An Annotated Bibliography
The Pedagogical Theories of Edward P.J. Corbett
Jaqueline Eaton
Corbett, Edward P.J. “A Method of Analyzing Prose Style with a Demonstration Analysis of Swift’s A Modest Proposal.” Teaching Freshman Composition. Ed. Gary Tate and Edward P.J. Corbett. New York: Oxford University Press, 1967. 294-312. [InfoKat]
Corbett’s essay outlines characteristics of style which one might consider when analyzing prose. For one to teach how to analyze prose writing, one must know how to analyze prose himself. Corbett suggests the reader first look at what is written on the page, taking note of various patterns in the stylist’s piece, and then relate these statistics to the piece being analyzed. The reader must then consider these features, breaking them down into paragraphs, sentences, and words, by studying the syntax, frequency of words, and the diction in the piece. After his explanation, Corbett follows with his analysis of A Modest Proposal, a prose piece written by Jonathon Swift in 1729. Corbett claims this technique will help teachers to instruct students on analyzing prose. (124 words)
Corbett, Edward P.J. “The Demand for and of Literacy.” English-Quarterly; v15 n3 p13-15 Oct 1982. (ERIC/Webspirs]
In this article, Edward Corbett stresses the importance of literacy in the world as well as the need for quality teachers who enjoy their professions to be in the classroom. He begins by pointing out the obvious areas in a person’s life where literacy is essential, and continues into the ways literacy can strengthen or cripple a culture. He then attacks the current method of writing instruction by saying that many teachers today do not enjoy writing themselves, and therefore cannot pass their love of English onto their students. He advocates continual study in various areas of literature and composition, especially areas in which a teacher might be ignorant. Only when the teacher takes an interest in the subject, he explains, can the student find his own love. (128 words)
Corbett, Edward P.J. “From Literary Critic to Rhetorician: A Professional Journey.” Viewpoints, April 1993. [ERIC/Webspirs]
Edward P.J. Corbett describes his journey in teaching and understanding English literature in this autobiographical essay. He began teaching a survey of English literature in 1948 at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. However, he soon discovered that although he could analyze poetry, he did not know how to analyze non-fiction prose. Searching for guidance, he read about rhetoric, thus beginning his study of language style. Corbett reflects on his life as an English instructor and his own journey in stylistic analysis, followed by a discussion of the brief blooming of rhetoric study in the classroom in the 1960s. As one who was fascinated by rhetoric, he urges the English teacher to focus less on the facts of a prose and more on analyzing each sentence. (125 words)
Corbett, Edward P.J. “Mutual Friends: What Teachers Can Learn From Students and What Students Can Learn From Teachers.” The Allyn & Bacon Sourcebook for College Writing Teachers, Second Edition. Ed. James C. McDonald. Boston: University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1991. 1-9. [InfoKat/netLibrary]
In this essay, originally published in Balancing Acts: Essays on Teaching of Writing in Honor of William F. Irmshir, Corbett looks back to his days of teaching rhetoric and composition. He reflects on the teachers who influenced him the most when he was a student, as well as the students on whom he feels he has made a great impact. Arguing that a good teacher must be able to understand the point of view of his students, he urges teachers to listen to what their students have to say, learning from them as well as teaching them. Corbett views teaching as a “reciprocal process,” saying that teachers pass on the knowledge that they have, while students “give [them] a new perspective on what [they] already know.” (126 words)
Corbett, Edward P.J. Preface. The Essay: Subjects and Stances. Ed. Corbett. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1974. xv-xxi. [InfoKat]
Introducing a collection of essays on the art of writing the essay, Corbett discusses in his preface the evolution of the essay and how English writing and language has changed through time. Focusing on the definition of the essay and the many styles that stem from it, he discusses the importance of teaching a student how to write both objectively and creatively. The former because the writing for most college classes and post-graduate jobs require objectivity, the latter because writing can be an outlet and as well as a form of self-expression. Corbett notes he is encouraged that in today’s classrooms “the emphasis has shifted from the product of writing to the process of writing.” (115 words)
Corbett, Edward P.J. and Golden, James L. Preface. The Rhetoric of Blair, Campbell, And Whately. Ed. Corbett and Golden. Columbus, Ohio: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1968. vii-viii. [InfoKat]
Rhetoric became the focus of Edward Corbett after he first began teaching, as illustrated by this book which he and James L. Golden edited together. In the preface they write about the importance of the study of rhetoric, especially to students of English. Hence the reason they put together a book of significant portions of texts that are considered by experts to be essential for students. Corbett and Golden considered the three authors whose texts were reproduced to have “preserved the best of the ‘old rhetoric’ and pointed the way to the development of a ‘new rhetoric’.” The editors also mention that they had used these texts in their own classrooms as well. (113 words)
Corbett, Edward P.J. “Teaching Style.” Selected Essays of Edward P. J. Corbett. Ed. Robert J. Connors. Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1989. 307-321. [Infokat]
It is clear that today’s curriculum from that of a Renaissance school master, an analogy that Edward Corbett uses throughout this particular essay. Giving advice to teachers seeking to instruct their students on writing style, Corbett begins by acknowledging that though a literature course will differ in content from that of a composition course, both classes should contain two types of learning: analyzing someone else’s style and improving one’s own style. With this in mind, he defines an analysis as looking at a writer’s word choice, sentence patterns, and rhythm. In helping a student to improve his own style, Corbett suggests that “improving a students’ synthetical skills should be our main concern as teachers of composition.” He ends with a list of suggested exercises for style improvement to be used in a classroom. (133 words)
Tobin, Lad. “Process Pedagogy.” A Guide to Composition Pedagogies. Ed. Gary Tate et al. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. 1-18. [InfoKat/netLibrary]
Challenging the pedagogical theories of Edward P.J. Corbett, Lad Tobin discusses his ideas on how to teach writing style. Tobin takes a stand for process pedagogy, or teaching writing as a process and not a final product, and discusses the idea that learning to write is not simply reading a lot of other people’s writing, but it is also practicing in a workshop setting. While Corbett would agree, the rest of the essay conflicts with his theories. Tobin argues that teachers should allow students to express themselves, not focusing so much on the rules of writing as they can stifle a student’s ability to develop. Unlike what Corbett advocated, Tobin focuses on the idea that it is in self-expression that students will learn to develop writing skill. (127 words)