Post 7: Highschool vs. College Writing

    While high school and college writing share many similarities, college writing requires a higher level of sophistication, articulation, and a deeper understanding of the subjects being written about. In high school, thesis statements often serve as straightforward declarations of the main argument or purpose. They are typically clear-cut and easy to identify. Compared to college, it demands a more nuanced and sophisticated thesis statement. They often require a deeper level of analysis and synthesis of information. They need this because most college-level writings will require the writing to include multiple purposes to be accomplished during the writing. Maddalena says it best in her essay Why First Person Is Important in College Writing: "Writing at the college level and beyond often has to “do” a few things in the same text. Most involved writing assignments expect you to do at least two things. You may need to summarize/report and respond, or (more likely) you’ll need to summarize/report, synthesize, and respond"(Maddalena). In high school, we learned and became used to the run-of-the-mill, five-paragraph, one-topic, or argumentative essay; this worked predominantly in high school because of the surface-level material and/or research required for the writing. However, college requires a more significant and profound study and understanding of that research, requiring critical thinking. 

    In conclusion, while high school and college writing share fundamental similarities, college writing demands a significantly higher level of sophistication, critical thinking, and analytical depth. The transition from straightforward, single-purpose thesis statements to more complex, multi-faceted ones reflects this increased complexity. College writing often requires synthesizing various sources, a nuanced understanding of the subject matter, and the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and concisely. As Maddalena highlights, college-level writing frequently involves multiple purposes, necessitating a more sophisticated approach to thesis development and overall essay structure. By recognizing and adapting to these distinctions, students can successfully navigate the challenges of college-level writing and produce insightful, well-supported work.

Works Cited:

Maddalena, Kate McKinney. “‘I Need You to Say “I”’: Why First Person Is Important in College.” Writing Spaces Readings on Writing, edited by Charles Lowe and Pavel Zemliansky, vol. 1, Parlor Press, 2010, pp. 180–190.