Alice Glarden Brand (706-713)

Alice Glarden Brand describes the roles of emotion and cognition in the writing process.  As instructors we must consider how emotions affect writing and how we can encourage an effective incorporation in writing.  Brand says that “students should know what their emotions can and cannot do during writing” (711).  She continues to emphasize that understanding emotional and intellectual signals is how students can distinguish appropriate steps in the writing process.  I think that emotion is a difficult aspect to teach in the writing courses.  We teach the five factors as a guide for writing—style, audience, genre, purpose, and context—but emotion can be subtly incorporated or strategically placed in writing, even if designated as an academic or professional piece (ex: persuasive writing we teach students to manipulate emotions to convince their readers to agree or support their idea presented). 

Brand explicitly states that emotion can be the motivator in writing, and that many are inspired to write because of emotions (706).  I think sometimes we avoid incorporating emotions because we stick with the cognitive model.  But Brand explains that “we know that logic often is not the normal mode of human thought” (709) and “how personality influences the way writers function” (711).  Ultimately, Brand is arguing the importance of incorporating both emotions and cognition in the writing process.  The basic principle indicates the importance of both concepts: “it is in cognition that ideas make sense” and “it is in emotion that this sense finds value” (711).  Therefore, we should be teaching writing as a collaboration of emotion and cognition. 

So, how can we teach writing in our own classes utilizing both emotion and cognition in the writing process?  I find it difficult sometimes to incorporate the emotional side of writing when working with students.  There is a firm tendency to have that separation from emotions and professional writing.  It can be difficult, as a teacher, to know about student emotions and continue to be impartial for the remaining of the semester.  That is one goal we strive for as teachers—complete fairness with all our grading.  I think emotions add a flavor to the recipe that could turn disastrous or a masterpiece.  But then again, writing is about taking risks and exploring topics that sometimes are deep down within.  I do agree with Brand that using emotions in writing can be motivational and can be a method for struggling writers.  I will end with Brand’s following comment about the collaboration of the two: “At the risk of oversimplifying, I believe that, if cognitive ability may be measure by moral orientation, then it can be traced to emotion” (708).