Sample Annotated Works Cited (Disregard spacing) Annas, Pamela. “Style as Politics: A Feminist Approach to the Teaching of Writing.” College English 47:4 (April 1985): 360-72. This essay grew out of Annas’ experience teaching a course titled “Writing as Women.” Annas argues that numerous constraints work to prevent women from writing and to make them self-conscious when they do write. She believes that women must be taught to become personally (and politically) invested in their writing. Annas writes, “Whenever a woman sits down to write, she is engaged in a complex political act in which the self and the world struggle in and through the medium of language” (362-363).
Caywood, Cynthia and Gillian Overing. Introduction. Teaching Writing: Pedagogy, Gender, and Equity. Albany, NY: SUNY P, 1987. xi-xvi. In their introduction to this collection of essays, Caywood and Overing write that the purpose of this book is to explore “the relationship between feminist theory and writing theory” (xii). They write that there are important parallels between the feminist critique of patriarchy and revisionist critiques of traditional writing practices and pedagogies and equate the process model of writing to feminist revision strategies. Ultimately, their entire collection argues for transforming the composition classroom into a feminist language class. The focus is on empowering women students and revaluing feminine modes of discourse.
Cixous, Helene. “The Laugh of the Medusa.” Signs 1:1 (Summer 1976): 875-93.
In one of the most-cited feminist essays, Cixous argues that women must reclaim their bodies and forge their own path through writing. She condemns patriarchal intimidation and oppression of women, claiming women can only free themselves once their establish their right and power through writing. Cixous argues that women are indoctrinated to believe their writing is somehow shameful and that women silence themselves by keeping their writing secret.
Coates, Jennifer. Men, Women, and Language: A Sociolinguistic Account of Gender Differences in Language (2nd ed.). New York: Longman, 1993.
Coates argues that there is a strong interplay between language and social structure. The author states that society has preconceived notions about gender and language. For example, women are not as literate as men, they talk more and say less (silence is the ideal because it is synonymous with obedience). Coates cites the “Androcentric Rule”—men’s language is the norm, women’s the deviance. Coates hopes to show readers that language, dominated by males, plays a key role in continued inequality between the sexes.
Daumer, Elisabeth and Sandra Runzo. “Transforming the Composition Classroom.” Caywood and Overing 45-62.
Beginning with a disturbing metaphor of teacher as mother, Daumer and Runzo argue that composition and women have been neglected, but can be reclaimed and reconciled in the feminist writing classroom. They offer typical critiques of the product-oriented class, as well as typical solutions for the feminist composition teacher. This article actually argues against much of what contemporary feminist pedagogy strives to achieve.
Annas, Pamela. “Style as Politics: A Feminist Approach to the Teaching of Writing.” College English 47:4 (April 1985): 360-72.
This essay grew out of Annas’ experience teaching a course titled “Writing as Women.” Annas argues that numerous constraints work to prevent women from writing and to make them self-conscious when they do write. She believes that women must be taught to become personally (and politically) invested in their writing. Annas writes, “Whenever a woman sits down to write, she is engaged in a complex political act in which the self and the world struggle in and through the medium of language” (362-363).
Caywood, Cynthia and Gillian Overing. Introduction. Teaching Writing: Pedagogy, Gender, and Equity. Albany, NY: SUNY P, 1987. xi-xvi.
In their introduction to this collection of essays, Caywood and Overing write that the purpose of this book is to explore “the relationship between feminist theory and writing theory” (xii). They write that there are important parallels between the feminist critique of patriarchy and revisionist critiques of traditional writing practices and pedagogies and equate the process model of writing to feminist revision strategies. Ultimately, their entire collection argues for transforming the composition classroom into a feminist language class. The focus is on empowering women students and revaluing feminine modes of discourse.
Cixous, Helene. “The Laugh of the Medusa.” Signs 1:1 (Summer 1976): 875-93.
In one of the most-cited feminist essays, Cixous argues that women must reclaim their bodies and forge their own path through writing. She condemns patriarchal intimidation and oppression of women, claiming women can only free themselves once their establish their right and power through writing. Cixous argues that women are indoctrinated to believe their writing is somehow shameful and that women silence themselves by keeping their writing secret.
Coates, Jennifer. Men, Women, and Language: A Sociolinguistic Account of Gender Differences in Language (2nd ed.). New York: Longman, 1993.
Coates argues that there is a strong interplay between language and social structure. The author states that society has preconceived notions about gender and language. For example, women are not as literate as men, they talk more and say less (silence is the ideal because it is synonymous with obedience). Coates cites the “Androcentric Rule”—men’s language is the norm, women’s the deviance. Coates hopes to show readers that language, dominated by males, plays a key role in continued inequality between the sexes.
Daumer, Elisabeth and Sandra Runzo. “Transforming the Composition Classroom.” Caywood and Overing 45-62.
Beginning with a disturbing metaphor of teacher as mother, Daumer and Runzo argue that composition and women have been neglected, but can be reclaimed and reconciled in the feminist writing classroom. They offer typical critiques of the product-oriented class, as well as typical solutions for the feminist composition teacher. This article actually argues against much of what contemporary feminist pedagogy strives to achieve.