PSAT Glitch

[Alice Faber]

AAllan at AOL.COM said:
>Arnold asks:
>
>>  why are the handbook examples so similar across the years?
>>
>I think that's because the handbooks, and the composition teachers who employ
>them, are in c.y.a. mode. Or maybe just c., to be charitable. That is,
>anticipating complaints by faculty who subsequently have these students or
>employers who subsequently employ them, these composition teachers can say,
>"Well, I (or, the handbook) certainly *covered* that topic." So the writing
>assignments in a composition class are typically a smorgasbord, covering
>everything from definition to cause & effect; and the "grammar" (usage)
>lessons *cover* every possible objection. And the makers of a new handbook
>themselves have to be sure to *cover* everything included in a rival book,
>and then are tempted to introduce a few new strictures of their own.


Years ago, I went to a regional linguistics meeting at SUNY Stony
Brook. There was a session on textbooks for intro linguistics
courses. One speaker (Julia Stanley?) discussed the nuts-and-bolts of
writing a Linguistics 101 book. It seems to be very schizophrenic. On
the one hand, the publishers want to know that a proposed book fills
a void. In other words, it has to be different from other available
books. On the other hand, they want to know that it will sell. So, it
can't be *too* different from other available books. I'd imagine that
similar forces are at play with the various composition handbooks.
--
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Alice Faber                                             faber at haskins.yale.edu
Haskins Laboratories                                  tel: (203) 865-6163 x258
New Haven, CT 06511 USA                                     fax (203) 865-8963