57 Matching Annotations
  1. Feb 2024
  2. Mar 2018
    1. They don't understand why this bias toward the physical matters nor why it works.

      "Description and deduction, really processes of enablement, make itpossible to defer and hence to control the interference of bias and assumption in recognizing what an object is"In Maguire article states "They don't understand why this bias toward the physical matters nor why it works." This will have an negative impact because it would affect how the reader obtain the information only seeing one side of the spectrum. This would only let the reader comprehend one side of the story.

    2. Student papers are often unreadable not only because their grammar is bad and their sentences incomplete, but also because they are way, way too abstract. Assigned to write about some idea, students can't think of examples easily and get caught in the sphere of ethereal ideas and stay there.

      this shows that students didn't couldn't interpret and reaching importance of the object they are writing and they do not have a good rich description and a nuanced vocabulary stated in Haltman's text and next sentence explain why student keep using vague terms resulting the paper to be bad

    3. I do, in fact, take that approach. "If you are writing about markets, recognize that market is an abstract idea, and find a bunch of objects that relate to it," I say. "Give me concrete nouns. Show me a wooden roadside stand with corn and green peppers on it, if you want. Show me a supermarket displaying six kinds of oranges under halogen lights. Show me a stock exchange floor where bids are shouted and answered."

      This relates to Haltmans ideology by finding value and historical interpretations from everyday objects and in the article it said "students will find value principally in learning from the models that these reading offer of how such interpretation can be carried out".

    4. An alternate approach might be to start the course with physical objects, training students to write with those in mind, and to understand that every abstract idea summarizes a set of physical facts.

      This relates to Haltmans theory and provide a opportunity to write saying that first we must find value and understanding the object so we can create "fruitful" questions on an object.

  3. Feb 2018
    1. When you think of something abstract, you are more inclined to use words from the start, and unless you make a conscious effort to prevent it, the existing dialect will come rushing in and do the job for you, at the expense of blurring or even changing your meaning.

      in light of halt-man's text, and in light of the research prospectus i believe that the reader should have a clear sense of what cause that particular interpretation.

    2. A writer uses abstract words because his thoughts are cloudy; the habit of using them clouds his thoughts still further; he may end by concealing his meaning not only from his readers but also from himself.

      I've caught myself doing this before but i didn't realize what the problem was until i read this essay. The, its about a object theme of this article, helped me realize description plays a key part not only in describing a object, but creating ideas from that object.

    3. Student papers are often unreadable not only because their grammar is bad and their sentences incomplete, but also because they are way, way too abstract.

      I believe this Is a problem because students don't actually realize what they are doing until the teacher reviewstheir papers.

    4. abstract ideas derive from objects. You can approach them in that concrete way and teach students to do the same.

      In light of the halt-man text, he explained that description is the best access to experiencing a object, because description can the register the way a object may function for a particular person.

    5. What is a concrete noun?"

      Basically it is a physical object that can be touched,named, and described.

    6. They don't realize that it's because they lack certain skills that were common among college freshmen 40 years ago.

      I believe student's don't realize what they are lacking in certain skills unless they've been introduced to those skills. And the fact that certain skills are missing from 40 years ago, shows the difference of expectations from 40 years ago to now. So i believe these different expectations are causing teachers to skip the fundamentals, which has made things harder for some students.

    7. No matter how abstract your topic, how intangible, your first step is to find things you can drop on your foot.

      I believe this is a way of getting readers and writers more interested in their work. For example, if you wanted to talk about poverty, you would talk about boarded up houses, the man that was sitting on the corner, etc. The use of a object is meant to help create physical connections to that object.

    8. An alternate approach might be to start the course with physical objects, training students to write with those in mind, and to understand that every abstract idea summarizes a set of physical facts.

      This goes back to haltman's text where he tells the reader to not look for what the object signifies, but how it signifies. I believe both these authors are looking for a gerundial meaning in their work

    9. Tyre points out how small some of the important skills are, and how conscious instruction in them can make a difference.

      in light of the halt man text, i believe that some of the small of the features of a object can be important, and conscious analyzation of the features can make make a difference in the meaning that is interpreted from the object.

    10. The Secret to Good Writing: It's About Objects, Not Ideas

      This metadata is interesting because it is surely to draw a reader in because someone who read's this will wonder have they been truly writing correctly, and read it to check to see if they have been writing correct

    11. They don't understand why this bias toward the physical matters nor why it works. But they will learn after six or eight weeks of practice that it does work. And about that time, they will start to smile because their thinking on paper is clearer, their writing has become vivid, and they themselves can finally see what they are talking about.

      I for the first time in a while am actually happy about my work and am taking even more pride in the way it is turning out. In using a physical and concrete website as well I am able to showcase my work and have shown my parents and a couple close friends my work. My meaning has been clear, precise, and descriptive. I can finally "see what I am talking about." I can capture an abstract idea and analyze a feeling and emotion from a physical object such as a quilt panel and found that it is easier than just focusing not the abstract idea. This is the main idea of the Maguire text and what he wishes teachers to incorporate and I believe that every lit class should be this way. If we incorporated the ideas of Haltman,Fowler,Maguire,and Orwell into every writing it would make them great.

    12. Henry Fowler coined the term "abstractitis" for this multiplication of abstractions, about which he said:A writer uses abstract words because his thoughts are cloudy; the habit of using them clouds his thoughts still further; he may end by concealing his meaning not only from his readers but also from himself.

      I have suffered from the literary disease many times when I get stuck in my writing and have to reach a word count. My writing starts off to be originally clear but the meaning gets blurred over time due to the fact that I have run out of things to say because I am not being concrete or descriptive in my writing. In rading the Haltman text and seeing all the many ways to combat this disease I will have to continuously re-read it to improve my writing when I get stuck,

    13. Few will notice that the terms relationship, wealth, productivity and market society need definition or examples.

      I have become one of those few in my own personal writing skills.Whenever I come across a word that I do not comprehend or would like to know more about why one selected that word I pull up a new tab and use the definition to understand the writers point of view to understand what message the writer is trying to convey. I had to do this a lot to decipher the meaning of the Haltman text. It has helped the most though; however, during my research on my Gil Scott-Heron AIDS panel. During research I came across a lot of words that made it hard to understand what a writer was trying to say about Scott-Heron's life.

    14. When you think of a concrete object, you think wordlessly, and then, if you want to describe the thing you have been visualizing you probably hunt about until you find the exact words that seem to fit. When you think of something abstract, you are more inclined to use words from the start, and unless you make a conscious effort to prevent it, the existing dialect will come rushing in and do the job for you, at the expense of blurring or even changing your meaning.

      This quote by George Orwell perfectly helps give supporting evidence to the thesis of this text. It not only gives a expert opinion, but masterfully puts the thesis into words. A concrete object requires you to describe something that can be explained through senses and can be very descriptive; however when describing an abstract idea, or something in your head it is so much harder to gather the thoughts in your head and put them down into a comprehendible writing. This entire quote could also be the thesis of the Haltman text, if you make a conscious effort to focus on being descriptive on an object your vocabulary will be precise and clear and make your writing very comprehensible.

    15. They will just move those vague terms around like checkers on a board, repeating them, and hoping that through repetition something will be said. The resulting paper will be mush.

      I have often done this in my own personal writing and it is interesting to see if from a professional perspective.The Haltman work and Maguire both mention how to work on and help to make this mush into magic. I have also learned over this first unit that being more descriptive leads to more information and more detail and not mush like we have been led to believe. Mrs. A has repeatedly said this during class and Haltma and Maguire have enforced that idea too. As i Have been doing my research I have found this to be true, the more you go in depth in your research and your writing the more there is to talk about. I believe in one's writing there needs to be a deeper pursuit of your subject and I believe that it does help by giving a concrete topic.

    16. I wanted to remind her what she knew but had forgotten: that abstractions are what you get when you pull back from (or abstract from) concrete reality -- from the world of things.

      I really like this point that Maguire made, I feel that it is a lot harder for students to learn based upon someone's ideas and what is going on in their head. If you can see and smell and touch something it is much easier to obtain your own ideas and your own interpretations and lead to more original and unique writings. I am seeing why we are doing the AIDS quilt as our first project. Something that is concrete reality. To continue with my previous post it is of utmost importance that you first focus on a concrete idea and from that you can gleam the "more abstract, conceptual,or even metaphysical aspects of that culture that they quite literally embody," as Haltman says.

    17. Like the teachers at New Dorp, I believe in conscious skill instruction and over the years have made my own list of missing skills. One is the skill of giving specific concrete examples in an essay.

      This is very similar to the Primary text in that it reinforces the title of not writing with ideas but with objects. Haltman had a very conscious and specific desire for one to be more descriptive and vivid in the description of concrete items. This type of writing makes it easier for readers to picture and allows them to relate to and imagine one's writing. I have been using this kind of writing in my primary source description and it has helped my writing. These texts are very parallel in their main ideas.

    18. It's a crucial question for those who want to reform the teaching of writing, because once you ask what skills are missing, you can make a list and start a counter-attack.

      I notice how it is also important that in anything you wish to reform and make better this type of analyzation works. From teachers, to students, to ,mechanics, to managers. One must first assess and list what answers they would like to find or problems they have so that one can improve and reform their work. I have found this helpful when I am stressed out with schoolwork; I would just take a step back and list out what has to be done and when so I do not forget anything and I can plan out my time. This relates to Haltman's point that no information at all is a total failure. One must ask questions and want to improve or you will not move forward. Like Maguire said, it is only "once you ask what skills are missing, you can make a list and start a counter attack." If I do not get any other takeaways from this article I will make sure that I remember to use this skill more often.

    19. What skills do these students lack? She quotes Nell Scharff, an instructional expert brought in by the school, as saying, "How did the kids in our target group go wrong? What skills were missing?"

      This was an important skill that Haltman and Prown talked about. The first step to any good writing is to ask questions and deduct in order to come up with a good analysis. I recently did this in my own project where I came up with a list of at least three research questions that led to me finding some very good sources and finding answers and pathways that I did not even expect. I wonder if the author expected to find what he was looking for or kept an open mind.

    20. The Secret to Good Writing: It's About Objects, Not Ideas

      This statement is very similar to the thesis of the primary text. Haltman was very focused on transforming your ideas into physical and emotional descriptions of objects. I enjoy how the title grabs your attention by telling you the "secret" immediately instead of making you read to decipher what it is.

      The title makes me ask what is the difference?, Why will it only be good and not great? The dictionary difference between a idea and object is: an idea is defined as a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action. An object is a person or thing to which a specified action or feeling is directed.

      Based upon information alone I feel relates to Haltman and makes your writing better by sorting your suggestions and possibles courses of action into something specified and descriptive and elaborate. This answers my second question because if you do this your writing will be just "good".

  4. Jan 2018
    1. object'svisualandphysicaleffectinwords

      Relating to Maguire, where he says use things you can drop on your feet. Meaning physical things, realistic things.

    2. Descriptionanddeduction,reallyprocessesofenablement,makeitpossibletodeferandhencetocontroltheinterferenceofbiasandassumptioninrecognizingwhatanobjectis.

      You mustn't give details in a bias way but rather describe in a way that readers can make their own inferences from what you see and not what you think.

    3. Materialculturebeginswithaworldofobjectsbuttakesplaceinaworldofwords.Whilewework“with”materialobjects,i.e.refer"to"them,themediuminwhichweworkasculturalhistoriansislanguage.Whenwestudyanobject,formalizingourobservationsinlanguage,wegenerateasetofcarefullyselectednouns,adjectives,adverbs,prepositions,andverbswhicheffectivelydeterminetheboundsofpossibleinterpretation.

      "I'm obsessed with the importance of writing with objects, and know it works, but it's hard to get the idea across. It goes against the conventional teacher wisdom that says students have to handle abstract ideas, and what the heck does writing physically have to do with that?" While Haltman refers to working with material objects the proper historical grammatical language is required. Despite Maguire is obsessed with writing with objects he's not teaching the same methods for proper grammatical usage.

    4. Theseessaysshare,aswell,aspiritofimaginativeinterventioninthestudyofhistory.Theyconstituteasortofpedagogicsampler,ananthologyofessaysinthestrictlyetymologicalsense:experimentsinorelaborationsofarigorouslypractical(asopposedtopurelytheoretical)approachtounderstandingthings

      "How should one train students to give good, vivid examples in their writing? Should you tell them, Be more specific? I used to do that but I don't any more, because it's too vague, not operational." Haltman gave us methods on how write a proper depiction of an object with the correct process such as culturally, emotionally, physically, and creatively.

    5. Producingasketchorschematicdrauvingmayfurtherthisprocess,butavoiduastingpreciouswordsatthispointonintroductions,conclusions,restatementsoftheassignment,orautobiographicalconfessions;justdescribeuhatyousee.Butbesuretoenjoythepleasures

      "When you think of a concrete object, you think wordlessly, and then, if you want to describe the thing you have been visualizing you probably hunt about until you find the exact words that seem to fit. When you think of something abstract, you are more inclined to use words from the start, and unless you make a conscious effort to prevent it, the existing dialect will come rushing in and do the job for you, at the expense of blurring or even changing your meaning." Maguire and Haltman both focus on one narrow point. Haltman focuses on the drawing and the linguistic. Meanwhile, Maguire focuses on the the same methods when describing a visual object.

    6. JosephKoerner,inarguing,hereagaininthecaseofvisualimages,thatsuchdescriptionoffers“thebestaccess”toexperiencinganobjectwithimmediacy,notesthatevocativedescriptioncan“register”thewayanobject“functionsforoneparticularobserver.Ratherthansayingwhatavisualimagemeans,descriptiontellsushouranimagehasopeneditselfuptoaninterpretation.”Aswithimages,sotoowithobjectswhichconstitute,accordingtoPrown,thebroadercategoryintowhichvisualimagesfal

      "If the professional writers whom Fowler and Orwell addressed had to be warned away from over-abstraction, how much more do our students need that advice? Yet the writing textbooks on the whole say nothing about abstractitis, mentioning it at most only in passing. And instructors do not focus on over-abstraction, even though that's the major problem young writers have." Maguire states that even professional writes disapprove the idea of having too many ideas and specific objects and often teachers don't teach student's how to they because society trains the student's to follow. Korener disapprove their idea and argue that even objects can also perform what visual images can provide.

    7. Theseessaysshare,aswell,aspiritofimaginativeinterventioninthestudyofhistory.Theyconstituteasortofpedagogicsampler,ananthologyofessaysinthestrictlyetymologicalsense:experimentsinorelaborationsofarigorouslypractical(asopposedtopurelytheoretical)approachtounderstandingthing

      "How should one train students to give good, vivid examples in their writing? Should you tell them, Be more specific? I used to do that but I don't any more, because it's too vague, not operational" This quote shows a problem of how to improve the student's and on the other hand Haltman's provides the correct terminology to aid students find the approach of understanding things.

    8. Thekeytogooddescriptionisarich,nuancedvocabulary.Technicallyaccuratelanguage(nominative,forthemostpart)playsanimportantroleinthis,butultimatelynotthemostimportantrolewhichisreserved,perhapssomewhatcounter-intuitively,todescriptivemodifiers(adjectives)and,mostcrucially,totermsexpressiveofthedynamicsofinterrelation(verbs,adverbs,prepositions).

      "From a teacher's perspective, the lovely thing about this technique of writing with things you can drop on your foot is that both the skilled and the unskilled can do it. Both kinds of students find the assignment intriguing. Students led into writing this way at the start of a course--writing about abstract ideas in terms of concrete objects--find it strange at first, but they are pleased that the task is actually doable. They start to write with good examples, though they don't think of them as examples, but as objects." what both of them are saying that as long as people think and try coming up with great description and a important vision anyone are able to create great insights

    9. Thoroughlydescribethisobject,payingcarefulattention,asrelevant,toallofitsaspects-material,spatial,andtemporal.Beattentivetodetails(forwhichatechnicalvocabularywillalmostcertainlyproveuseful),buteverkeepaneyeonthebigpicture.Imbueyourdescriptionwiththethicktextureoftaxonomyyetuiththeflowofnarrative.Renderitaseasyandappealingtoread,a

      In Maguires article-"From a teacher's perspective, the lovely thing about this technique of writing with things you can drop on your foot is that both the skilled and the unskilled can do it." By having different techniques in writing aids the students to write with purpose and pay close attention to verbiage to achieve better writing skills.

    10. Insearchingoutanobjecttointerpret,thesearefactorstobekeptinmind.Moreover,suchpolaritiesandoppositionsoffereffectiveanalytic"hooks”ofuseinorganizinginsights.Thoroughlydescribethisobject,payingcarefulattention,asrelevant,toallofitsaspects-material,spatial,andtemporal.Beattentivetodetails(forwhichatechnicalvocabularywillalmostcertainlyproveuseful),buteverkeepaneyeonthebigpicture.Imbueyourdescriptionwiththethicktextureoftaxonomyyetuiththeflowofnarrative.

      "t's a crucial question for those who want to reform the teaching of writing, because once you ask what skills are missing, you can make a list and start a counter-attack. The alternative to listing missing skills is to settle into a belief that today's kids are dumb or just not interested in ideas -- which is what usually happens these days"

      It shows that students currently lack identifying insights on an object and do not have the correct and vocabulary to even describe their objects

    11. Withoutpleasuretakenintheworkoftheimagination,nothingofthesortispossible.Indeed,littledefeatsthepurposeofthisexercisesowellasrigorwithoutreverie.

      Miguire "Ideas are what matter," Bernadette said confidently. "Getting them to define and handle ideas is what's important, not things." Halman explain that without usage ot the mind on thinking and creative ideas it would be almost impossible to write a creative player relating to Migure saying that ideas are the most important.

    12. Withoutpleasuretakenintheworkoftheimagination,nothingofthesortispossible.Indeed,littledefeatsthepurposeofthisexercisesowellasrigorwithoutreverie

      "Ideas are what matter," Bernadette said confidently. "Getting them to define and handle ideas is what's important, not things." - Maguire. In Haltmans text he expresses how it would be almost impossible to write without using your mind and creative imagination skills.

    13. Descriptionanddeduction,reallyprocessesofenablement,makeitpossibletodeferandhencetocontroltheinterferenceofbiasandassumptioninrecognizingwhatanobjectis

      Maguire-"They don't understand why this bias toward the physical matters nor why it works" by writing with a biast perspective allows the reader one side of the story which isn't fair to the reader.

    14. Descriptionanddeduction,reallyprocessesofenablement,makeitpossibletodeferandhencetocontroltheinterferenceofbiasandassumptioninrecognizingwhatanobjectis.

      In Maguire article states "They don't understand why this bias toward the physical matters nor why it works." This will have an negative impact because it would affect how the reader obtain the information only seeing one side of the spectrum. This would only let the reader comprehend one side of the story.

    15. WhiletoomuchKenneth Haltman informationcanbealmostasbadastoolittle,anythingleftoutofdescriptionislosttointerpretationforever. (pg 6/7)

      The students in Maguire classroom didn't do enough research such as examples and information to know more about the subjects they were assigned to which explained detailed in Haltmans quote.The reason is because students ideas are jumbled and not clear and concise to a narrow focus on the subject.

    16. Thedegreeofdetailonerecordsremainsamatterofpersonaldiscretion,butthoroughnesscounts.WhiletoomuchKenneth Haltman informationcanbealmostasbadastoolittle,anythingleftoutofdescriptionislosttointerpretationforever. pg 6 & 7 Maguires students needed definitions or examples to write a Abstract essay on "relationships, health, productively and market society". The Students had issues completing complete thoughts and would just ramble on with unspecific terminology and fill their paper up with un organized ideas.

    17. Allobjectssignify;somesignifymoreexpressivelythanothers.Asthelistofobjectsstudiedoverthecourseoftimeinasingleuniversityseminarattests,thepossibilitiesarevirtuallylimitless-especiallyconsideringthatnotwoindividualswillreadagivenobjectinthesameway

      Maguire state that "Today I give students a shortcut. I say, "Write physically. Write with physical objects. Put physical objects in your essay." This shows that its crucial to express and comprehend the significance of the object because even Maguire follows Haltman's ideology when composing ideas for writing.

    18. Allobjectssignify;somesignifymoreexpressivelythanothers.Asthelistofobjectsstudiedoverthecourseoftimeinasingleuniversityseminarattests,thepossibilitiesarevirtuallylimitless-especiallyconsideringthatnotwoindividualswillreadagivenobjectinthesameway.Sohowtochoose

      By Maguire instructing his students to "Write physically. Write with physical objects. Put physical objects in your essay". When you identify a object it signifies much more meaning and helps you write with purpose when you have a object to show significance much similar to Haltman theory of writing an essay.

    19. Themoreself-consciousonebecomes,themorecomplexone’srelationshiptoanobjectbecomes,physicallyandocularlyaswellaspsychologicallyandexperientially.Forthepurposeofanalysis,thereisvalueinisolatingdifferentrealmsofdeductiveresponsesothatthesecanbehandledmorecircumspectly

      Students doesn't know how to connected with the object and using transition to provided vivid responses.The New Drop discovered the kids didn't know the answer to when she ask them "Can you explain the answer" during class discussion. This displays that students haven't utilize their ability to think critically and creatively.

    20. Themoreself-consciousonebecomes,themorecomplexone’srelationshiptoanobjectbecomes,physicallyandocularlyaswellaspsychologicallyandexperientially.Forthepurposeofanalysis,thereisvalueinisolatingdifferentrealmsofdeductiveresponsesothatthesecanbehandledmorecircumspectly

      New Dorp discovered that students don't know how to use such words to connect and transition sentences like "although" or "despite" once they learned to use these words the students began to write much better . But the students didn't know how to explain how to say "I disagree" or "Can you explain your answer"? this displays that in class discussions students don't use their imagination to think creatively and out side the box.became much better.

    21. Whatquestionsaremostfruitfultoaskinone'sworkwithanobjectandhowmightonebestgoaboutaskingthem?WhereasscholarswillfindValueinparticularhistoricalinterpretationsproposedbycontributorsconcerningateapot,cardtable,cigarettelighter,cellarette,telephone,quilt,moneybox,corset,parlorstove,lavalamp,footbridge,locket,foodmill,orArgandlamp,studentswillfindvalueprincipallyinlearningfromthemodelsthatthesereadingsofferofhowsuchinterpretationcanbecarriedÖut

      Interpretation on objects that have historical significance to that scholar. We have to be able to identify these objects and values from the reading and the models. In addition, we have to provide interpretation why do these cultural object exist and their importance of our lives.

      When you boil it down, Bernadette, all abstract ideas derive from objects. You can approach them in that concrete way and teach students to do the same. I wanted to remind her what she knew but had forgotten: that abstractions are what you get when you pull back from (or abstractfrom) concrete reality -- from the world of things

    22. “fusionofvisualanalysisandverbalexpression

      I beleive this text and the secondary The Secret to Good Writing: It's About Objects, Not Ideas, agree in a sense that the main text is looking for a individual to develop a deeper connection and meaning to a object for a better understanding, while the secondary text is developing a a deeper connection to ideas that are presented.

    1. they themselves can finally see what they are talking about.

      Not only will readers be able to visualize the analysis, but also the writer. Which is kind of ironic, but true when you actually think about it. The idea that you as the writer can actually see what you have thought was to only get a point across to others, you also did that for yourself in an unconscious way.

    2. They start to write with good examples, though they don't think of them as examples, but as objects.

      This is where Haltman and Maguire tie in together as i stated before. Rather than the word example, they turn into descriptions.

    3. writing with things you can drop on your foot

      I believe this is a great way at looking at things as far as being descriptive. Using actually objects, things that your audience can actually visualize in their head while reading. This will allow readers to be more engaged because they can relate more.

    4. A writer uses abstract words because his thoughts are cloudy; the habit of using them clouds his thoughts still further; he may end by concealing his meaning not only from his readers but also from himself.

      This definitely goes hand in hand with Haltmans stance on not creating a bias essay.

    5. abstractions are what you get when you pull back from (or abstract from) concrete reality -- from the world of thing

      These are things that are below the surface. Things that are easily skimmed over, but could be valuable if people actually take a deeper look into describing them.

    6. the giving of examples as a skill

      Although in Haltman's text he doesnt exactly say examples, they both give the idea to be descriptive, use examples. They obviously both feel like thiese are the steps to creating a great paper.

    7. The Secret to Good Writing: It's About Objects, Not Ideas

      The title alone will grasp a readers attention. Even those who know how to write well will read this article, because there is always room for improvement.

    8. abstract ideas derive from objects.

      Relating back to the Haltman text, where he also beieves in description of the object. He makes it a point to saying that objects is where your best ideas will come from, without actually focusing on the idea..

    9. Like the teachers at New Dorp, I believe in conscious skill instruction and over the years have made my own list of missing skills.

      Similar to the Haltman text, where he gave instructions on his idea of "missing skills"

    10. many students show up in a freshman comp class believing they can't write, and their opinion is valid. They don't realize that it's because they lack certain skills that were common among college freshmen 40 years ago.

      Many students lack the fundamentals, which is why the criteria in high school should be alternated. Things that were in the criteria back then aren't in the high school agenda now. Which makes it more difficult for students to write a goodItalic** paper.