Multidisciplinary Exploration into Flow in Writing

Deborah F. Rossen-Knill is Executive Director and Professor of Instruction in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program at the University of Rochester, USA, and coauthor of a Guidebook to Academic Writing: Communicating in the Disciplines (Routledge, 2024).Katherine L. Schaefer is Professor of Instruction in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program at the University of Rochester, USA.Matthew W. Bayne is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program at the University of Rochester, USA.Whitney Gegg-Harrison is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the Writing, Speaking, and Argument Program at the University of Rochester, USA.Dev Crasta is a Senior Instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Rochester Medical Center, USA.Alessandra DiMauro is a PhD Candidate in Cancer Biology at Washington University in St. Louis, USA.

“What is particularly impressive about the book is its multidisciplinary coverage, which includes not only linguistics but also classical rhetoric, composition studies, and cognitive science. Equally impressive is that the book covers not only student, instructor, and researcher perceptions about flow in writing but also empirical data to buttress its case. Unsubstantiated perceptions and feelings about improving student writing improvement are no match for empirical evidence, something which this book does not neglect. I believe the book offers very helpful guidance for writing theorists, writing instructors, and students seeking to master the craft of writing.”Rei R. Noguchi, author of Grammar and the Teaching of Writing: Limits and Possibilities (1991).“This book tackles that most nebulous and desired of writing qualities: flow. Refusing to let flow continue to be bandied about but little understood, the book offers an accessible investigation of flow from rhetorical, linguistic, and cognitive perspectives; then, it offers practical activities to help all of us better identify, understand, and incorporate flow in written English.”Laura Aull, Associate Professor and Writing Program Director, University of Michigan, USA.“This book offers a conceptually rich and empirically grounded answer to the thorny question, “What is flow in writing?” It provides a wealth of insights, strategies, and examples that can help teachers and students to recognize, improve, and even experiment with flow. The authors have me convinced that more focus on flow can reinvigorate the writing classroom and increase students’ sense of agency as communicators. I am excited to use this text to help deepen the understanding of students, faculty, writing center staff, and others about how and why flow actually ‘works’ in written texts!”Shawna Shapiro, Associate Professor of Writing and Linguistics, Middlebury College, USA.

• Introduction: A Multidisciplinary Exploration into Flow in Writing 1. What Do Scholars Say? 2. What Do College Students Say? 3. What Do Instructors Say? 4. What Do Research Team Members Say? 5. Conclusion: What is Flow in Writing Appendix Index