Errors and Expectations: A Guide for the Teacher of Basic Writing

by Mina P. Shaughnessy

Errors and A Guide for the Teacher of Basic Writing

Genres: Writing, Education, Nonfiction, Language, Academic, Teaching, Reference

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 6, 1977

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, it is impossible to read Errors and Expectations without quietly humming Muse's "Black Holes and Revelations." It isn't possible.

Secondly, I wish I had read this book while I was teaching this semester. When I encountered the whirlwinds of my students' errors, I was kind of just flummoxed. "Proofread," I recommended, or "read it aloud," or "see if you can say that in fewer words." Reading Shaughnessy's book has been like learning the names of the trees in your neighborhood--you've always known there was something there, but you hadn't anticipated the order and reasoning of it all.

Shaughnessy includes plenty of lesson plans and suggestions for what she calls "Monday morning" and while some of it seems old-fashioned (handwriting! who considers handwriting a part of English?), there are plenty of post-it notes for things I'll actually use.

The best part of this book, though, is the research. Her methods aren't explicit, but her data set is huge and I appreciate the fact that she looks at errors as natural consequences of learning patterns, not deviant behavior.

[Chris Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you teach anything, read this.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I reread this while writing an essay on the experiment in Open Admissions at City College in the 1970s-90s. It’s a beautifully written book, and filled with a luminous intelligence and sympathy for struggling writers. It’s also wrong. I can’t imagine teaching a course centered on the sort of sentence-level errors that Shaughnessy is fixated upon.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dense, but important. Good.

[Matt Sautman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A monumental text within the history of Basic Writing, Mina Shaughnessy was amongst the first people at the City University of New York to bring attention to the need for Basic Writing courses within the university level. Errors and Expectations is not without its faults, as readers of both Representing the "Other" and Teaching Developmental Writing can attest, both it provides a solid touchstone for teachers and those interested in the pedagogy to build their knowledge from. Parts may be a bit dry for other folks, but as someone who teaches first year writing and who has worked in special ed in the past, there are some neat observations here. My principal critique is that it seems Shaughnessy is very Aristotelian, which can be both a good and bad thing.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heady read on the nuts and bolts of teaching basic comp to adults who have managed to squeak by so far without learning many fundamentals. For the most part, this was a great starting point. It lays out chapters with clear instruction topics, examines common problems with many helpful examples, and suggests ways to teach to these issues. It preaches that there is a system to most of the errors committed by basic writers, and this system has a logic and consistency that can be identified and corrected. The book was written in 1977, so it's certainly dated ("Black English Vernacular" = BEV. Seriously?), but for the clarity, inspiration, and dedication it relates it certainly has great value.

[Jenny O · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is indirectly responsible for me joining the Fellows program. I admire Shaughnessy's intelligence and resourcefulness. When CUNY began open enrollment, instead of complaining about substandard students she systematically studied their errors and figured out the best way to address them. I love that kind of no-nonsense, roll up your sleeves and get to work kind of attitude. I was way too late to join the CUNY revolution, but I see a lot of Shaughnessy's spirit in the Fellows program.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent resource for the writing teacher. As most of her critics would say, this book (and seemingly Shaughnessy's classroom) focuses on error correction more than anything. For all the descriptive grammar, Shaughnessy was a pioneer in the age of Open Admissions, and her work with basic writers, dated as it is now, is compassionate and inclusive.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a practical tool for teachers who need to reach struggling writers. Shaughnessy gives pages of examples and explains the systematic errors students make while writing. She is very thorough and also provides ideas for adapting instruction in light of student misconceptions. It also encourages teachers to keep working for students, rather than for administrations.

[Chanel Earl]

Not the most thrilling read, but a good guide for beginning writing teachers.

[Reuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic for any teacher of basic writing.

[Demo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skimmed several sections. Will continue to use as reference

[Adam Bessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Influential.