Cultural Ethos: English Undergraduates at MSU
We interviewed three current undergraduates majoring in English at MSU: junior Stephanie MacDonald and seniors Robin Bouwhuis and Cary Edington. They shared their views on the use of ethos, which we defined as credibility, as it relates to the discipline of English.
For these students, credibility comes from knowledge and experience, which determine your "right to be discussing whatever the topic might be" (Bouwhuis). Like respect, credibility is something that must be earned, by presenting information that has been "well researched, explored, and understood" (Edington), and logically explaining one's ideas and reasoning. Edington says, "It is my job to lead the reader through the journey and the piece so they can see how I arrived at the conclusion, even if they don't agree with me." At its heart, credibility "is when you can trust the author and what they have to say" (MacDonald).
English majors often perform two very different kinds of writing: literary analysis, which requires "looking closely at a text and forming a thesis about the themes or a character" (Bouwhuis), and creative writing, which relies on a vivid imagination and includes narratives, poems, and plays. When asked how establishing credibility is different in each case, MacDonald said that “you can take more liberty and not need to be as credible in creative writing,” while analytical writing relies on credibility, such as the use of direct quotes. Creative writing can maintain readers' trust by keeping them connected to the story, "staying on topic and showing them rather than telling them" (MacDonald).
Edington linked creative and analytical writing through their believability: “In both I attempt to stay true to myself. If I don’t believe it… then I can’t be credible. I think this is more true in creative writing, but also harder.” For Bouwhuis, the two forms of writing, while “almost impossible to compare” due to their differences, both require consistency in voice and style. For example, if writing a fictional story that employs an unreliable narrator, “you have to keep a stylistic persona that says, ‘don’t believe a word I say.’” When writing analytically, she says you should avoid phrases such as “I think” or “you can conclude,” in order to maintain a confident style.
Credibility also relates to the English students' future career goals. Edington, who hopes to become a teacher, emphasized that credibility in education includes helping students succeed, in ways beyond just academics: “I need to know not just content knowledge, but also know the cultural space in which I will be operating.” He says a credible teacher also acknowledges their own weaknesses and "blind spots." MacDonald, also aspiring to teach, says that having her own credibility will be important when teaching students to be credible as they write and analyze. Bouwhuis would like to be an editor or librarian: she says both jobs involve credibility in understanding “what people like, and a general knowledge about what types of literature exist already,” as well as using proper grammatical skills. Considering one's character or reputation in an English career, it's clear that ethos is built on credibility.
Similarly to the Mechanical Engineering students, our interviewees reflected that their professors must know “tools to the craft,” (Edington), both how to write and how to teach. According to Bouwhuis, English professors usually don't try to "prove" their credibility to their students because it is already supported by the university. But one professor enhanced his students' perception of his honesty when he explained his part in editing their course textbook (Bouwhuis). Evidence of practical experience in writing, editing and publishing can enhance professors' credibility in the eyes of their students; however, credible professors also “value dialogue, others’ opinions, and bringing in something unknown” (Edington). Thus, there is a difference between credibility in a professor's writing, and being "teaching credible" (Edington), which comes from classroom experience. Macdonald stated that professors may create credibility by challenging their students’ thinking, and lose credibility by becoming close-minded. Thus, English students view a commitment to thoughtful dialogue, "the value of an outside opinion, even an opposing opinion" (Bouwhuis), as part of their professor's ethos.
Using outside sources, while not always required for English essays, can show "that you are human and care what other people have to say about your topic" (Bouwhuis). Considering opposing viewpoints demonstrates that "you aren't just delving in blindly because of intuition" (Bouwhuis). Students felt they could learn more about credibility in class than they currently do: "I don't feel like we talk about credibility at all...I think if they want us to learn how to be credible, they should be more explicit" (Edington).
For these students, credibility comes from knowledge and experience, which determine your "right to be discussing whatever the topic might be" (Bouwhuis). Like respect, credibility is something that must be earned, by presenting information that has been "well researched, explored, and understood" (Edington), and logically explaining one's ideas and reasoning. Edington says, "It is my job to lead the reader through the journey and the piece so they can see how I arrived at the conclusion, even if they don't agree with me." At its heart, credibility "is when you can trust the author and what they have to say" (MacDonald).
English majors often perform two very different kinds of writing: literary analysis, which requires "looking closely at a text and forming a thesis about the themes or a character" (Bouwhuis), and creative writing, which relies on a vivid imagination and includes narratives, poems, and plays. When asked how establishing credibility is different in each case, MacDonald said that “you can take more liberty and not need to be as credible in creative writing,” while analytical writing relies on credibility, such as the use of direct quotes. Creative writing can maintain readers' trust by keeping them connected to the story, "staying on topic and showing them rather than telling them" (MacDonald).
Edington linked creative and analytical writing through their believability: “In both I attempt to stay true to myself. If I don’t believe it… then I can’t be credible. I think this is more true in creative writing, but also harder.” For Bouwhuis, the two forms of writing, while “almost impossible to compare” due to their differences, both require consistency in voice and style. For example, if writing a fictional story that employs an unreliable narrator, “you have to keep a stylistic persona that says, ‘don’t believe a word I say.’” When writing analytically, she says you should avoid phrases such as “I think” or “you can conclude,” in order to maintain a confident style.
Credibility also relates to the English students' future career goals. Edington, who hopes to become a teacher, emphasized that credibility in education includes helping students succeed, in ways beyond just academics: “I need to know not just content knowledge, but also know the cultural space in which I will be operating.” He says a credible teacher also acknowledges their own weaknesses and "blind spots." MacDonald, also aspiring to teach, says that having her own credibility will be important when teaching students to be credible as they write and analyze. Bouwhuis would like to be an editor or librarian: she says both jobs involve credibility in understanding “what people like, and a general knowledge about what types of literature exist already,” as well as using proper grammatical skills. Considering one's character or reputation in an English career, it's clear that ethos is built on credibility.
Similarly to the Mechanical Engineering students, our interviewees reflected that their professors must know “tools to the craft,” (Edington), both how to write and how to teach. According to Bouwhuis, English professors usually don't try to "prove" their credibility to their students because it is already supported by the university. But one professor enhanced his students' perception of his honesty when he explained his part in editing their course textbook (Bouwhuis). Evidence of practical experience in writing, editing and publishing can enhance professors' credibility in the eyes of their students; however, credible professors also “value dialogue, others’ opinions, and bringing in something unknown” (Edington). Thus, there is a difference between credibility in a professor's writing, and being "teaching credible" (Edington), which comes from classroom experience. Macdonald stated that professors may create credibility by challenging their students’ thinking, and lose credibility by becoming close-minded. Thus, English students view a commitment to thoughtful dialogue, "the value of an outside opinion, even an opposing opinion" (Bouwhuis), as part of their professor's ethos.
Using outside sources, while not always required for English essays, can show "that you are human and care what other people have to say about your topic" (Bouwhuis). Considering opposing viewpoints demonstrates that "you aren't just delving in blindly because of intuition" (Bouwhuis). Students felt they could learn more about credibility in class than they currently do: "I don't feel like we talk about credibility at all...I think if they want us to learn how to be credible, they should be more explicit" (Edington).
In an attempt to teach students to write credibly, part of a website for an English course in Composition and Rhetoric at Odessa College outlines “Fallacies of argument,” or deliberately deceptive tactics in arguing a claim (Jordan). It describes these in the context of classic rhetorical appeals (logos, pathos, and ethos). Failed ethos, specifically, results from “fallacies of the appeal to authority." Tactics may include “false authority,” or citing someone who is simply of the same opinion as the author rather than a knowledgeable and unbiased source; “dogmatism,” or claiming that an issue is beyond argument; and “Ad-hominem,” attacking someone’s character rather than their position on an issue. Students are advised to be well informed and rely on logic. They’re warned not to choose to cite passages “which, when quoted out of context, twist the meaning of the source" (Jordan).
In a persuasive communications blog called “I’m an English major…you do the math,” a college student describes how her double major in English Communications and Religion is part of her situated ethos, which she calls “your credentials, facts about you that carry weight" (Post 15: Situated Ethos). She says she personally changes her situated ethos, or what she chooses to relate about her life, depending on her audience and location. Similarly, our English interviewees discussed the importance of maintaining credibility by “knowing and understanding your audience” (Bouwhuis). While writing for professors involves taking into account their specific criteria, Edington says that “as I begin to publish some pieces, I polish them so the elements I find most compelling come out as recognizable to a fairly general audience.” Specifically, when writing slam poetry, he studies the use of different techniques so he knows "how to craft my story, my message, into a form that will be easily recognizable in the field."
For an example of the ways an English student uses credibility to build ethos within a literary analysis paper, please see this English Paper.
In a persuasive communications blog called “I’m an English major…you do the math,” a college student describes how her double major in English Communications and Religion is part of her situated ethos, which she calls “your credentials, facts about you that carry weight" (Post 15: Situated Ethos). She says she personally changes her situated ethos, or what she chooses to relate about her life, depending on her audience and location. Similarly, our English interviewees discussed the importance of maintaining credibility by “knowing and understanding your audience” (Bouwhuis). While writing for professors involves taking into account their specific criteria, Edington says that “as I begin to publish some pieces, I polish them so the elements I find most compelling come out as recognizable to a fairly general audience.” Specifically, when writing slam poetry, he studies the use of different techniques so he knows "how to craft my story, my message, into a form that will be easily recognizable in the field."
For an example of the ways an English student uses credibility to build ethos within a literary analysis paper, please see this English Paper.