D5-e: Writing conventions
D5-eBecome familiar with writing conventions in education.
Educators agree on several conventions when they write.
- The personal pronoun I is commonly used in reflective writing. It is sometimes used to communicate observations and recommendations.
- Research papers and case studies are generally written in the third person (he, she, it, they) and in a formal, objective tone.
- Educators have a specialized vocabulary that includes terms such as pedagogy (teaching principles and methods), practice (actual teaching), curriculum (the written lesson plans followed by a class or school), assessment (the determination of whether students or teachers are successful), achievement tests (tests that measure what students have learned), and NCLB (the No Child Left Behind Act). You will likely use such terms in your writing.
Because the field of education draws on various disciplines, including psychology, history, and sociology, it is important to be aware of writing conventions in those disciplines as well. (See D7 and D10.)