When I first came to RPI (almost two "forevers" ago now), one of the major selling points of the school was that there was no English department. I thought I hated writing, and I was thrilled that I would not have to sit through even a single semester of mandatory text generation.
Since then, my attitude towards writing has evolved, due largely to my recognition of one simple fact: Words have power.
Words are the greatest tool ever invented by our race. They can convey the beauty of both a soaring eagle and the engineering principles that allow it to fly. The profundity of democratic ideals, the bliss of a new romance, and the absurdity of everyday life—these are all within the province of the written word. Perhaps most important of all, at least for students here, words give the reader an impression of the author.
I have been a teaching assistant for several years, and I have seen the writing of many, many students. It never ceases to amaze me how little care some people put into their writing. When a student turns in a report with numerous spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, the impression I am left with is that the student doesn’t care about his work. This, however, is only the obvious example.
The vocabulary of the English language is immense, allowing an author to employ a variety of words to keep the reader’s interest. When the same adjective is used five times in one paragraph, what sort of perception do you think is left in the mind of the reader?
Care should be taken in choosing the words one uses. Nearly infinite precision is available to a careful author, and exactly the right word can go a long way toward crafting the desired impression with instructors, employers, or colleagues. RPI has a writing center that can help to hone these abilities, and most students would probably benefit from a visit.
