MetawritingMetawritingBy:By: Douglas James JoyceDouglas James Joyce

Publication:Publication: The Quarterly, Vol. 24, No. 4The Quarterly, Vol. 24, No. 4

Date:Date: Fall 2002 Fall 2002

What is Metawriting?What is Metawriting?

Metawriting is basically writing about Metawriting is basically writing about writingwriting

Mr. Joyce, to alleviate these errors, Mr. Joyce, to alleviate these errors, challenged his students to write challenged his students to write about their own grammar and about their own grammar and mechanics to increase mechanics to increase comprehension and decrease errors.comprehension and decrease errors.

Why should we care about Why should we care about Metawriting?Metawriting?

We have all faced We have all faced repeated grammar and repeated grammar and mechanical errors in mechanical errors in student papersstudent papers

Most students who have Most students who have practiced metawriting practiced metawriting agreed that they paid agreed that they paid more attention to their more attention to their own writing.own writing.

Here is how it works…Here is how it works…

After reading student papers, a After reading student papers, a teacher selects a frequently teacher selects a frequently occurring error.occurring error.

Then, the teacher points out all Then, the teacher points out all instances of the error and directs instances of the error and directs the student to write a one-page the student to write a one-page essay that compares and contrasts essay that compares and contrasts three sources that provide guidance three sources that provide guidance on correct usage.on correct usage.

BenefitsBenefits

The two major benefits of The two major benefits of “Metawriting”:“Metawriting”:

1.1. Reduces specific errors in Reduces specific errors in subsequent writingssubsequent writings

2.2. The one-page essay increases the The one-page essay increases the use of research and writing sourcesuse of research and writing sources

ResourcesResources

Joyce’s original Joyce’s original article with student article with student

examples, examples, feedback, and feedback, and instructions:instructions:

On the Use of On the Use of MetawritingMetawriting

to Learn Grammar to Learn Grammar and Mechanicsand Mechanics