Rigid Rules, Inflexible Plans, and the Stifling of Language: A Cognitivist Analysis of Writer's

Summary:

"Block, that frustrating, self-defeating inability to generate the next line, the right phrase, the sentence that will release the flow of words once again" (Page 389, Lines 8-9).

Out of a group of 10 UCLA undergraduates, 5 of them can write without any difficulties, and the other 5 experience "block" while trying to write. It was thought that these five students were "blocked" due to "emotional realm- anxiety, fear of ecaluation, insecurity, etc." (389, 36-37), or that it could also be related to emotions and cognition. But the truth is that "The five students who experienced blocking were all operating either with writing rules or with planning strategies that impeded rather than enhanced the composing process" (390, 6-9). Unlike these 5 students who were "blocked", the other five used less rigid rules, "Also, the plans these non-blockers brought to the writing process were more functional, more flecible, more open to information from the outside" (390, 11-13). These observations resulted in further investigation, and they inferred that "composing is a highly complex problem-solving process and certain disruptions of that process can be explained with cognitive psychology's problem solving frameworks"

There are some procedures (rules and plans) needed in order to solve a problem. The first one is an "introductory period"in which a problem is presented, and certain "functions of the problem must become or be made salient and attended to in certain ways in successful problem-solving processes are to be engaged" (390, 36-38). Then comes the "processing Period," in which possible solutions are made, and they do this with information-processing. Lastly comes what theorists call as a "solution period". This is when tey finally have a solution, all the stress is gone, and there is a feeling of completion.

"Robert M. Gagne defines a "rule" as an inferred capability that enables the individual to respond to a class of stimulus situations with a class of performances... Rules are probably the major organizing factor, and quite possibly the primary one, in intellectual functioning" (391, 17-19, 21-22). There are two different types of rules" algorithms and heuristics. Algorithms give a specific solution, like in math. On the other hand, a heuristic doesn't give only one solution, they "offer solutions that are good enough most of the time" (932, 3). These two rules are an important factor with problem-solving.

In order to proceed with problem-solving, there must be some type of plan to consider. "A plan is any hierarchial process in the organism that can control the order in which a sequence of operations is to be performed (pg. 26) (392, 8-10). You have to determine what will be done, and be ready for it.

As the article continues, Tose gives exampes of people who have problems and difficulties writing their essays.

Synthesis:

At the beginning of the article, Rose talks about a student named Ruth. After many attempts of writing her introductory paragraph, she finally completes it, just to realize that's not even good. I can relate to this because that's what I do all the time. Whenever I have to write an essay, it takes me forever just to start the first sentence, and after many attempts, it's still super shitty.

This week I had to write an essay for my history class. My professor gave us an outline of how the essay has to look like, and it's content. At first, I had so much trouble starting my essay, because I was trying t strictly follow the rules and guidelines that he gave us. Then, I was like "Fuck it, whatever. I'll do it my way." Within minutes, I started writing, and by the time I finished I realized that it wasnt that bad. Im not saying that I didn't follow the rules that my professor gave me, I just wasnt writing my essay thinking about those rules all the time. Doing this released some stress, and I felt more capable of writing the essay.

I believe that not following rules sometimes could be better when trying to write an essay.