Students in Dr. Nicole Pfannenstiel’s summer 2025 writing seminar crafted blog posts exploring Rhetoric & Composition. Over the next several weeks, we will share their work in this space to bring visibility to their posts and offer a variety of perspectives on pertinent topics within Rhetoric & Composition. These posts are written by graduate students currently in the MA and M.Ed. English programs.
Understanding the Decisions Behind Creating Meaningful Writing
By: Quinn Haldeman
Rhetoric and composition are defined by the decisions writers make throughout the process as they consider what to include in their writing, how to say it, and what space their writing exists in, which is why academic writing at the college level requires reflection on individual and group identity, as well as the standards for academic writing. Composing is a complicated process that involves significant rhetorical decisions to create meaning and connect to the reader. Andrews outlines the work involved in composition, explaining, “And yet the writer/composer puts together letter with letter, word with word, and sentence with sentence to make a meaningful work. He or she is composing not only with the resources of words, but with the ideas and denotations that these words represent. The composition, then, is more than a technical and aesthetic act of ‘putting things together to create proportionate and beautiful form’; it is an act of conveying meaning” (2014, p. 45). Not only do writers have to create an aesthetic work that is engaging for a reader, but they must clearly establish meaning in the discourse. There is a balance between what the writer decides to include in their work and how to make it meaningful for others. Jensen (2015) unpacks this idea by looking at composition from a “how to” versus a “what to” approach, outlining how to move a writer’s understanding from how to make their writing better to what the larger context of the writing is. The writer must decide on style, tone, word choice, and syntax, as well as how to boost their ethos, how to engage or appeal to their specific audience, and how to support their ideas with evidence or examples, all of which are complicated decisions that require knowledge of rhetoric and composition and reflection of one’s ideas in connection with the larger social context. Rhetoric and composition work together in writing to present new ideas to others in appealing, understandable ways.
Understandably, it can be difficult for writers, especially those adjusting to higher-level academic writing, to unpack their intentions, the linguistic approach they want to take, how their audience will receive their ideas, and the many other considerations one has when composing. To unpack the different areas of composition in hopes of centering writers’ intentions throughout this process, McComiskey (2000) presents a map that includes consideration of linguistics, the rhetorical situation, and the social context that affects writers. These three elements of writing represent a lens to view how writers approach rhetoric and composition throughout their process. Similarly, Laist (2021) defines successful composition as the ability to look at rhetorical dimensions of fluency, architecture, context, enthusiasm, and originality when writing. At different points in the writing process, one needs to consider each element, asking themselves how their techniques and language will be accessible to their audience and convey the ideas in their minds. To more easily access this thought process, Flower and Hayes (2004) present a cognitive theory for assisting students throughout the writing process, focusing on how the writer creates and revisits goals throughout the process that speak to different areas of the writing process or rhetorical situation. These theories and frameworks require reflection and practice as the writer makes decisions throughout the writing process. Being intentional about each rhetorical and compositional decision is key in creating meaningful work that is reflective of the author and thought-provoking for the reader.
References
Andrews, R. (2014). A Theory of Contemporary Rhetoric. Routledge.
Flower, L., & Hayes, J. R. (2004). A cognitive process theory of writing. College Composition
and Communication, 32(4), 365–387. https://doi.org/10.2307/356600
Kyle Jensen. (2015). Reimagining Process : Online Writing Archives and the Future of Writing
Studies. Southern Illinois University Press.
Laist, R. (2021). “Good Writing”: Defining It and Teaching It. Transformative Dialogues:
Teaching & Learning Journal, 14(2), 115–125.
McComiskey, B., & ProQuest (Firm). (2000). Teaching composition as a social process
[electronic resource] / Bruce McComiskey. Utah State University Press.