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Book Review: Collaborative Writing in Composition Studies by Sheryl I. Fontaine and
Susan M. Hunter and Authorship in Composition Studies
by Tracy Hamler Carrickand Rebecca Moore Howard
A new series of textbooks geared to upper level undergraduate and graduate students
pursuing academic careers in composition studies recognizes and addresses the gap between the
ability of a student to produce high quality college writing assignments and professional-level
scholarly articles and writings. The first two books in a ten-book series are completed:
Collaborative Writing in Composition Studies by Sheryl I. Fontaine and Susan M. Hunter and
Authorship in Composition Studies by Tracy Hamler Carrick and Rebecca Moore Howard. This
series makes instructional materials available to both teachers and students that can bridge
undergraduate English studies and graduate/professional writing.
Series editors Fontaine and Hunter assert in the preface of the first book, Collaborative
Writing in Composition Studies, that while students are asked to produce pieces modeling those
contained in academic journals, they lack the experience to do so well. I can speak from personal
experience, while I have worked as a professional writer for nearly twenty years, the field of
academic writing is a foreign land. The idea of writing conference papers and publishing in
journals to spread knowledge, while fulfilling professorial duties, is beyond what most
understand about publishing because it is not what we learn about in college English
Composition or World Literature classes nor what we see on the shelves at the local Barnes and
Noble. Students are foreigners in the community of scholarly writing. As graduate students
advance in their education and become included on the academic guest list, they feel out of
place, underdressed and unprepared to join in the conversations contained in the pages of
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journals where established scholars explore theories and expand thoughts started by others and
expanded through years of study and writing. This series will serve as a guidebook for students
who desire to jump into these conversations and contribute and also, supplement the teaching of
instructors who encourage them.
Fontaine and Hunter’s book comprehensively addresses issues in collaborative writing
and fully recognizes the likelihood that a graduate student has limited experience as a scholarly
writer, let alone a collaborative writer. Think back, how did you learn how to write in the
academic community? In the preface for the student, editors explore differences between
solitary and collaborative writing, plus why, when and with whom. Chapter 1 discusses
language and introduces ideas related to audience: those for whom you write and those with
whom you write with. Recognizable rhetorical terms mix with practical visual examples such as
taking the approach that collaborative language choice is like having a conversation in a “parlor”
in the way one selects words in response to the audience and participants present. The idea that
knowledge in academia comes from continuous conversation amongst different groups not
through regurgitation and memorization of known facts is a critical assertion in this chapter.
They explore ways to invite co-writers and audience into a conversation.
As the book continues, Chapters 2 and 3 address practical issues such as selecting a
collaborator and the differences between working alone and working with someone. The
chapters recognize the complexities of unique personalities and illustrate ways to effectively
communicate and work together. In each chapter there are pauses called “Time for Reflection”
calling the reader to pull from personal experience, such as a previous collaborative effort and
connect the textbook writing to this real-life situation. These sections, along with the one at the
end of each chapter called “Try Out Collaborative Writing,” are particularly useful because they
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are simple and quick. For example, at the end of Chapter 4, where the focus is on conversation
within a group, the assignment is to get a partner and create a list of characteristics of effective
and ineffective collaborative efforts. Then, the goal is to look at the conversation surrounding
the creation of that list and evaluate the collaborative communication itself. Easy and practical
projects that show, not tell, how to collaborate with another person are welcome supplements to
textbook readings.
Chapters 6 and 7 cut directly to the guts of collaborative efforts – the pride and politics
that no one wants to talk about. These chapters address the move from “I” to “we” and the
appropriate ways to show conflict, disagreement, or simply, distinct opinions within a written a
piece. The authors confront the complexities of name order – first author, second author and so
on – with a variety of solutions while never losing site of the truth of ego’s presence in
collaborative efforts. The emerging scholarly writer will read about professional considerations
of co-authoring a piece rather than writing alone. The book contains chapters addressing how to
work efficiently using technology and general explorations into the benefits of writing with
others and holding onto one’s identity. The nine chapters, along with the prefaces and afterward,
contain answers to real questions that will prepare a graduate student to step confidently into the
next phase of their academic career ready to work and contribute to the community where they
will reside.
Carrick and Howard in the second book of the series, Authorship in Composition Studies¸
delves into the voice of an author with acknowledgement of issues such as education, experience
as a student writer, textbook learning, gender, and culture in the creation of written pieces.
Uniquely, this book is a collection of ten essays written by individuals who have grown from
college English students to scholars and writers, but most of whom, were still pursuing doctorate
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degrees at the time of writing the chapters. The ethos of these writers is strong and present,
engaging the reader. They write personally and practically about a variety of composition topics
in a professional tone with substantive research and detailed bibliographies at the end of each
chapter that invite the student to go deeper if they so choose while illustrating how research and
referenced materials are incorporated into written work.
While each of the essays contributes to considerations of authorship, some address
particularly common concerns and issues that float through the developing scholarly writer’s
mind. Chapter 1, entitled, “The Binaries of Authorship,’ written by Howard, serves as a
wonderful introduction to the essays that follow. Here, Howard explores the terms “student,”
“writer,” and “author,” and what they mean and how they are connected. She presents
considerations of the relationship between teacher and student in the context of instruction and
learning how to compose and write. Chapter 2’s essay, “Copyright, Plagiarism, and the Law” by
Paul Butler is a helpful and direct resource about these topics. The essay in Chapter 8, “Genders
and Authors,” by Mary Queen addresses the redundant issue of masculine pronoun usage,
authority to claim ownership, and the implied gender of authority. While they are somewhat
redundant, they are present and she explores why and how to address them manage them in
scholarly writing. And, finally, Chapter 10, “Spot Keeps Turning Up:E/quality in Authorship(s)
and Pedagogy,” by the co-editor of this book, Carrick, explores narrative, storytelling and other
pedagogical ideas and influences present in writing. The essays are short, direct and efficiently
present a variety of topics and ideas.
English students, who are often overloaded with reading and writing assignments, will
find these books welcome additions to required course materials because the books are short and
the chapters are written in a style that is familiar and easy to follow. The chapters in each of the
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two books remain at a light, surface level in educating a student in the area of composition
issues. If a student or instructor wants deep, detailed information about copyrighting or conflict
between co-writers, this is not present; however, the bibliographies at the end of each chapter
contain references to additional sources. Another key point about this series is that each book
can stand alone; they are not dependent upon the others, allowing readers the opportunity to
select topics most relevant to writing and instructional needs. Finally, the design of the series not
only prepares, but invites, the emerging academic to move into the disciplines of academic
writing and composition studies smoothly and confidently.