well.
The first step to developing these necessary skills is by understanding how language functions on a basic level—through the art of editing! Although many recommended texts for students seem challenging due to the nature of the language and sentence structure, students comprehend text better when they understand how to deconstruct and interpret the text in a meaningful way. Because editing and revision are essential components of a well-drafted piece of literature, a text tailored through thoughtful self-analysis shows consideration from the author and respect for the reader; for a writer to be successful, readers must have an invested interest in the author’s literature. The reader praises the author who produces literature which pleases the audience. This thesis will delve into both sides of this academic coin to help students explore how readers are writers and how writers are readers.