Madeline Rich Fall 2022

English 1301
Frances Johnson
30 September 2022

Synthesis Project
Concept 1

It is commonly thought the term “writing” is simply an act of inscribing words onto a paper,

note, or email. Truthfully, writing is much more complex of a tool in society’s social connection than one

may realize. Writing can be considered essential for the communication and connection between

individuals society has today (Brooke & Grabill, 2016). Writing can be considered a type of technology or

innovation (Dryer, 2016). Writing is not natural compared to speech, which is why writers struggle to

master the skill while most individuals’ speech is proficient at a young age (Dryer, 2016). This synthesis

proves the many complexities behind the skill of writing and its importance within social development

among writers and their audiences.

Individuals often talk about written work as if it were speech, lacking the ability to comprehend

the meaning of a text or understanding what the text is “saying,” mentioning the writer’s “voice” or

“tone,” and describing readers as an “audience.” (Dryer, 2016). words in a sentence or paragraph

influence and determine each other’s meaning, unlike speech (Dryer, 2016). The reader often must use

context clues in order to understand a text. The comparison between writing and speech is not a fair

one. Homo sapiens have been speaking to one another for nearly two hundred thousand years (Dryer,

2016). Research shows that the larynx has adapted over time to gradually acquire a more expressive

range due to speech. Even one’s brain naturally picks up speech, as children easily acquire complete
Madeline Rich Fall 2022
English 1301
Frances Johnson
30 September 2022

fluency of their native language (Dryer, 2016). Writing is not as ingrained, as writing is not speech at all

but simply symbols that represent sounds or phrases. Writing symbols have not lasted as long either, as

written text began to appear about 3000 BCE (Dryer, 2016). Writing can be more easily compared to

inscriptions or code rather than speech. Writing is learned and used daily in life, but it is in no way

“natural” compared to speech (Dryer, 2016).

Writing can be considered a type of technology or innovation, rather than a natural ability.

thinking of it in this fashion can be productive for both students and teachers of writing (Brooke &

Grabill, 2016). The tools we use to write and the media we must share it creates a powerhouse of

communication across the globe. The internet and social media have been great examples of writing as a

technology. Sites such as Wikipedia and Facebook involve copious amounts of writing. Writing’s

knowledge-making potential increases substantially after its purposeful engagement and newfound

availability everywhere. (Estrem, 2016). Writing has evolved due to the technological advancement of

social media and now creates community throughout the world.

Writing is usually regarded as a simple description of a task (Roozen, 2016). Rather, one should

understand writing as a complex social and rhetorical activity (Roozen, 2016). When an individual states

they are writing an email or note, it is suggested it is an isolated task, when writing should be considered

an inherently social and rhetorical act (Roozen, 2016). Within the task of writing, the writer must

constantly make detailed choices in order to present themselves the way they are intending to. When

writing, one must ask themselves: “What kind of person do I want to be? How should I treat others?
Madeline Rich Fall 2022
English 1301
Frances Johnson
30 September 2022

How should I live my life? (Duffy, 2016). Writing involves ethical choices because every time we write for

another person, we propose a relationship with other human beings, our readers (Duffy, 2016). Though

writing may seem to be an independent act, writers are actively engaging with their audience and are

constantly connected to others through one’s writing (Roozen, 2016).

In conclusion, writing is a complex social and rhetorical skill (Roozen, 2016) that is used to

document and communicate with others in a relatively new way compared to our natural skill of speech

(Dryer, 2016). Writing is an intricate technological tool that has aided society in intellectual and

social development.
Madeline Rich Fall 2022
English 1301
Frances Johnson
30 September 2022

Reference List:

Brooke C. & Grabill J. T. (2016). Writing is a technology through which writers create and

recreate meaning. In L. Adler-Kassner & E. Wardle (Eds.), Naming what we know, classroom edition:

Threshold concepts of writing studies (pp. 32–34). University Press of Colorado.

Dryer, D. B. (2016). Words get their meanings from other words. In L. Adler-Kassner & E. Wardle

(Eds.), Naming what we know, classroom edition: Threshold concepts of writing studies (pp. 23–25).

University Press of Colorado.

Duffy, J. (2016). Writing involves making ethical choices. In L. Adler-Kassner & E. Wardle (Eds.),

Naming what we know, classroom edition: Threshold concepts of writing studies (pp. 31–32). University

Press of Colorado.

Estrem, H. (2016). Writing is a knowledge-making activity. In L. Adler-Kassner & E. Wardle (Eds.),

Naming what we know, classroom edition: Threshold concepts of writing studies (pp. 19–20). University

Press of Colorado.

Roozen, K. (2016). Writing is a social and rhetorical activity. In L. Adler-Kassner & E. Wardle

(Eds.), Naming what we know, classroom edition: Threshold concepts of writing studies (pp. 17–19).

University Press of Colorado.