自考英语 英语写作基础精选20篇

小作文一般以书信居多，因此，在写作时要注意一下两点。

第一，既然是书信，一定要按照书信的格式写作。阅卷老师最先注意到的就是格式，其次才通过阅读看看内容是否符合要求。不注意格式，肯定被扣分。还不熟悉书信格式的同学赶紧多多练习。

第二，要仔细审题。这个问题年年在强调，但是年年有人不注意，写作时往往会跑题。这样怎么能得高分?考试时时间很紧张，怎样快速审题?笔者建议大家首先要脑子里要迅速构建一副写作场景，接下来要抓住关键词，然后围绕场景和关键词进行扩展。这一点不是说一说看一看就能掌握，需要同学们现在多做强化训练。

具体写作就按照题目要求一个点写一段，总共分三段。这样给人的印象是重点突出、条理清晰。下面就以2014年小作文为例，简单分析一下每一段怎么写。

称呼：Dear John,注意称呼中，所有实词首字母全部大写，Dear John后面的逗号不可丢，也不能写成冒号。

正文：

第一段：写作内容需涵盖两点：自我介绍，写信目的。文章开门见山就是自我介绍，用到了这样的表达：I am Li Ming who will go to study in your university and live together with you in one department. 其中的“I am …who…”这个句型来自于建议信的表达，放在这里也十分贴切。接下一句话表明了写信目的：Now I am writing this letter to tell you some of my habits and ask you for some suggestions to adapt myself there.

第二段：写作内容为习惯介绍以及寻求建议。首先，介绍自己的生活习惯，自己一般早上六点起床外出锻炼;周末一般在图书馆看书;其次，希望John就如何适应当地生活给自己一些建议。

第三段：写作内容表示期待，良好祝愿。用到了这样的表达：I am looking forward to seeing you soon and wish everything goes well.

落款：Yours sincerely, 特别提醒sincerely后面逗号不能丢;

签名：Li Ming，特别注意Li Ming 后面一定不能出现句点。

附注：

1、格式

称呼：英语应用文称呼有这样的特点，如果是不认识的人，一般称呼为敬词+尊称。例如，DearSirorMadam或者ToWhomItMayConcern(需注意每个单词首字母都大写);如果是写给关系正式的某团体或个人，称呼为敬词+尊称+名。例如，DearMr.xx或DearMs.xx;;对于关系较亲密的人可以直呼其名，即Dearxx。需要注意的是：1.称呼要顶格写;2.称呼之后要加逗号或者冒号(推荐大家用逗号，因为历年的高分范文都是用逗号的)。

正文：正文格式一般有两种格式，一是缩进式，即首段开头空四个字母，段落之间不空行;一是齐头式，即每段开头不空格，但是各段之间空一行。老师建议考生采用缩进式，因为如果用齐头式，段间空行的话很可能答题空间不够，导致字数不够。

2、语言

写作用词准确是最基础的要求之一。其次，句型可以多变，例如既有并列句，也有复合句，还有从句，但注意语法运用要正确。此外还要注意，正式语言一般是写给具有正式关系的团体或机构，这种情况不用缩略语和口语用法。除了正式的文体以外，其他的文体皆为非正式文体，像写给朋友的书信等。

一般小作文的考查要求中会体现出写该篇的目的和场合，所以考生在写作时要注意针对不同场合使用不同语言，使交流得以进行。另外，考生也要注意不同的应用文有不同的用语。建议考生对某些应用文的格式和习惯用语，应该加以熟悉和背诵，以便运用自如。

3、其他

考生在考试时注意在看到题目要求后不要忙于动笔，虽说小作文的字数充其量在一百多个单词，但是依旧要在脑子里理清思路。最好能够在仔细审题以后，认真列个提纲，这样更有利于思路清晰。写作时，注意表达清楚以下几个方面：首先交代清楚写信目的;其次为了让阅卷者对你的文章结构及表意一目了然，注意关联词或衔接词的运用;接下来，应该对个人的观点进行阐述(在写作有此必要的时候)。最后，行文间要注意简化描述，用简短的语句代替冗长的语句。在作文完成的时候，应该检查、修改，以免遗漏一些需要表达清楚的要点和细节。

一、代入法

这是进行英语写作时最常用的方法。同学们在掌握一定的词汇和短语之后，结合一定的语法知识，按照句子的结构特点，直接用英语代人相应的句式即可。如：

1. 他从不承认自己的失败。

He never admits his failure.

2. 那项比赛吸引了大批观众。

The match attracted a large crowd.

3. 他把蛋糕分成4块。

He divided the cake into four pieces.

二、还原法

即把疑问句、强调句、倒装句等还原成基本结构。这是避免写错句子的一种有效的办法。如：

1. 这是开往格拉斯哥的火车吗?

Is this the train for Glasgow?

还原为陈述句：This is the train for Glasgow.

2. 他是因为爱我的钱才同我结了婚。

It was because he loved my money that he married me.

还原为非强调句：Because he loved my money, he married me.

3. 光速很快，我们几乎没法想像它的速度。

So fast does light travel that we can hardly imagine its speed.

还原为正常语序：Light travels so fast that we can hardly imagine its speed.

三、分解法

把一个句子分成两个或两个以上的句子。这样既能把意思表达得更明了，又能减少写错句子的几率。如：

1. 我们要干就要干好。

If we do a thing, we should do it well.

2. 从各地来的学生中有许多是北方人。

There are students here from all over the country. Many of them are from the North.

四、合并法

就是把两个或两个以上的简单句用一个复合句或较复杂的简单句表达出来。这种方法最能体现学生的英语表达能力，同时也最能提高文章的可读性。如：

1. 我们迷路了，这使我们的旅行变成了一次冒险。

Our trip turned into an adventure when we got lost.

2. 天气转晴了，这是我们没有想到的。

The weather turned out to be very good, which was more than we could expect.

3. 狼是高度群体化的动物，它们的成功依赖于合作。

Wolves are highly social animals whose success depends upon their cooperation.

五、删减法

就是在写英语句子时，把相应汉语句子里的某些词、短语或重复的成分删掉或省略。如：

1. 这部打字机真是价廉物美。

This typewriter is very cheap and fine indeed.

注：汉语表达中的“价”和“物”在英语中均无需译出。

2. 个子不高不是人生中的严重缺陷。

Not being tall is not a serious disadvantage in life.

注：汉语说“个子不高”，其实就是“不高”。也就是说，其中的“个子”在英语中无需译出。

六、移位法

由于英语和汉语在表达习惯上存在差异，根据表达的需要，某些成分需要前置或后移。如：

1. 他发现赚点外快很容易。

He found it easy to earn extra money.

注：it在此为形式宾语，真正的宾语是句末的不定式to earn extra money。

2. 告诉我这事的人不肯告诉我他的名字。

The man who told me this refused to tell me his name.

注：who told me this为修饰the man的定语从句，应置于其后。

3. 直到我遇到你以后，我才真正体会到幸福。

It was not until I met you that I knew real happiness.

注：not...until...为英语中的固定句式，其意为“直到……才……”。

七、分析法

指根据要表示的汉语意思，通过进行语法分析和句式判断，然后写出准确地道的英语句子。如：

1. 从这个角度看，问题并不像人们一般料想的那样严重。

Seen in this light, the matter is not as serious as people generally suppose.

注：分词短语作状语时，其逻辑主语应与句子主语一致，由于the matter与see之间为被动关系，故see要用过去分词seen。

2. 我没有见过他，所以说不出他的模样。

Not having met him, I cannot tell you what he is like.

注：如果分词的动作发生在谓语动作之前，且与逻辑主语是主动关系，则用现在分词的完成式。

八、意译法

有的同学在写句子时，一遇见生词或不熟悉的表达，就以为是“山穷水尽”了。其实，此时我们可以设法绕开难点，在保持原意的基础上，用不同的表达方式写出来。如：

1. 汤姆一直在扰乱别的孩子，我就把他撵了出去。

Tom was upsetting the other children, so I showed him the door.

2. 有志者事竟成。

Where there is a will, there is a way.

3. 你可以同我们一起去或是呆在家中，悉听尊便。

You can go with us or stay at home, whichever you choose.

既然要写好应用文，那就是要把应用文的一切了解清楚。下面是小编为大家搜集整理出来的有关于应用文写作的写作基础，希望可以帮助到大家！

一、结构的含义和作用

1.掌握结构的含义应用文的结构，是运用材料以表现主题的有序安排，是客观事物条理性在文章中的反映，为文章的组织形式和内部构造。文章的结构具有两重含义：一是宏观结构，即文章的总体构思、大体框架；二是微观结构，即对文章的层次、段落、开头、结尾、过渡、照应和主次的具体设计。               2.了解结构的作用结构好比文章的骨架，是安排文章的具体形式，是将材料化为文章的手段之二。结构是表现主题的手段，是准确表达主题的必由之路，也是引导读者领会文章思想内容的向导。写文章只有找到恰当完美的结构形式，才能把主题和材料组合在一起，形成一个完美有机的整体。其作用具体表现在：

（１）使文章言之有体。应用文大多有较固定的结构形态，它是人们在长期写作实践中经过选择，逐步找到的最适合表现某种内容的最佳形式，也称之为“程式”。如简报、书信和行政公文类文书，具有相当固定的惯用格式。

（２）使文章言之有序。合理安排文章结构，就是根据一定的思路，将零散的材料组织起来，使之眉目清楚地成为一个有机的整体。

（３）使文章言之有文。精心安排文章结构，可以增加文章的文采，从而增强其可读性。

二、安排结构的条件

1.了解思路的含义及思路与结构的关系

在文章结构的两重含义中，总体构思是具体设计的前提和基础。总体构思也就是人们常说的“言有序”，是指对材料的安排要有次序，这体现了作者的思路。思路是安排结构的条件。

1、思路的含义

思路是作者思维活动的路线，是作者在头脑中梳理、组织内容材料的过程和结果。它是作者对客观事物自身条理性的观察、理解。

作者思路清晰，结构必然有条不紊；作者思路不清晰，结构必然紊乱。经过选择的材料，只有经过合理的组织安排，使之条理化、系统化，组成一个有机的整体，才能准确鲜明地表现既定的主题。

2、思路与结构的关系

在写作构思阶段，作者的思维活动异常活跃。确立主题，选择好材料，并进而考虑如何表达主题和如何安排材料，由此逐渐形成一条清晰、连贯、独到的思维活动路线——思路。此时，文章的大体框架已在作者的头脑中“闪现”出来。等到作者用书面语言把思路表达出来时，文章的结构也就具体安排好了。因此，作者思路与文章结构的关系极为密切。具体表现为以下三点：

（１）思路是形成结构的基础和内核。结构是文章最主要的表现形式。要使结构完整、严谨、匀称，动笔前，就需要作者匠心独运，形成清晰、连贯并具独创性的思路，进而“外化”成纲目清晰、严谨周密的结构。但是，文章反映客观事物，决不是对其原始形态的简单搬抄和复制，而是在符合客观事物发展规律基础上的主观创造。因此，不同的作者。不同的文体有不同的思路。思路开阔而有创见，文章的结构就新颖独特；思路狭窄而落俗，会使文章的结构板滞僵死；思路紊乱，文章的条理就必然不清；思路松散，文章的结构就不可能严密紧凑。

（２）结构是思路的体现和反映。结构是思路的外显形式和文字载体。思路严密清晰，文章结构才能完整、严谨、清晰，主题才能得以准确地表达；思路紊乱、疏漏和闭塞，文章则会逻辑混乱、言而无序、首尾不能圆合

了解锻炼思路的基本要求及锻炼思路的方法

（１）注意思路的条理性和逻辑性，使之清晰、周密、连贯。清晰，指展开思路要有顺序、有层次，同时对材料要加以区分和归类。周密，指思路要周到、严密，没有疏漏和缺损，不要顾此失彼，自相矛盾。连贯，指思维活动过程及其表达不仅要注意外在的次序，而且要处理好各个意思之间存在的衔接、并列、转折、因果、总分等内在联系，做到气脉贯通、流畅。

（２）注意思路的灵活性、独创性，使之活跃、开阔、敏捷。活跃与开阔，是指思路的开展要打破思维定势，进行多向探索，使之灵活、新颖而富有个性。敏捷是指思路的展开、梳理直至成型这一过程应该灵敏、迅速，使文章结构紧凑、气势流转而顺畅。

（３）养成良好的思维习惯。一是养成有序思考问题的习惯，由浅入深、由表及里、由此及彼。二是加强逻辑思维能力的训练。应用写作主要靠逻辑思维，要遵循“提出问题——分析问题——解决问题”这一认识规律。

（４）写作前要通盘思考，立足于写作意图、目的和所用文体特点，确定如何起笔，主体分几个部分展开，怎样收尾。

小升初英语写作技巧之一：用介词短语替代从句，例：

原句：While they were playing tennis, she started an argument that lasted all morning.

修改后：During tennis she started an argument that lasted all morning.

原句：When you come to the second traffic light, turn right.

修改后：At the second traffic light turn left.

小升初英语写作技巧之二：删除诸如"who is”或"that is"之类的关系代词，变从句为短语，例：

句：The novel, which is written in three parts, told a story that took place in the Middle Ages.

修改后：The three-part novel told a story set in the Middle Ages.

注：把句中的"three parts"改用形容词来表达，节省了四个不必要的单词"which is written in"。我们经常可以将关系代词如"that"去掉，这只会引起最少的变动。

小升初英语写作技巧之三：剔除你不需要的单词，例：

Two joint partners will present their views over a long-distance telephone call.

写完这样的句子后，你自己再读一遍，挑出单词"joint"和"telephone"，注意删去不必要的词。

1、organize your thoughts before writing: brainstorm、make an outline、etc。 下笔前整合思绪：脑力激荡，写出纲要等。

2、write clearly。 be concise。 avoid wordiness。写作清晰，务必精简，避免赘言。

3、use good grammar and write complete sentences。 使用好的文法，写出完整句子。

4、write simple sentences。 avoid a fancy style。 尝试简单句，避免花俏的句法。

5、avoid slang、cliche and informal words。 避免俚语、陈腔滥调和非正式用字。

6、avoid use of the first person (i。e。 i/me/my) unless necessary to specific piece。除非必要，避免使用第一人称：如“我/我的”。

7、writing naturally。 read it aloud。 does it sound natural? does it flow? 自然挥洒，大声朗诵。整篇文章听起来自然吗?通顺吗?

8、move logically from one idea to the next。 dont skip steps。 上下句意要合乎逻辑。别毫无章法乱跳。

[坚持八条英语作文的写作守则

作文语言怎样出“新”？扎实的基础必不可少，下面是作文语言的写作基础，为大家提供参考。

一.锤炼动词、形容词

要使作文语言新颖脱俗，鲜明生动，必须注重锤炼字词，尤其要重视对动词和形容词的锤炼。如：“低垂的天幕压着我的胸口，灰暗和沮丧撕裂着我的心。”“我们伟大组多的形象第一次在我心灵的胶片上感光。”前句中“撕裂”一词毕现了苦闷无边，失落伤痛，仿佛心叶被一点点地撕裂开，流淌着殷红的血的情景。句子那灵动的文笔，神奇的表达效果，均仰仗于动词的灵巧运用，使人倍感新颖别致。形容词妙用也别具情态。如：“爷爷站成一轮弯弯的月亮，目送着孙子远去。”句中动词和形容词的精心锤炼，使“爷爷”的形象如一尊雕塑凸现于眼前。

二.巧用修辞手法

巧妙运用修辞手法，可化抽象为具体，化腐朽为神奇，变枯燥为生机。如比喻的巧妙运用：“如血的残阳像一位戴着红斗笠的侠客。”“晚霞飘落在天边，宛如一匹红丝绸，召唤着从远古走来的吹箫人。”这是描写“飞天”壁画而运用的绝妙比喻。再如引用的巧妙：“初三的寒假，我迷上了网页设计，整宿整宿地不睡觉，可谓走火入魔。‘入魔’过了火，母亲免不了大发雷霆，喝令‘查封’电脑。”句中引用武术术语和现代新语词，使得文句既活泼俏皮，又富于自我解嘲的情味。还有引用名人名言也能使文句生动新奇：“感受成长的烦恼，你或许会崇拜尼采，只因他说过‘没有痛苦，只有卑微的幸福’。”

三.独创妙语佳句

这是根据文章表达需要，独辟蹊径创新语句的一种方法。比如：“一支钢笔用得像博物馆的‘三八大盖枪’，可还不能光荣‘下岗’。”“‘高三’两字很沉，我觉得分量超过了‘高山’。”“说实在的，班主任可真是黑，相信漂白几次后也不会输给包公的。班主任的海拔不高，头顶到地面距离为1.6452926m。”上述一系列创新出来的佳此妙句，读后给人以极美的艺术享受。

四.力求含蓄风趣

含蓄的语言耐人寻味，含英咀嚼，如嚼橄榄。语言风趣，能使文章活泼，不觉呆板。比如：“每日，总是‘夕阳红’们迎来一轮红朝日，小公园里早一片‘刀光剑影’了。”其中，不说老年人而说“夕阳红”，不明说耍刀舞剑晨练之情景，却用“刀光剑影”来描摹，既含蓄又新颖，且不乏韵味。又如：“为什么牛儿满天飞，因为我班的男生正在地上吹。”这善意、风趣的语言写绝了男生的“超级特长”——吹牛，也表现出集体生活的情趣。

五.注重新奇组合

组装是一种创新过程，其方式有多种：1、张冠李戴。如：“他一而再，再而三地‘犯规’，最后荣幸地受到校长的‘亲切接见’。这将本不应该用于批评学生的词语“犯规”、“亲切接见”用在句中，既诙谐又风趣。2、褒词贬用。如：“今日美国已是螃蟹十足了。今日到中东上思想政治课，明日到东亚开人权学习班，刚在南斯拉夫踢完了热身赛，又跑到印度半岛当裁判。”在这段话里，美国十足的霸气，一个标准的国际警察的可恶形象，通过褒词贬用的的方式充分地表现了出来。3、巧借熟语。如：“美国之所以多年来与台湾保持着暧昧关系，全然是为了自己的被窝温暖。换句话说，如果台湾这只热水袋不能保障美国伸在亚太地区的脚趾暖和，甚至还倒灌冷风，他立马就会把台湾蹬出被窝去。”“被窝”“热水袋”“灌冷风”等日常生活用语，用在分析美国与台湾的关系上，使人顿觉耳目一新。4、错位搭配。例如：“一道道幽怨的眼神凝成线，组成网，网住了班主任的脚步。”“亲切而温暖的歌词像家乡的柑橘缀满枝头和我的双肩。”句中的“眼神”可以“凝成线，组成网”，还能“网住班主任的脚步”，“歌词”“缀满枝头和我的双肩”，这些临时的错位搭配，使句子情韵深醇，清新至极。5、旧词新用。如：“小学时，桌上的‘三八线’总是一厘米、一毫米量得丝毫不差，常常由于不慎侵入了同桌的‘领土’，爆发‘自卫反击战’……‘天下大势，分久必合，合久必分’，到了初中，同桌就有了两种关系：一种是民族融合式，另一种是和平演变式。”上述例句中的旧词，被作者赋予了全新的意蕴，绽露出了新的格调，新的风韵。

一、认真审题，切中题意

《中考考试说明》指出，书面表达要切中题意。看到考题后，先不要急于动笔，要仔细看清题目要求的内容，在自己的头脑中构思出一个框架或画面，确定短文的中心思想，不要匆匆下笔，看懂题意，审清格式、体裁、人物关系、故事情节、主体时态、活动时间、地点等。

二、围绕中心，拟定提纲

书面表达评分原则有四条：(1)内容要点;

(2)运用词汇和结构的数量;

(3)运用语法结构和词汇的准确性;(4)上下文的连贯性。

由此可见，要点是给分的一个重要因素。为了防止写作过程中遗漏要点，同学们要充分发挥自己的观察力，把情景中给出的各个要点逐条列出。注意短文字数不要低于或超过规定的字数太多。

三、语言通顺，表达准确

(1)避免使用汉语式英语，尽量使用

自己熟悉的句型。几种句型可交替使用，以避免重复和呆板。

(2)多用简单句型，记事、写人一般都不需要复杂的句型。可适当地使用陈述句、一般疑问句、祈使句和感叹句。不用或少用非谓语或情态动词等较复杂的句型。

(3)注意语法、句法知识的灵活运用。(4)描写人物时，要生动具体，例如：①外表特征：tall，short，fat，thin，strong，weak，ordinary-looking等;②内心境界：

glad，happy，sad，excited，anxious，interested等;③感情描写：love，like，hate，feel，laugh，cry，smile，shout等;④动作描写：come，go，get，have，take，bring，fetch等。

(5)上下文要连贯。上下文的连贯性也是评分的一条原则，同学们应注意下面过渡的用法：①表示并列关系的过渡词：and，aswellas，or等;②表示转折关系的过渡词：but，yet，however等;③表示时间关系的过渡词：first，andthen，

finally，after，before，atlast，atthattime，later，inthepast，immediately，inthe

meanwhile等;④表示空间关系的过渡词：near(to)，far(from)，inthefrontof，beside等;⑤表示比较关系的过渡词：inthesameway，justlike，justas等;⑥表示对照关系的过渡词：but，still，yet，however，ontheotherhand等;⑦表示递进关系的过渡词：also，and，then，too，inaddition，moreover，again等;⑧表示因果关系的过渡词：because，since，then，thus，otherwise，so，therefore，asaresult等;⑨表示解释说明的过渡词：forexample，infact，inthiscase，for，actually等。

四、不会表达，另辟蹊径

中考作文给分是以要点和语言准确度而定，不以文采打分。造句越简单准确越好，造复合句容易出错，容易被扣分，阅卷场上有句话：“错误面前人人平等，文采好不加分。”如遇到个别要点表达不出来或难以表达，可采用变通的办法，化难为易，化繁为简。总之，所造句子要正确、得体、符合英语表达习惯。

五、锦上添花，量力而行

如果你还有时间和精力，想把书面表达写得更好，那么，请注意以下几点：(1)句型多样化，不要i(we)……到底，使人觉得乏味;(2)适当使用一些并列句或主从复合句;(3)进一步描绘人或事物时，适当使用定语从句;(4)适当使用分词或分词短语，烘托谓语动词;(5)偶尔使用一下倒装句，增加新鲜感;(6)适当调换一下状语在句子中的位置，使句子不雷同;(7)上下句子紧接时，其中完全相同的成分可以省略，以节省篇幅。

六、书写工整，卷面整洁

字迹要清晰，让阅卷人看得清楚，不可字迹潦草，难以辨认，要保持卷面的整洁。

七、检查错误

检查错误应从以下几个方面入手：(1)格式是否有错;(2)拼写有无错误;(3)语言是否用错;(4)时态、语态错误;(5)标点错误;(6)人称是否用错。

总之，只要平时同学们多练习写作并有意运用上述方法和技巧，合理分配时间，在中考时一定能写出高质量的作文，得到令人满意的考分。

卷面整洁 书写清楚

构思简单 少犯错误

中心突出 层次分明

借助经典 名句俗谚

重在变化 避免重复

卷面整洁，书写清楚

1、打好腹稿再动笔，减少涂改。

2、书写漂亮的当然更好，达不到的最起码也要工整。

3、使用黑色水笔作答，白纸黑字，这样能够有效提高整洁度。

构思简单 少犯错误

根据阅卷经验，四级作文的主要错误集中在思路、标点、时态、单复数、结构等五个方面。

英语四级错误十错十察

1.句子成分残缺

We always working till late at night before taking exams.(误)

We are always working till late at night before taking exams(正)

2.句子成分多余

This test is end, but there is another test is waiting forus. (误)

One test ends, but another is waiting for you. (正)

3.主谓不一致

Someone/Somebody think that reading should be selective. (误)

Someone/Somebody thinks that reading should be selective. (正)

4.动词时态误用

I was walking along the road, and there are not so many cars on the street. (误)

I was walking along the road and there were not so many vehicles on the street. (正)

5.动词语态误用

The driver of the red car was died in the accident. (误)

The driver of the red car died in the accident. (正)

6.词类混淆

It is my point that reading must be selectively. (误)

In my opinion, reading must be selective. (正)

Honest is so important for every person. (误)

Honesty is so important for everyone. (正)

7.名词可数与不可数的误用

In modern society, people are under various pressures(误)

In modern society, people are under various kinds of pressure. (正)

8.动词及物与不及物的误用

Because of his excellent performance, the boss rose his salary. (误)

Because of his excellent performance, the boss raised his salary. (正)

9.动宾搭配不当

We must make solutions to the problem. (误)

We must find a solution to the problem. (正)

It also may help you to make success. (误)

It may also help you succeed/obtain your goal. (正)

10.根据中文逐字硬译

Let us touch the outside world of campus.

Let’s keep in touch with the world outside of the campus.

Don’t forget to keep a good body health.(误)

Don’t forget to keep fit/healthy.(正)

一、函的概念 函是不相隶属机关之间相互洽工作、询问和答复问题，或者向有关主管部门请求批准事项时所使用的公文。

函作为公文中惟一的一种平行文种，其适用的范围相当广泛。在行文方向上，不仅可以在平行机关之间行文，而且可以在不相隶属的机关之间行文，其中包括上级机关或者下级机关行文。在适用的内容方面，它除了主要用于不相隶属机关相互洽工作、询问和答复问题外，也可以向有关主管部门请求批准事项，向上级机关询问具体事项、请示较小事宜，还可以用于上级机关答复下级机关的询问或请求批准事项，以及上级机关催办下级机关有关事宜，如要求下级机关函报报表、材料、统计数字等。通知一般事项，如通知召开一般性会议。此外，函有时还可用于上级机关对某件原发文件作较小的补充或更正。不过这种情况并不多见。

二、函的特点

(一)沟通性。函对于不相隶属机关之间相互洽工作、询问和答复问题，起着沟通作用，充分显示平行文种的功能，这是其他公文所不具备的特点。

(二)灵活性。表现在两个方面：一是行文关系灵活。函是平行公文，但是它除了平行行文外，还可以向上行文或向下行文，没有其他文种那样严格的特殊行文关系的限制。二是格式灵活，除了国家高级机关的主要函必须按

照公文的格式、行文要求行文外，其他一般函，比较灵活自便，也可以按照公文的格式及行文要求办。可以有文头版，也可以没有文头版，不编发文字号，甚至可以不拟标题。

(三)单一性。函的主体内容应该具备单一性的特点，一份函只宜写一件事项。

三、函的分类。

(一)按性质分，可以分为公函和便函两种。公函用于机关单位正式的公务活动往来;便函则用于日常事务性工作的处理。便函不属于正式公文，没有公文格式要求，甚至可以不要标题，不用发文字号，只需要在尾部署上机关单位名称、成文时间并加盖公章即可。

(二)按发文目的分。函可以分为发函和复函两种。发函即主动提出了公事事项所发出的函。复函则是为回复对方所发出的函。

(三)另外，从内容和用途上，还可以分为洽事宜函，通知事宜函，催办事宜函，邀请函、请示答复事宜函，转办函，催办函，报送材料函等等。

四、函的结构、内容和写法

由于函的类别较多，从制作格式到内容表述均有一定灵活机动性。主要介绍规范性公函的结构、内容和写法。

公函由首部、正文和尾部三部分组成。其各部分的格式、内容和写法要求如下：

(一)首部。主要包括标题、主送机关两个项目内容。

1、标题。

2、主送机关。

(二)正文。其结构一般由开头、主体、结尾、结语等部分组成。

(三)结尾。一般用礼貌性语言向对方提出希望。或请对方协助解决某一问题，或请对方及时复函，或请对方提出意见或请主管部门批准等。

(四)结语。通常应根据函询、函告、函或函复的事项，选择运用不同的结束语。如“特此函询()”、“请即复函”、“特此函告”、“特此函复”等。有的函也可以不用结束语，如属便函，可以像普通信件一样，使用“此致”、“敬礼”。

(五)结尾落款。一般包括署名和成文时间两项内容。

署名机关单位名称，写明成文时间年、月、日;并加盖公章。

五、撰写函件应注意的问题

函的写作，首先要注意行文简洁明确，用语把握分寸。无论是平行机关或者是不相隶属的行文，都要注意语气平和有礼，不要倚势压人或强人所难，也不必逢迎恭维、曲意客套。至于复函，则要注意行文的针对性，答复的明确性。

其次，函也有时效性的问题，特别是复函更应该迅速、及时。像对待其他公文一样，及时处理函件，以保证公务等活动的正常进行。

例文 通知事宜函

国务院办公厅关于羊毛产销和质量等问题的函

国家计委、经贸办、农业部、业部、经贸部、纺织部、技术监督局： 为进一步发展我国羊毛生产，搞活羊毛流通，提高羊毛质量，根据国务院领导同志的批示，现就有关问题通知如下：

一、要切实抓紧抓好草场改造和羊种改良工作。(略)

二、技术监督局要加强羊毛的质量监督和检验工作。(略)

三、要尽快组织直接进入国际羊毛拍卖市场。(略)

四、为了促进国内养羊业的发展，支持纺织工业生产和扩大出口创汇。(略) 上述有关政策，请有关部门、各地区特别是羊毛生产区认真研究落实，执行中的问题，由国家计委和经贸办协调，并督促落实。

国务院办公厅(盖章)

一、四级作文概述

四级作文是提纲作文，一般按提纲写出相应段落即可。在文章内容上无需追求高深新颖，切题合理便可落笔；在思路逻辑上则要求句意通顺，文字流畅；在文字表现上要求无语法错误，个别小错可忽略(如动介搭配，单词拼写等不涉及语法类小错)。另外，值得一提的是，在篇章结构上建议写三段，所以即便题目只给出两个提纲，最好在完成两个提纲后，再多补充一段，所补内容不限，但须跟话题相关。

二、四级作文例题分析

(1) The Shortage of Fresh Water

1. 目前淡水资源非常紧缺

2. 为什么会出现这种情况

3. 该如何解决

96年6月份曾考过此题，今天来看，似乎更有现实意义。这是一道负面社会现象题，那么挖掘其背后根源，并找出解决方案，就成为探讨的主要方面，而提纲也正是如此。三个提纲各属其类，界限清晰，直接按提纲写三段即可。段1为提出现象，确立研究对象。提纲1翻译后仅一句话，作为一段话则显内容单薄，字数匮乏，所以需进一步发挥。不妨从例证角度扩充，举例时即可基于国内现状，也可纵观全球，显然前者更易行。可从我国西南地区的生活缺水，水价上升，以及河流干涸等细节方面铺陈。段2是原因分析，建议分析主观原因和客观原因两方面。所谓主观原因即是基于人的思想意念，心理意识，行为动机以及行为举措，比如人们节约意识的淡漠或者人们误认为淡水取之不尽等不当想法。而客观原因则是从非人角度出发，如社会发展，人口激增，甚至污染的加剧等方面出发，这些因素均使得淡水消耗的增加。当然，考场上由于时间紧迫，无法细想，可能会写出的两个全是主观类或客观类的原因，其实也无妨，只要二者不同即可，谨防虽言明两原因，但实则彼此混淆，出现逻辑不清的窘况。段3是措施分析，措施可从官方措施和民众措施两方面写起，也可加入作为现代年轻人，我该如何约束自己，从生活中小事做起节约水资源等内容。总之，在内容上考生尽可发挥想象力，纵马驰骋，原则依旧：切题者皆可。

(2)Part-time Jobs for College Students

1.目前大学校园里很多学生业余时间做兼职

2.对于大学生是否该做兼职工作，人们看法不一

3.我的看法

这是一道校园话题，在内容上即涉及现象，又涉及观点，能很好地考察到学生的综合分析能力。提纲1依旧是现象提出，看到提纲1，大家脑海里会浮现很多熟悉的场景，如校园布告栏里张贴着的兼职广告，校园论坛上也经常发布的一些兼职信息等等，这些都可反映在段1中。所以当我们第一眼看到话题或提纲时，脑海中常常会浮现出相关场景，把这些画面定格，进行详细描绘即可，即自然又切题。当然，段1也可从学生的兼职渠道以及兼职类型等方面加以发挥。总之，提纲是总领，而符合总领的任何附属内容都可写。段2是人们对此学生兼职的不同看法，一正一反。切记在表达上述两类观点时，提出其相关论据。段3是提出作者本人看法。本人看法既可选择上述任一方(只要不极端)，也可提出与上述均异的第三类观点，对于极度偏激的正反方观点则需做一番调和与勾兑(这个一般很少见)。需要提醒的是，继提出己方观点后，还应补充其他内容，如论据；也可写我的下一步做法，甚至可写我所认为的大家对此问题所应采取的对策云云。

(3)Private Cars of Today

1.目前私家车越来多了

2.私家车为人们带来的益处和问题

这道题只有两个提纲，所以建议在完成提纲要求内容之后再补充一段相关内容，可以在提纲2之后续补段3(如举措类：如何合理地限制私家车的出行以减少废气排放等等)，也可在1，2之间插入一段(如原因分析，即为何私家车越来越多)。先来看提纲1，依然是事实陈述，看到提纲1，会很容易联想到马路上川流不息的过往车辆，以及高峰期令人沮丧的堵车，那么即可将这些内容付诸笔端。再看提纲2，是私家车给人们生活带来的影响，该事实是一中性事实，则需辩证地分析其影响的两面性，一方面它带来好处，如让人们的出行变得更自由更方便，另一方面它带来坏处，如排放废气，污染环境，或造成交通堵塞等等。

什么是互文，今天小编告诉你。

互文是一种修辞手法，又叫互辞，互参。

在古代汉语中，上下两句或一句话中的两个部分，看似各说一件事，实则是互相呼应，互相阐发，互相补充，说的是一件事。解释时要把上下句的意思互相补足，否则就会理解出错。

比如：

“将军百战死，壮士十年归”。——《木兰诗》

如果翻译成“将军经过百战之后都战死了，回来的都是久经战场的壮士”，我们明显可以感觉到逻辑上讲不通，就是因为它用了互文的修辞手法。这一句是说：“将军和壮士经历了很多年征战，有的战死，有的归来”

应该翻译成“将军和壮士们经过多年征战，有的光荣殉国，有的载誉而归”

互文的表现形式：

同句互文。即在同一个句子里出现的互文。

比如：

1.朝晖夕阴。 ——《岳阳楼记》

意思是“朝晖夕阴”和“朝阴夕晖”。“朝”和“夕”、“晖”和“阴”是互文。

以下句子也都一样。

2.“秦时明月汉时关” 。“秦”和“汉”是互相补充。

3.“主人下马客在船”

4.“东船西舫悄无言”

5.“东犬西吠”

二、邻句互文。即在相邻的句子里出现互文!

比如：

1.不以物喜，不以己悲。——《岳阳楼记》

意思是 不因“物”﹝所处的环境﹞或“己”﹝个人的遭遇﹞而喜，也不因“物”或“己”而悲。)

2.将军百战死，壮士十年归

补充材料。

古代汉语中对互文修辞的解释是：“参互成文，含而见文。”具体地说，互文的特征是“文省而意存”，主要表现在两个方面：

一、结构特征：互省。比如上面例子。

二、语义特征：互补。比如“当窗理云鬓，对镜贴花黄”——《木兰诗》。

小说是什么?理论上的定义是：小说是作者对社会生活进行艺术概括，通过叙述人的语 言来描绘生活事件，塑造人物形象，展开作品主题，表达作者思想感情，从而艺术地反映和 表现社会生活的一种文学体 裁。而作家们对小说有着自己的认识，如贾平凹说："小说是什 么?小说是一种说话，说一段故事，我们作过许许多多的努力--世上已经有那么多的作家 和作品，怎样从他们身边走过，依然再走--其实都是在企图着新的说法。"(《白夜·后记》) 这种"小说是一种说话"的经验之谈，值得我们初学小说者认真思索。

小说的特点主要有三点：第一，以塑造人物形象为反映或表现生活的主要手段;第二， 有较完整、生动的情节;第三，有具体的、典型的环境描写。因此，人物、情节和环境被称 为"小说的三要素"。

小说的类别可分为：长篇小说，中篇小说，短篇小说和微型小说。在写作上，这四类小 说各有不同的要求。如短篇小说，它的篇幅和容量比较短小，一般二万字以下，两千字以上。 人物集中，故事单纯，结构紧凑。往往截取生活中富有典型性的某一侧面或片断加以集中描 绘，以提示社会生活的意义，"它往往只有一个主人公，一条线索;往往只写几个小时或几 天之内集中发生的事，但却使读者盾了以后可以联想到更远更多的事。"(茅盾)由于它借一 斑而窥全貌，以一目尽传精神，鲁迅把它譬之为"大伽蓝"中的"一雕栏一画础"。

如他的 《狂人日记》、 《风波》、《祝福》等。再如微型小说，它的篇幅更短，几十个字、几百个字至 一千多字。情节单一，人物很少。多取材于日常生活中的一件小事，寓有褒贬或哲理。如日 本现代作家星新一的《宝子姑娘》和我国当代一些作家的微型小说作品。小说家沙汀说："我 以为小说之分为长篇、中篇和短篇，主要的差异并不在于字数，而在于表现方法。"这个说 法对初学写作者来说，很有指导意义;要从事不同类别的小说写作，不能不仔细研究并熟练 地掌握它们不同的表现方法。

选题是论文写作活动的第一步，也是很重要的一步。小编收集了论文写作之怎么选题，欢迎阅读。

无论是搞科学研究还是写学术论文，首先必须解决的问题是究竟要研究什么，那么，选题就是要解决这个问题。同时，论文写作是一个系统性很强的写作实践活动，是一个系统工程，选题是论文写作活动的第一步，也是很重要的一步。其重要性主要表现在：第一，论文成败的关键;第二，写作活动的起点。

有人说，论文选准了题就等于写成功了一半，这话一点不假，也足可见选题的重要。所谓选准了题，有两方面的意思：一方面是说所选课题与作者的知识结构相适应，作者有能力把它完成，并且还能够发挥作者自身的优势;另一方面是说作者所选的课题本身具有重要价值，值得研究探讨。上述两方面因素对选题来说是缺一不可的，否则，你选了很有价值的课题却没有能力完成，这样的课题只能是白选，或者所选的课题你有能力去做但其本身没有什么价值，这样的课题也等于是白选。可见，选题本身也是一门学问，也反映出一个人独立进行科学研究的能力的大小。掌握了这门学问，论文写作就会事半功倍，没有掌握选题的基本规则，论文写作就可能事倍功半甚至劳而无功。

一般来说，论文课题分为两大类，一类为开创性研究课题，一类为发展性研究课题。

所谓开创性研究，也称探索性研究，即研究前人未曾涉及或未研究过的领域或问题。这类研究课题主要包括三个方面：一是开创新领域，创建新理论;二是填补研究空白;三是研究那些随着社会发展和科技进步而不断出现的新课题。对于我们所涉猎的人文科学，特别是教育学科、艺术学科(尤其是我们这些从事实际工作的人)，研究这类课题难度很大，精力和能力都有所不及。

所谓发展性研究，也称为开发性研究，即在已有研究成果的基础上，再做进一步的研究，将现有成果加以深化、扩展和开发。发展性研究课题也主要包括三个方面：一是深化、补充已有的观点;二是批驳、修正已有的观点;三是赋予已有理论以新的意义。我们的论文写作主要选择的还是这类发展性的课题。

从总体上讲，我们在选题时至少应该考虑以下这几个方面的因素：首先，选题是否有意义，没有意义的题目不要选;其次，选题是否有学术价值，没有学术价值的题目也不要选;再次，在所选题目内自己是否能够提出独到的见解，即能否出新，没有新意的题目最好也不要选;第四，选题是否适合自己的水平，不适合自己水平的题目不能选，这包括知识结构是否适应，研究能力是否胜任，研究兴趣是否浓厚，客观条件是否具备等等。

在具体谈怎样进行选题之前，请允许我以自己的亲身体会来进一步说明选题对科学研究和论文写作的意义。

我中师毕业参加工作后，有好几年曾热衷于自学音乐理论和歌曲创作，也出了一点点成果。后来有机会进修了英语，便开始做考研究生的梦，妄想从山沟沟里爬出来，这就面临一个选择什么专业的问题，实际上也是一个课题选择的问题。普通中师没有专业之分，无论考哪个专业都得从零开始，这倒也给自己在专业选择方面提供了便利。考虑到自己所从事的是教师职业，对教育多少有些感性认识，也考虑到考教育专业可能是冷门，专业知识相对来说比别的专业要容易(这显然是在瞎猜)，于是就决定选择教育学专业，可以说，这是我所做的第一次大的选题。上研究生以后，面对教育学的许多分支学科和研究方向，我又反复权衡了自己的劣势、优势和兴趣，特别是分析了教育理论的研究现状，感到惟有选择“美育和艺术教育”这一研究方向，才是自己的唯一出路。事实证明，这一选择是正确的。我这个不被导师看好的半路出山的学生在学习期间发表了十多篇文章，正是这些文章坚定了自己考博士研究生继续学习的信心。凭心而论，并不是我的文章写得怎么好，主要是我的选题基本上都集中在美育、艺术教育领域，而这一领域正是我国整个教育理论研究的最薄弱之处，随便翻开国内的教育学术期刊，这方面的文章特别少(我是不是有投机取巧的嫌疑?的确是!)。后来的博士学位论文选题确定为中小学艺术教育，也是充分考虑了各方面的因素的，包括国内外的研究现状、自身积累、客观条件等等。现在回过头来看，可以不夸张地说，选题不仅影响了自己的学习研究状况，甚至在一定程度上影响了我的人生：不选教育学专业，就不一定能够考出来;不选美育与艺术教育方向，就肯定不能发表那些文章，也就难以获得继续学习的机会(因为博士生招生不仅看考试成绩，更要看已有的研究成果)，也难以顺利完成学业。在这里我把自己作为一个例子提出来，只是想以自己的亲身经历说明，无论是对于科学研究或是写论文，选题这一关的的确确是非常非常重要的。

上面谈了一点题外话，现在言归正传，具体谈谈究竟怎样进行选题。

选题可根据角度的不同以及个人特点来进行。一般来说，可以考虑在以下几个方面进行选题：

1.在自己的专业领域内选题。

这是最基本的，也是最一般的选题范围，像我们的选题一般都是集中在音乐教育领域，并主要是普通学校的音乐教育领域，因为我们大多从事普通音乐教育的理论研究和实际工作，在自己的研究或工作范围内选题，自然有着得天独厚的优势。比如，我是音乐教研员，那么，在教研工作方面我最有发言权;我是中小学音乐教师，那么，写有关中小学音乐教育方面的论文我掌握的材料就会比别人多;如果我是高师音乐系的老师，显然写高师音乐教育改革方面的问题别人应当比不过我。应该说，这是非常浅显的道理，但往往有的人选题时并不是扬长避短，而是有些喜新厌旧，总觉得做文章也有家花不如野花香的感觉，习惯于把兴奋点集中在别人的专业领域里。当然，一个人兴趣爱好广泛是好事，但是在广博的同时还得有专攻。因此，一般来说，我们首先最好是立足于自己的专业领域，在自己最为熟悉的方面进行选题，以后再来慢慢地拓宽。由于在自己的专业领域里可能是行家里手，知识丰富，掌握的材料很多，因而这类选题在写作时应避免材料的堆积，避免知识介绍式的毫无创建的一般性文章，同时也应避免专业知识的炫耀。实际上，无论哪类选题，都要注意这方面的问题。

2.在出现的新矛盾新问题中选题。

这种选题应注意用发展的观点、全新的观念去研究和解决新问题，找出规律，正确预测发展趋势，提出解决问题的新思路、新方案。这种选题应避免就事论事，避免片面、狭隘、绝对和极端;应避免用旧理论、旧框框去套新情况、新问题;应避免用旧观念去理解新事物，同时也要防止专赶时髦的一窝蜂现象。比如，目前，教育界都在谈论应试教育向素质教育的转轨，我们选择有关音乐教育在转轨中的作用，音乐教育在素质教育中的地位等这样的课题，这就是在新矛盾新问题中进行选题。但是，目前我们看到的关于这类选题的文章，无论在观念上还是在写作的角度上，大多千篇一律，确实有一窝蜂之感：总体上大都是谈音乐教育在转轨中、在素质教育中是处于多么重要的地位，发挥着多么重要的作用等等;在篇章结构上大多是先谈音乐教育在德育方面的作用，然后再谈音乐教育在智育方面的作用，在体育方面的作用等等。却很少有人能够来点逆向思维，反过来思考一些问题：如，目前我们的音乐教育在哪些方面不符合转轨的要求，不符合素质教育的要求，转轨和素质教育又对音乐教育提出了什么样的要求，什么样的音乐教育才是真正的素质教育，目前我们实施的音乐教育是不是就是素质教育，音乐教育本身是不是也应该转转轨等等。总之，目前的情况是，绝大部分的文章对音乐教育唱赞歌的多，反思的少。毫无疑问，如果我们把后面的几个问题作为选题，那么选题会更有价值，也更能显示出作者的水平。我曾在《儿童音乐》上写过一篇小文章，正标题为“敢问音乐教育路在何方?”副标题是“——由‘素质教育中的音乐教育’命题引发的思考”，这篇文章对上述现象做了剖析。此外，《中国音乐教育》1998年三期上刊登的“关于艺术教育功能的思考”一文，实际上也是谈的这个问题。

3.在热点焦点问题上选题。

由于这类选题所选择的热点和焦点，这本身就意味着更受人关注，因而成功的可能性也就更大。这类选题应避免现象罗列或泛泛而谈，应当用前瞻的眼光，用新的观念剖析其历史根源或现实的深层原因，应作出令人信服的理性分析，挖掘其蕴涵的意义，找出规律，指明发展趋势，或者提出对策。比如，“音乐考试”也算得上是音乐教育领域的一个热点焦点问题，尤其是当前艺术教育比以往更加受到重视的大背景下。为此，《中国音乐教育》98年在“探索与争鸣”栏目开辟专栏讨论这个问题。第一期就发表了两篇强烈呼吁音乐课要纳入升学考试科目的文章，应该说，这两篇文章确有值得推敲的地方。文章一味地认为，只要纳入了升学考试科目，音乐教育目前所存在的问题就会一了百了，迎刃而解，似乎音乐教育存在的问题完全是因为它不是升学考试科目所引起的，而究竟为什么要这样做，现阶段这样做的可能性有多大，特别是怎样去实施，文章不能心平气和地去加以论述。发这两篇文章，主要是从编辑的角度考虑，想借此引起大家的争论。也正是基于这一原因，我们还特别写了这样几句“编者按”：“音乐课程是否应该纳入毕业与升学考试范围，其考试究竟应该怎样进行才能真正体现素质教育的要求，这是我国音乐教育界长期争论和探讨的问题，也是广大音乐教师目前最为关注的问题之一。为了进一步统一思想，澄清认识，本刊拟从本期起就该问题开辟专栏进行讨论。望读者能从音乐教育的特点和当前我国音乐教育的实际出发，就此问题发表不同意见。”应该说，编者按里就已经明确提示了大家，下一步我们需要听到的是反面意见，遗憾的是，尽管也收到了许多参与讨论的稿件，但这些文章几乎都统一了口径。观点相同也不要紧，但必须有新的内容，能提出新的论据。直到第三期快要发稿的时候，我们才收到了一篇题为“音乐统考不可行”的文章，这篇文章写得不错，真正是从音乐教育的特点和当前我音乐教育的实际出发来谈问题，谈出了一定的道理，同时作者投稿的时期也赶得好，因此，文章很快就被发表了。这也提示我们，热点焦点问题大家都关注，都可能把它们作为自己的论文选题，这时候，就千万不要人云亦云，跟着别人跑。或者你要提出与别人不同的观点，或者你要在与别人不同的层面上选题，或者你要从新的角度选题。总之，要力争出新。

4.在经常深入思考的领域里或自己的兴奋点上选题。

这类选题也许和作者的专攻学科并不完全一致，但只要有所创见，再进一步进行系统地研究，就有可能写出高质量的论文。许多自学成才的专家学者，许多由一个专业转入另一个专业的理论家、科学家的事迹都证明：只要对某一领域确有创见，不论是否是原有专业，都能做出贡献，论文的选题同样如此。老师们大都是长期工作在基层学校的骨干教师，接触了各种各样的实际情况，对许多问题一定有过深入的思考(这些问题当然不一定都是音乐教学方面的问题)，这是人所不及的，特别是那些专门从事理论研究的人所望尘莫及的，这是一笔大财富，如果我们不以论文或其他的方式把它们记录下来，那么对自己和社会都将是一大损失。在经常思考的领域或自己的兴奋点上选题，如果不是自己的专业领域，那么，就应该特别注意，不要被自己认为认识较深，但实际上却远没有登堂入室的错觉所迷惑，否则，就可能出现外行指导内行、班门弄斧的尴尬场面。

5.在学科边缘或交叉点上选题。

6.在冷门盲点上选题。

冷门和盲点，或是因为远离当时的热点、焦点，或是一时被认为是无关紧要的问题，或是尚未被人意识到的问题。其实，课题的价值并不在于是否赶一时的时髦，也不取决于在某一时刻是否为人们所关注，科学课题自有其本身的价值所在。冷门和盲点一旦其价值被发现，研究出成果，便会向热门和焦点转化。这类选题不仅很少与人撞车，而且容易获得成功，同时又可拓宽研究的视野。当时我选择美育和艺术教育这一课题，应该说就是在教育学领域中冷门和盲点上的选题。这类选题，只要大家留意并用心思考，还是不难找到的。比如，目前我国的艺术教育还很落后，大家的注意力都集中在考试上，并一致认为归根到底就是由于艺术课程不是升学考试科目，结果忽视了一个更为深层的原因，那就是艺术教育的法规建设问题。为什么艺术课在很多地方形同虚设，可有可无，原因之一是艺术课教学还不规范，这又是因为它没有受到权威法规的制约。再有，目前社会上的器乐考级热一浪高过一浪，进而严重冲击了学校音乐教育的正确实施，原因之一也是没有受到法规的制约。但目前有关呼吁加强艺术教育法规建设的文章却很难看到，这应该说就是一个盲点。而实际上，《艺术教育工作条例》的制订工作已经基本完成了，不久就会由国务院颁布，很显然，现在的盲点到时就是热点焦点。条例一旦颁布，随之而来的便是艺术课程教学、课外校外艺术活动、社会艺术环境、艺术教师、艺术教育的管理与组织、艺术教育的物质条件保障等各方面都将要制订具体的规定和实施细则，因此，如何规范上述各个方面，到时无疑又是热点焦点，但现在却是冷门和盲点。像这样的选题便是有远见的选题。另外，同样的一个问题，从一个角度去写可能是热点焦点问题，而从另外一个角度去写则可能是冷门盲点问题，这样，从第一个角度写的人就多，而从第二个角度写的人就少。比如，关于音乐教育的辅德益智功能，往往是从正面谈的多，这就是热点焦点，而从反面谈的少，即反过来看看，目前我们的音乐教育能真正辅德益智吗?这就是冷门盲点。

上面我们分六个方面谈了怎样进行论文的选题，这是一种大致的分法，因为事实上，这六个方面也存在着相互交叉的关系。我想，总而言之，对于初写论文的同志，选题时最好记住这几句话：宜小不宜大，宜窄不宜宽，宜单不宜众，宜冷不宜热，宜实不宜虚。对于有较好论文写作基础的同志，则应根据自己的实际情况另当别论了。

这里我想就“宜小不宜大”多说几句。我们在选题时要注意把研究的范围缩小并加以限制，这样便于驾驭，容易把握。范围大了，不容易讲深讲透。王力先生在谈到论文写作时曾说：“应该写小题目，不要搞大题目，小题目反而能写出大文章，大题目倒容易写得很肤浅，没有价值。”他还举了一个例子说明这个问题：加拿大一位汉学家写了一篇文章，讲的是汉语唇音轻化的问题。这个问题够小的了，但他写了六七十页(约二万多汉字)，很有内容，很深入。由此可见，选小题目，专谈一个问题，谈深谈透了就是好文章。

另外，不管从哪个方面进行选题，还有一个前期工作恐怕不能忽视，那就是查看文献资料。选择课题，必须以相关的丰富知识作基础，要了解本学科过去的研究情况：已经进行了哪些研究，有了哪些经验或教训，获得了哪些成果。看看自己的设想与前人对这个问题的结论如何，自己是否有新的见解。同时还要了解本学科的研究现状：研究达到了什么水平，还有哪些问题没有解决，需要如何进一步研究。如果对这些问题不了解，就可能重复研究别人已经完成的研究课题，在研究过程中就要走弯路，就要浪费人力、时间和精力。而这些问题都必须通过查看文献资料才能解决。

关于如何选题的问题就谈到这里，有时间的话，老师们不妨再去看看本书后面的附录二——“第一、二届全国音乐教育论文评选获奖名单”，上面有近500个论文题目，对照上面所讲的，看哪些选题比较好，哪些又太一般化。

导语：论文是以议论和说理为主的文章，其主要表达方式是议论。那么高考议论文的写作基础有哪些呢？我们来看看吧！

论点、论据、论证是议论文的三要素。论点是统摄全文的观点，是全文的灵魂，也是其它两个要素围绕的核心。论据是用来证明论点正确性的材料——足够的事实或正确的道理，它必须服从并服务于中心论点。论证是运用论据来证明论点的过程，它是论点和论据之间的逻辑联系纽带。论据和论证必须指向明确，且有说服力，才能形成整体合力，从而影响别人的想法，接受文中的主张。这就要增强议论的“向心力”。

“向心力”原来是个物理学概念，是指使质点(或物体)作曲线运动时所需的指向曲率中心(圆周运动时即为圆心)的力。这里我们借用这个概念来形象说明一下议论文的写作吧。这个“心”就是中心论点，这个“向心力”指的就是论据、论证的说服力;增加“质点质量”——材料或加大“速度”——论证即可增加“向心力”。为了证明自己的论点的正确，我们常常要从不同的角度，多方面地给出论据，并运用多种论证方法来证明论点。如果这些论证和论据是有系统的、有说服力的(当然是正确的)，那议论的向心力就会增强，中心论点就能使人信服。反之，则会弱化向心力，甚至还会产生离心现象，将极大地削弱论证力度，最终使论点“立不住”，甚至“不可信”，达不到使人信服的目的。

对论据而言，首先要增强论据的真实性、典型性和新颖性。真实性是基础，不能随意捏造，因为议论文要靠论据来支撑，如果有一个论据是假的，那读者就会“窥一斑而见全豹”，推而广之，进而全盘否定你的观点。对于引用名人名言，一定要写明谁说的，否则就会减少可信度，读者大都有“因其人而信其言”的思维定势，所以平时是要“牢记”一些名人名言在脑中的。典型性是“公信力”的保证，家长里短、道听途说当不得论据，所举论据应该是众所周知、公认的事实或定理原理，而且是最典型的，这样才能以一当十，增强说服力。新颖性是在前两者基础上，突出论据的新鲜感和时效性。其次要扩大论据的覆盖面。一般来说，文中所举论据应避免重复，尽可能兼顾不同领域、范围(有时同一领域的多数量也能增强说服力)。“古今中外”、“社会科学、自然科学”、“个人、集体、国家”是思考的几个常见维度。第三要注意论据的表述。对道理论据一般表述为“某人说过某话”就可以了，对事实论据的表述则要注意内容表述的指向性。要在陈述事实的同时，鲜明地将与中心最密切的关联处清晰地表达出来，而不是淹没在材料中让读者猜测、揣摩，而且还要着重对事实的结果进行交待，以增强说服力。一般在叙述时要关注四个要点：“人、事、果、倾向性词语”(某人做某事最终结果怎样)。“倾向性词语”是指能清晰表明与论点一致性的“醒目”的词语或语句，使论据与论点保持逻辑上的高度一致性。当然，无论是举例还是引用，在这之后最好加上分析说理的句子，以使论据与论证紧密结合形成合力，共同有力地证明论点。例文很好地体现了这些特点。

对论证而言，要增强论证的严密性，这需要学习一些逻辑知识。可以说，逻辑性是议论文的“生命”。我们一般总会用到归纳法和演绎法。归纳是由个别到一般，演绎是由一般到个别;归纳法限于“已知”，指向“温故”，演绎法助人探求“未知”，指向“知新”。运用归纳法时注意不要“以偏概全”，把话说死说绝了，需要辩证、全面;运用演绎法时注意“推论”的合理性，要符合逻辑。特别要注意语言的准确性和严密性，用语要恰当，造句求精密。

母亲节是美国法定的全国性节日。在每年5月的第二个星期日举行。为母亲过节最早源于古希腊的民间风俗。那时，古希腊人每年春天都要为传说中的众神之母、人类母亲的象征——赛比亚举行盛大的庆祝活动。但这时还未形成母亲节。

Mothers day in the United States legal a national holiday. Held on the second Sunday of May each year. Mother festival originated from the ancient Greek Folk customs. At that time, the ancient Greeks in spring every year as a symbol of the legend of the mother of the gods, human mothers -- Serbia held a grand celebration. But at this moment is not formed on Mothers day.

1906年，美国的安娜·贾维丝小姐遭受到母亲突然去世的强大打击，因为她太爱自己的母亲了。如何表达对母亲的怀念和感激呢?贾维丝小姐决定实现母亲生前渴望创立一个母亲节的遗愿。为此，她首先提出了设立母亲节的设想，并为此而四处奔走，历尽艰辛。同年，她还在家乡费城组织了第一次庆祝母亲节的活动。她还分别给国会议员、政府官员、教师以及新闻界写了上千封信，恳求帮助。她的热诚和努力，终于赢得了社会各界的普遍支持。1914年，美国国会通过决议，并由威尔逊总统亲自签署，将每年5月的第二个星期天定为母亲节。当时很多国家成千上万的欧战中阵亡将士的妻子、母亲正深陷在痛苦之中，美国母亲节的创立，使她们得到了极大的安慰，引起了强烈共鸣。母亲节的活动丰富多彩。节日这天，家庭成员都要做各种使母亲欢心的事情，并向她赠送礼品表示祝贺。

In 1906, the United States miss Anna Jarvis suffered a strong blow to the sudden death of her mother, because she loves her mother. How to express thanks and remembrance of her mother? Miss Jia Weisi decided to realize the mothers desire to create a mothers day wishes. To this end, she first put forward the idea of the establishment of mothers day, and this everywhere, experienced all kinds of hardships. The same year, she was at his home in Philadelphia organized the first mothers day celebrations. She also gave members of Parliament, government officials, teachers and journalists wrote thousands of letters to ask for help. Her hard work and dedication, won widespread support from all sectors of society. In 1914, Congress passed a resolution America, and by Wilson president personally signed, will be held on the second Sunday of May is mothers day. At a time when many countries of Europe in the memorials wife, mother is mired in pain, the creation of the United States Mothers day, so they are a great comfort, aroused a strong resonance. Mothers Day activity of rich and colorful. On this day, family members have to do to make mother happy things, and to congratulate her gifts.

各家的父亲在这天则主动管理家务和孩子，以便让妻子休息一天。美国加利福尼亚的芬德尔镇庆祝方式尤为独特，即在每年的这天都要举行为期一周的“活动雕塑比赛大会”。现在，世界上已有43个国家公认这一节日，可以说，母亲节已成为一个世界性的节日了。

The house and the children active management in this day the father, in order to let his wife one day of rest. California American fendall town celebration is particularly unique, in every year of this day will be held the week of "mobile game conference". Now, 43 countries in the world have recognized this holiday, it can be said, mothers day has become a worldwide festival.

在读过一篇文章或一本书之后，把获得的感受、体会以及受到的教育、启迪等写下来，写成的文章就叫“读后感”。小编收集了写作基础：读后感的基本写作方法，欢迎阅读。

一、读后感的概念

读后感的概念有两重含义：一是真实的、不受任何约束的读后感，二是一种作文的体裁，考试时要接受各种条件的约束。下面这篇读后感，就接近于第一种读后感。写这种读后感，主要是给自己看的，一定要真实，有什么感想(当然感想应当有意义，值得一写)就写什么感想，与心得笔记不同，它要展开来写，尽量像一篇文章，尽量写得生动、实在、深刻。一般应当写清楚读了什么，有什么感想，联想到了什么，对自己有什么作用等。它不追求文体、格式框框，写起来也可长可短。

二、读后感的写法

写读后感最重要的一点是要读出所读书籍或者文章的“眼睛”，它是你展开来写的基础、中心和出发点，这个问题我们已经在上一讲里说过了，这里就不多讲了。其次，写读后感，有它一定的规矩，有的书上把它归纳为“引、议、联、结”，四个字，想公式一样。对于这些规矩我们不可以不学，考试时只要内容有创意，套用这种公式未尝不可;但我们也不要受其所限，写成千篇一律的“八股文”，也可尝试在结构上有自己的创意，有自己的个性。但不管怎样，读后感也离不开“读”——对原文的引述、概括、评价等等，离不开“感”——自己的感想。只要把这两个字表达好了，就是好的读后感。

三、写读后感的基本技巧

在读过一篇文章或一本书之后，把获得的感受、体会以及受到的教育、启迪等写下来，写成的文章就叫“读后感”。

读后感的基本思路

(1)简述原文有关内容。如所读书、文的篇名、作者、写作年代，以及原书或原文的内容概要。写这部分内容是为了交代感想从何而来，并为后文的议论作好铺垫。这部分一定要突出一个“简”字，决不能大段大段地叙述所读书、文的具体内容，而是要简述与感想有直接关系的部分，略去与感想无关的东西。

(2)亮明基本观点。选择感受最深的一点，用一个简洁的句子明确表述出来。这样的句子可称为“观点句”。这个观点句表述的，就是这篇文章的中心论点。“观点句”在文中的位置是可以灵活的，可以在篇首，也可以在篇末或篇中。初学写作的同学，最好采用开门见山的方法，把观点写在篇首。

(3)围绕基本观点摆事实讲道理。这部分就是议论文的本论部分，是对基本观点(即中心论点)的阐述，通过摆事实讲道理证明观点的正确性，使论点更加突出、更有说服力。这个过程应注意的是，所摆事实、所讲道理都必须紧紧围绕基本观点，为基本观点服务。

(4)围绕基本观点联系实际。一篇好的读后感应当有时代气息，有真情实感。要做到这一点，必须善于联系实际。这“实际”可以是个人的思想、言行、经历，也可以是某种社会现象。联系实际时也应当注意紧紧围绕基本观点，为观点服务，而不能盲目联系、前后脱节。

以上四点是写读后感的基本思路，但是这思路不是一成不变的，要善于灵活掌握。比如，“简述原文”一般在“亮明观点”前，但二者先后次序互换也是可以的。再者，如果在第三个步骤摆事实讲道理时所摆的事实就是社会现象或个人经历，就不必再写第四个部分了。

四、写读后感应注意的问题

第一是要重视“读”

在“读”与“感”的关系中，“读”是“感”的前提、基础;“感”是“读”的延伸或者说结果。必须先“读”而后“感”，不“读”则无“感”。因此，要写读后感首先要读懂原文，要准确把握原文的基本内容，正确理解原文的中心思想和关键语句的含义，深入体会作者的写作目的和文中表达的思想感情。

第二是要准确选择感受点

读完一本书或一篇文章，会有许多感想和体会;对同样一本书或一篇文章，不同的人从不同的角度思考问题，更是会产生不同的看法、受到不同的启迪。以大家熟知的“滥竽充数”成语故事为例，从讽刺南郭先生的角度去思考，可以领悟到没有真本领蒙混过日子的人早晚要“露馅”，认识到掌握真才实学的重要性;若是考虑在齐宣王时南郭先生能混下去的原因，就可以想到领导者要有实事求是的领导作风，不能搞华而不实，否则会给混水摸鱼的人留下空子可钻;再要从管理体制的角度去思考，就可进一步认识到齐宣王的“大锅饭”缺少必要的考评机制，为南郭先生一类的人提供了饱食终日混日子的客观条件，从而联想到改革开放以来，打破“铁饭碗”，废除大锅饭的必要性。

一篇读后感，不能写出诸多的感想或体会，这就要加以选择。作为初学者，就要选择自己感受最深又觉得有话可说的一点来写。要注意把握分析问题的角度，注意联系自己的实际情况，从众多的头绪中选择最恰当的感受点，作为全文议论的中心。

一. 肯定不如否定好

修辞的使用在书面表达中算作很大的亮点，在高中阶段很少有学生会注重修辞的应用。

双重否定也是种修辞，而且对于考生来说，只要稍加注意，可以在文章中设计双重否定的句子。

例如想表达“邮递员天天准时到”，如果写成The postman comes on time every day，就不如变成双重否定，The postman never fails to come on time，就变成了亮点句，起到强调作用。

“几乎每个人对生活的态度都不同程度受到地震的影响”，写成双重否定There was hardly a man or a woman whose attitude towards life had not been affected by the earthquake.

应用类似的修辞会在中为同学们加分。

二. 陈述不如倒装妙

在书面表达中阅卷老师喜欢看到的高级语法共有五种：倒装，强调，从句，独立主格和分词结构，以及虚拟语气。

倒装是一种最简单易行的使句子呈现亮点的方法。在高中阶段只需掌握倒装的四种形式，就足以应对书面表达。

俗语写作

根据下面中文提示写一篇150词左右的短文。

俗话说：早起的鸟儿有虫吃。请根据你生活中亲身经历的一件事，说明一切成功源于干凡事早做规划，不断追求，辛勤劳作。

The early bird will catch worms

【猜题理由】2010年高考写作题应该是学生较为熟悉的、身边的与他们生活、学习和当今的教育密切相关的话题。一些俗语具有教育意义。2010年有些省份可能对考生进行人生规范、立志等方面有关的俗语进行考查。

【构思点拨】本题属于题目、提纲式作文，给出的要点虽然不多，但要求考生根据生活中亲身经历的一件事，说明一切成功来源于凡事早做规划，不断追求，辛勤劳作这个道理。因此要注意结合自己的经历，谈出自己对此的感受即可。

【参考范文】

The early bird will catch worms

An old saying The early bird will catch worms reminds us that if people want to be successful and outstanding, they must plan ahead of time and make their efforts to overcome all the possible difficulties.

For example, the Chinese athletes excellent performance in 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver is definitely the result of their early planning and hard training. If they don t set the aim and word work, even though they have the best talents, they cant compete with others and get more medals.

Another case in point is my learning experience. I was good at English, but I couldnt pass the exam, for I wasnt prepared well before the examination. I had many things to solve at that time. As I met the complex things, I was at a loss. The reason was that I had no plan and involved in many things and didnt study more hard, so I failed.

In short, the saying shows us the important of planning, working hard and constantly trying.

一、记叙文的特点与结构模式

1.记叙文的特点

记叙文是以叙述、描写为主要表达方式,以记人、叙事、写景、状物为基本职能,对社会生活中的人、事、景物的状态及其变化发展进行叙述和描写的文章样式。常见的散文、报告文学、消息、海报、通讯、特写、游记、人物传记、回忆录,以及一部分书信、日记、情况报告、调查报告、人物事迹材料等都可归入记叙文之列。

其特点有四个:(1)全面真实,没有虚构。(2)要素全面,选材典型。(3)以叙述、描写为主要表达方式。(4)语言生动活泼,富于表现力。

2.记叙文的结构模式

记叙文一般都是由开头、主体、结尾三部分组成。

(1)开头——事件或行为、情感的发端。

(2)主体——事件或行为、情感的发展。

(3)结尾——事件或行为、情感的结果与启迪。

二、议论文的特点与结构模式

1.议论文的特点

议论文是以议论为主要表达方式,通过摆事实、讲道理、辨是非确定某种观点的正确与谬误,树立或否定某种主张的文章样式。常见的科学论文、杂文、文艺评论、政论文(有关政治问题的讲话、会议报告、发言、宣言、声明、社论、演讲词〉等都属于议论文体。其特点是:(1)直接表达作者的思想观点。(2)以议论为主要表达方式,辅以说明、叙述等。(3)内容重在说理,坚持摆事实,讲道理,以理服人。(4)其构成要素包括论点、论据和论证过程三个方面。(5)语言要讲求准确、简练、逻辑性强。

2.议论文的结构模式

议论文以确定或反驳一种论点的方式实现其写作目的,它所表现的是一个合乎逻辑的推理过程,其篇章结构模式一般为:

(1)开头——引论

这部分内容用于提出一个令人关注的问题或指明形成这一问题的情境,具体内容可以是其中的一项或几项。

①直接提出问题或阐述观点;

②指明讨论问题的目的、意义、原因;

③从对有关背景材料的介绍说明中引出论题;④概述全文轮廓,提出中心论点等。

如何写好高中作文，对于学生作文的写作基础也要好好的训练，话题作文的基本要求：话题作文还是要审题，所写内容必须在话题范围之内。下面一起来看看！

一、文章形式的革命——夹叙夹议

尽快脱离初中只重记叙，笼统归结的写法。高中的作文记叙只向最高水平开一条缝，你得复杂记叙，融情思与哲理于一炉，有最动人的细节和最精美的表达，巧妙蕴含深刻的思辨和无穷的回味，这不是一般人能做到的，更不是学不会议论抒情的同学的避难所。所以，比自己多练议论，远比固守初中记叙的窠臼要有前途。高中的记叙必须简约，只提炼能说明自己观点的内核，而尽量舍弃叙述的完整过程与细节。叙，惜墨如金；而起始学写议，应力求具体多点分析阐述。

二、文章立意的升华——深入浅出

叙完笼统归结是初中模式作文的又一通病，常常文章的结尾具有宽泛的普适性，而缺乏对文章应有之义作具体针对性的挖掘阐发，常常文章的“穿鞋戴帽”大到可以套在无数篇文章上，却没什么真正的思考。高中作文倘使还用夹叙夹议，也要对叙的材料反复推敲，找出几例可以统一在一个观点里的材料，就材料的不同侧面来评析议论，最后上升归结出恰当切题、言之有物的中心。

三、文章表达的提高——点睛生花

好的文笔追求更高效率、更多意蕴。描述中就渗透情思与评析，这是较高水平的表达。一般的叙议分段，也应注意所叙材料紧贴自己的议论，议论应采取逐层推进，前后分界，避免相互缠绕。但又必须前后连贯，形成一个整体。在文章中一定写好精心组织的关键议论，努力使文章多处呈现运用一定修辞的文采。

话题作文训练举隅

话题作文的基本要求：话题作文还是要审题，所写内容必须在话题范围之内。“立意自定”，关键要读懂话题关键词的意旨，若给出导语提示，还应划出导语中包含归结的关键语词。一般初学者，首先要注意让这些关键词贯穿在自己作文的始终，统帅自己的文意。

规定“题目自拟”，一定不要用话题作标题。1、标题范围尽量要小，不要太大太泛；要合理出新，不落俗套。2、标题不能过长，可以采用副标题的方式对主标题加以限制。3、标题要含蓄，把思维蕴涵于形象的标题之中。

[关于高中话题作文的写作基础

下面的材料旨在丰富学生在是非问题写作方面的思想和语言，考生在复习时可以先分类阅读这些篇章，然后尝试写相关方面的作文题。

对于素材中用黑体字的部分，特别建议你熟读，背诵，因为它们在语言和观点上都值得吸收。学习语言的人应该明白，表达能力和思想深度都靠日积月累，潜移默化。从某种意义上说，提高英语写作能力无捷径可走，你必须大段背诵英语文章才能逐渐形成语感和用英语进行表达的能力。这一关，没有任何人能代替你过。

因此，建议你下点苦功夫，把背单词的精神拿出来背诵文章。何况，并不是要求你背了之后永远牢记在心：你可以这个星期背，下个星期忘。这没有关系，相信你的大脑具有神奇的能力。背了工具箱里的文章后，你会惊讶的发现：I can think in English now！

1.?????? Proverbs

1. A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that individuality is the key to success.

2. The primary purpose of a liberal education is to make one’s mind a pleasant place in which to spend one’s time.

3. Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.

4. The classroom--not the trench--is the frontier of freedom now and forevermore.

5. Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.

6. It is the purpose of education to help us become autonomous, creative, inquiring people who have the will and intelligence to create our own destiny.

7. You see, real ongoing, lifelong education doesn’t answer questions; it provokes them.

8. People will pay more to be entertained than educated.

9.the most important function of education at any level is to develop the personality of the individual and the significance of his life to himself and to others. This is the basic architecture of a life; the rest is ornamentation and decoration of the structure.

10. The essence of our efforts to see that every child has a chance must be to assure each as equal opportunity, not to become equal, but to become different-to realize whatever unique potential of body, mind, and spirit he or she possesses.

11. A great teacher never strives to explain his vision-he simply invites you to stand beside him and see for yourself.

12. If you can read and don’, you are an illiterate by choice.

2. Damaging Research

A study by National Parent-Teacher Organization revealed that in the average American school, eighteen negatives are identified for every positive that is pointed out. The Wisconsin study revealed that when children enter the first grade, 80 percent of them feel pretty good themselves, but by the time they get to the sixth grade, only 10 percent of them have good self-images.

3. Education and Citizenship

An important aspect of education in the United States is the relationship between education and citizenship. Throughout its history this nation has emphasized public education as a means of transmitting democratic values, creating equality of opportunity, and preparing new generations of citizens to function in society. In addition, the schools have been expected to help shape society itself. During the 1950s, for example, efforts to combat racial segregation focused on the schools. Later, when the Soviet Union launched the first orbiting satellite, American schools and colleges came under intense pressure and were offered many incentives to improve their science and mathematics programs so that the nations would not fall behind the Soviet Union in scientific and technological capabilities.

Education is often viewed as a tool for solving social problems, especially social inequality. The schools, t is thought, can transform young people from vastly different backgrounds into competent, upwardly mobile adults. Yet these goals seem almost impossible to attain. In recent years, in fact, public education has been at the center of numerous controversies arising from the gap between the ideal and the reality. Part of the problem is that different groups in society have different have different expectations. Some feel that children should be taught basic job-related skills; still others believe education should not only prepare children to compete in society but also help them maintain their cultural identity (and, in the case of Hispanic children, their language). On the other hand, policymakers concerned with education emphasize the need to increase the level of student achievement and to improve parents in their children’s education.

Some reformers and critics have called attention to the need to link formal schooling with programs designed to address social problems. Sociologist Charles Moscos, for example, is a leader in the movement to expand programs like the Peace Corps, Vista, and Outward Bound into a system of voluntary national service. National service, as Moscos defines it, would entail “the full-time undertaking of public duties by young people whether as citizen soldiers or civilian servers-who are paid subsistence wages” and serve for at least one year. In return for this period of service, the volunteers would receive assistance in paying for college or other educational expenses.

Advocates of national service and school-to-work programs believe that education does not have to be confined to formal schooling. In devising strategies to provide opportunities for young people to serve their society, they emphasize the educational value of citizenship experiences gained outside the classroom. At this writing there is little indication that national service will become a new educational institution in the United States, although the concept is steadily gaining support among educators and social critics.

4. The Teacher’s Role

Given the undeniable importance of classroom experience, sociologists have done a considerable amount of research on what goes on in the classroom. Often they start from the premise that, along with the influence of peers, students’ experiences in the classroom are of central importance to their later development. One study examined the impact of a single first-grade teacher on her students’ subsequent adult status. The surprising results of this study have important implications. It is evident that good teachers can make a big difference in children’s lives, a fact that gives increased urgency to the need to improve the quality of primary-school teaching. The reforms carried out by educational leaders like James Comer suggest that when good teaching is combined with high levels of parental involvement the results can be even more dramatic.

Because the role of the teacher is to change the learner in some way, the teacher-student relationship is an important part of education. Sociologists have pointed out that this relationship is asymmetrical or unbalanced, with the teacher being in a position of authority and the student having little choice but to passively absorb the information provided by the teacher. In other words, in conventional classrooms there is little opportunity for the students to become actively involved in the learning process. On the other hand, students often develop strategies for undercutting the teacher’s authority: mentally withdrawing, interrupting, and the like. Hence, much current research assumes that students and teachers influence each other instead of assuming that the influence is always in a single direction.

5. Education Philosophy

For the past fifty years our schools have operated on the theories of John Dewey (1859-1953), an American educator and writer. Dewey believed hat the school’s job was to enhance the natural development of the growing child, rather than to pour information, for which the child had no context, into him or her. In the Dewey system, the child becomes the active agent in his own education, rather than a passive receptacle for facts.

Consequently, American schools are very enthusiastic about teaching “life skills” –logical thinking, analysis, creative problem--solving. The actual content of the lessons is secondary to the process, which is supposed to train the child to be able to handle whatever life may present, including all the unknowns of the future. Students and teachers both regard pure memorization as an uncreative and somewhat vulgar.

In addition to “life skills”, schools are assigned to solve the ever growing stoke of social problems. Racism, teenage pregnancy, alcoholism, drug use, reckless driving, and are just a few of the modern problems that have appeared on the school curriculum.

This all contributes to a high degree of social awareness in American youngsters.

6. Student Life

To the students, the most notable difference between elementary school and the higher levels is that in junior high they start “changing classes”. This means that rather than spending the day in one classroom, they switch classrooms to meet their different teachers. This gives them three or four minutes between classes in the hallways, where a great deal of the important social action of high school traditionally takes place. Students have lockers in these hallways, around which thy congregate.

Society in general does not take the business of studying very seriously. Schoolchildren have a great deal of free time, which they are encouraged to fill with extracurricular activities—sports, clubs, cheerleading, scouts—supposed to inculcate such qualities as leadership, sportsmanship, ability to organize, etc. those who don’t become engaged in such activities or have afterschool jobs have plenty of opportunity to “hang out”, listen to teenager music, and watch television.

Compared to other nations, American students do not have much homework. Studies also show that American parents have lower expectations for their children’s success in school than other nationalities do. (Historically, there has not been much correlation between American school success and success in later life.) “He’s just not a scholar”, the American parents might say, content that their son is on the swim team and doesn’t take drugs. (Some of the young do choose to study hard, for reason of their own, such as determining that the road to riches lies through Harvard Business School.)

What American schools do effectively teach is the competitive method. In innumerable ways children are pitted against each other—whether in classroom discussion, spelling bees, reading groups, or tests. Every classroom is expected to produce a scattering of A’s and F’s (teachers often grade A=excellent; B=good; C=average; D=poor; and F=failed). A teacher who gives all A’s looks too soft—so students are aware that they are competing for the limited number of top marks.

Foreign students sometimes don’t understand that copying from other people’s papers or from books is considered wrong and taken seriously. Here, it is important to show that you have done your own work and are displaying your own knowledge. It is more important than helping your friends to pass, whom we think do not deserve to pass unless they can provide their own answers. Group effort goes against the competitive grain, and American students do not study together as many Asians do. Many Asians in this country consider their group study habits a large contributor to their school success.

7. Adult Education

After complaining about many aspects of American life, a 40-year-old woman from Hong Kong concluded, “But where else could someone my age go back to school and get a degree in social work? Here you can change your whole life, start a new business, do what you really want to do.”

So at least to this person, school requirements weren’t inhibiting. And to millions of others, adult education is the path to a new career, or if not to a new career, to a new outlook. Schools generally encourage the older person who wants to start anew, and besides regular classes, schedule evening classes in special programs. Today there are so many people of retirement age in college that it is no longer remarkable.

8. Moral Relativism in American

Improving American education requires not doing new things but doing (and remembering) some good old things. At the time of our nation’s founding, Thomas Jefferson listed the requirements for a sound education in the Report of the Commissioners for the University of Virginia. In this landmark statement on American education, Jefferson wrote of the importance of education and writing, and of reading history, and geography. But he also emphasized the need “to instruct the mass of our citizens in these, their rights, interests, and duties, as men and citizens.” Jefferson believed education should aim at the improvement of both one’s “morals” and “faculties”. That has been the dominant view of the aims of American education for over two centuries. But a number of changes, most of them unsound, have diverted schools from these great pursuits. And the story of the loss of the school’s original moral mission explains a great deal.

Starting in the early seventies, “values clarification” programs started turning up in schools all over America. According to this philosophy, the schools were not to take part in their time-honored task of transmitting sound moral values; rather, they were to allow the child to “clarify” his own values (which adults, including parents, had no “rights” to criticize). The “values clarification” movement didn’t clarify values; it clarified wants and desires. This form of moral relativism said, in effect, that no set of values was right or wrong; everybody had an equal right to his own values; and all values were subjective, relative, and personal. This destructive view took hold with a vengeance.

In 1985 The York Times published an article quoting New York area educators, in slavish devotion to this new view, proclaiming, “They deliberately avoid trying to tell students what is ethically right and wrong.” The article told of one counseling session involving fifteen high school juniors and seniors. In the course of that session a student concluded that a fellow student had been foolish to return one thousand dollars she found in a purse at school. According to the article, when the youngsters asked the counselor’s opinion, “He told them he believed the girl had done the right thing, but that, of course, he would not try to force his values on them. ‘If I come from the position of what is wrong,’ he explained, ‘then I’m not their counselor.’”

Once upon a time, a counselor offered counselor, and he knew that an adult does not form character in the young by taking a stance of neutrality toward questions of right and wrong or by merely offering “choices” or “options”.

In response to the belief that adults and educators should teach children sound morals, one can expect from some quarters indignant objections (I’ve heard one version of it expressed countless times over the years): “Who are you to say what’s important?” or “Whose standards and judgments do we use?”

The correct response, it seems to me, is, is we ready to do away with standards and judgments? Is anyone going to argue seriously that a life of cheating and swindling is as worthy as a life of honest, hard work? Is anyone (with the exception of some literature professors at our elite universities) going to argue seriously the intellectual corollary, that a Marvel comic book is as good as Macbeth? Unless we are willing to embrace some pretty silly position, we’ve got to admit the need for moral and intellectual standards. The problem is that some people tend to regard anyone who would pronounce a definitive judgment as an unsophisticated Philistine or a closed-minded “elitist” trying to impose his view on everybody else.

The truth of the real world is that without standards and judgments, there can be no progress. Unless we are prepared to say irrational things—that nothing can be proven more valuable than anything else or that everything is equally worthless—we must ask the normative question. It may come, as a surprise to those who fell that to be “progressive” is to be value-neutral. But as Matthew Amold said, “the world is forwarded by having its attention fixed on the best things” and if the world can’t decide what the best things are, at least to some degree, then it follows that progress, and character, is in trouble. We shouldn’t be reluctant to declare that some things, some lives, books, ideas, and values are better than others. It is the responsibility of the schools to teach these better things.

At one time, we weren’t so reluctant to teach them. In the mid-nineteenth century, a diverse, widespread group of crusaders began to work for the public support of what was then called the “common school”, the forerunner of the public school. They were to be charged with the mission of school felt that the nation could fulfill its destiny only if every new generation was taught these values together in a common institution.

The leaders of the common school movement were mainly citizens who were prominent in their communities—businessmen, ministers, local civic and government officials. These people saw the schools as upholders of standards of individual morality and small incubators of civic and personal virtue; the founders of the public schools had faith that public education could teach good moral and civic character from a common ground of American values.

But in the past quarter century or so, some of the so-called experts became experts of value neutrality, and moral education was increasingly left in their hands. The commonsense view of parents and the publicthat schools should reinforce rather than undermine the values of home, family, and country, was increasingly rejected.

There are those today still that claim we are now too diverse a nation, that we consist of too many competing convictions and interests to instill common values. They are wrong. Of course we are a diverse people. We have always been a diverse people. And as Madison wrote in FederalistNo.10, the competing, balancing interests of a diverse people can help ensure the survival of liberty. But there are values that all American citizens share and that we should want all American students to know and to make their own: honesty, fairness, self-discipline, fidelity to task, friends, and family, personal responsibility, love of country, and belief in the principles of liberty, equality, and the freedom to practice one’s faith. The explicit teaching of these values is the legacy of the common schools, and it is a legacy to which we must return.

9. Schools Should Teach Values

People often said, “Yes, we should teach these values, but how do we teach them?” this question deserves a candid response, one that isn’t given often enough. It is by exposing our children to good character and inviting its imitation that we will transmit to them a moral foundation. This happens when teachers and principals, by their words and actions, embody sound convictions. As Oxford’s Mary Warnock has written, “You cannot teach morality without being committed to morality yourself; and you cannot be committed to morality yourself without holding that some things are right and others wrong.” The theologian Martin Buber wrote that the educator is distinguished from all other influences “by his will to take part in the stamping of character and by his consciousness that he represents in the eyes of the growing person a certain selection of what is, the selection of what is ‘right’, of what should be.” It is in this will, Buber says, in this clear standing for something, that the “vocation as an educator finds its fundamental expression.”

There is no escaping the fact that young people need as example principals and teachers who know the difference between right and wrong, good and bad, and who themselves exemplify high moral purpose.

As Education Secretary, I visited a class at Waterbury Elementary School in Waterbury, Vermont, and asked the students, “Is this a good school?” They answered, “Yes, this is a good school.” I asked them, “Why?” Among other things, one eight-year-old said, “The principal Mr. Riegel, makes good rules and everybody obeys them.” So I said, “Give me an example.” And another answered, “You can’t climb on the pipes in the bathroom. We don’t climb on the pipes and the principal doesn’t either.”

This example is probably too simple to please a lot of people who want to make the topic of moral education difficult, but there is something profound in the answer of those children, something education should pay more attention to. You can’t expect children to take messages about rules or morality seriously unless they see adults taking those rules seriously in their day-to-day affairs. Certain must be said, certain limits lay down, and certain examples set. There is no other way.

We should also do a better job at curriculum selection. The research shows that most “values education” exercises and separate courses in “moral reasoning” tend not to affect children’s behavior; if anything, they may leave children morally adrift. Where to turn? I believe our literature and our history are a rich quarry of moral literacy. We should mine that quarry. Children should have at their disposal a stock of examples illustrating what we believe to be right and wrong, good and bad—examples illustrating what are morally right and wrong can indeed be known and that there is a difference.

What kind of stories, historical events, and famous lives am I talking about? If we want our children to know about honesty, we should teach them about Abe Lincoln walking three miles to return six cents and conversely, about Aesop’s shepherd boy who cried wolf if we want them to know about courage, we should teach them about Joan of Arc, Horatius at the bridge, and Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. If we want them to know about persistence in the face of adversity, they should know about the voyages of Columbus and the character of Washington during the Civil War. And our youngest should be told about the Little Engine That Could. If we want them to know about respect for the law, they should understand why Socrates told Crito: “No, I must submit to the decree of Athens.” If we want our children to respect the rights of others, they should read the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King, Jr.’ “Letter from Birmingham jail.” From the Bible they should know about Ruth’s loyalty to Naomi, Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers, Jonathan’s friendship with David, the Good Samaritan’s kindness toward a stranger, and David’s cleverness and courage in facing Goliath.

These are only a few of the hundreds of examples we can call on. And we need not get into issues like nuclear war, abortion, creationism, or euthanasia. This may come as a disappointment to some people, but the fact is that the formation of character in young people is educationally a task different from, and prior to, the discussion of the great, difficult controversies of the day. First things come first. We should teach values the same way we teach other things: one step at a time. We should not use the fact that there are many difficult and controversial moral questions as an argument against basic instruction in the subject.

After all, we do not argue against teaching physics because laser physics is difficult, against teaching American history because there are heated disputes about the Founders’ intent. Every field has its complexities and its controversies. And every field has its basics, its fundamentals. So they are too with forming character and achieving moral literacy. As any parent knows, teaching character is a difficult task. But it is a crucial task, because we want our children to be healthy, happy, and successful but decent, strong, and good. None of this happens automatically; there is no genetic transmission of virtue. It takes the conscious, committed efforts of adults. It takes careful attention.

10. College Pressures

Mainly I try to remind that the road ahead is a long one and that it will have more unexpected turns than they think. There will be plenty of time to change jobs, change careers, change whole attitudes and approaches. They don not want to hear such liberating news. They want a map—right now – that they can follow unswervingly to career security, financial security, Social Security and, presumably, a prepaid grave.

What I wish for all students is some release from the clammy grip of the future. I wish them a chance to savor each segment of their education as an experience in itself and not as a grim preparation for the next step. I wish them the right to experiment, to trip and fall, to learn that defeat is as instructive as victory and is not the end of the world.

My wish, of course, is na?ve. One of the national gods venerated in our media—the million-dollar athlete, the wealthy executive—and glorified in our praise of possessions. In the presence of such a potent state religion, the young are growing up old.

I see four kinds of pressure working on college students today: economic pressure, parental pressure, peer pressure, and self-induced pressure. It is easy to look around for villains—to blame the colleges for charging too much money, the professors for assigning too much work, the parents for pushing their children too far, and the students for driving themselves too hard. But there are no villains: only victims.

“In the late 1960s.” one dean told me. “The typical question that I got from students was ‘Why is there so much suffering in the world’ or ‘how I can make a contribution?’ Today it’s ‘Do you think it would look better for getting into law school if I did a double major in history and political science, or just majored in one of them?’” many other deans confirmed this pattern. One said: “They are trying to find an edge—the intangible something that will look better on paper if two students are about equal.”

Note the emphasis on looking better. The transcript has become a sacred document, the passport to security. How one appears on paper is more important than how one appears in person. A is for Admirable and B is for Borderline, even though, in Yale’s official system of grading, A means “excellent” and B means “very good.” Today, looking very good is no longer good enough, especially for students who hope to go on to law school or medical school. They know that entrance into the better schools will be an entrance into the better law firms and better medical practices where they will make a lot of money. They also know that the odds are harsh. Yale Law School, for instance, matriculates 170students from an applicant pool of 3,700; Harvard enrolls 550 from a pool of 7,000.

It’s all very well for those of us who write letters of recommendation for our students to stress the qualities of humanity that will make them good lawyers or doctors. And it’s nice to think that admission officers are ready reading our letters and looking for the extra dimension of commitment or concern. Still, it would be hard for a student not to visualize these officers shuffling so many transcripts studded with As that they regard a B as positively shameful.

The pressure is almost as heavy on students who just want to graduate and get a job. Long gone are the days of the “gentleman’s C.” when students journeyed through college with a certain relaxation, sampling a wide variety of courses-music, art, philosophy, classics, anthropology, poetry, religion—that would send them out as liberally educated men and women. If I were an employer I would rather employ graduates who have this range and curiosity than those who narrowly pursued safe subjects and high grades. I know countless students whose inquiring minds exhilarate me. I like to hear the play of their ideas. I do not know if they are getting As or Cs, and I do not care. I also like them as people. The country needs them, and they will find satisfying jobs. I tell them to relax. They cannot.

Nor can I blame them. They live in a brutal economy. Tuition, room, and board at most private colleges now come to at least $7,000, not counting books and fees. This might seem to suggest that the colleges are getting rich. But they are equally battered by inflation. Tuition covers only 60 percent of what it costs to educate a student, and ordinarily the remainder comes from what college receives in endowments, grants, and gifts. Now, the remainder keeps being swallowed by the cruel costs—higher every year—of just opening the doors. Heating oil is up. Insurance is up. Postage is up. Health-premium costs are up. Everything is up. Deficits are up. We are witnessing in American the creation of a brotherhood of paupers—colleges, parents, and students, joined by the common bond of debt.

Today it is not unusual for a student, even if he works part time at college and full time during the summer, to accrue $5,000 in loans after four years—loans that he must start to repay within one year after graduation. Exhorted at commencement to go forth into the world, he is already behind as he goes forth. How could he not feel under pressure throughout college to prepare for this day of reckoning? I have used “he,” incidentally, only for brevity. Women at Yale are under no less pressure to justify their expensive education to themselves, their parents, and society. In fact, they are probably under more pressure. For although they leave college superbly equipped to bring fresh leadership to traditionally male jobs, society has not yet caught up with this fact.

Along with economic pressure goes parental pressure. Inevitably, the two are deeply intertwined.

I see many students taking pre-medical courses with joyless tenacity. They go off to their labs as if they were going to the dentist. It saddens me because I know tem in other corners of their life as cheerful people.

“Do you want to medical school?” I asked them.

“I guess so,” they say, without conviction, or “Not really.”

“Then why are you going?”

“Well, my parents want me to be a doctor. They are paying all this money and …”

Poor students, poor parents, they are caught in one of the oldest webs of love and duty and guilt. The parents mean will; they are trying to steer their sons and draughts toward a secure future. But the sons and daughter want to major in history or classics or philosophy—subjects with no “practical” value. Where’s the payoff on the humanities? It’s not easy to persuade such loving parents that the humanities do indeed pay off. The intellectual faculties developed by studying subjects like history and classics—an ability to synthesize and relate, to weigh cause and effect, to see events in perspective—are just the faculties that make creative leaders in business or almost any general field. Still, many fathers would rather put their money on courses that point toward specific profession—courses that are pre-law, pre-medical, pre-business, or, as I sometimes heard it put, “pre-rich.”

But the pressure on students is severe. They are truly torn. One part of them feels obliged to fulfill their parents’ expectations; after all, their parents are older and presumably wiser. Another part tells them that the expectations that are right for their parents are not right for them.

I know a student who wants to be an artist. She is very obviously an artist and will be a good one—she has already had several modest local exhibits. Meanwhile she is growing as a well-round person and taking humanistic subjects that will enrich the inner resources out of which her art will grow. But her father is strongly opposed. He thinks that an artist is a “dumb” thing to be. The student vacillates and tries to please everybody. She keeps up with her art somewhat furtively and takes some of the “dumb” courses her father wants her to take—at least they are dumb courses for her. She is a free spirit on a campus of tense students—no small achievement in it—and she deserves to follow her muse.

Peer pressure and self-induced pressure are also intertwined, and they begin almost at the beginning of freshman year.

“I had a freshman student I’ll call Linda,” one dean told me, “who came in and said she was under terrible pressure because her roommate, Barbara, was much brighter and studied all the time. I could not tell her that Barbara had come in two hours earlier to say the same thing about Linda.”

The story is almost funny—except that it is not. It is symptomatic of all the pressure put together. When every student thinks every other student is working harder and doing better, the only solution is to study harder still. I see students going off to the library every night after dinner and coming back when it closes at midnight. I wish they would sometimes forget about their peers and go to a movie. I hear the clacking of typewriters in the hours before dawn. I see the tension in their eyes when exams are approaching and papers are due: “Will I get everything done?”

Probably they won’t. They will get blocked. They will sleep. They will oversleep. They will bug out.

Part of the problem is that they are expected to do. A professor will assign five page papers. Several students will start writing ten page papers to impress him. Then more students will write ten page papers, and a few will raise the ante to fifteen. Pity the poor student who is still just doing the assignment.

“Once you have twenty or thirty percent of the student population deliberately overexerting,” one dean points out, “It’s bad for everybody. When a teacher gets more and more effort from his class, the student who is doing normal work can be perceived as not doing well. The tactic work, psychologically.”

Why cannot the professor just cut back and not accept longer papers? He can, and he probably will. But by then the term will be half over and the damage done. Grade fever is highly contagious and not easily reversed. Besides, the professor’s main concern is with his course. He knows his students only in relation to the course and does not know that they are also overexerting in their other courses. Nor is it really his business. He did not sign up for dealing with the student as a whole person and with all the emotional baggage the student brought along from home. That’s what deans, masters, chaplains, and psychiatrists are for.

To some extent this is nothing new: a certain number of professors have always been self-contained islands of scholarship and shyness, more comfortable with books than with people. But the new pauperism has widened the gap still further, for professors who actually like to spend time with students do not have as much time to spend. They are also overexerting. If they are young, they are busy trying to publish in order not to perish, hanging by their figure nails onto a shrinking profession.

If they are old and tenured, they are buried under the duties of administering departments—as departmental chairmen or members of committees—that have been thinned out by the budgetary axe.

Ultimately it will be the students’ own business to break the circles in which they are trapped. They are too young to be prisoners of their parents’ dreams and their classmates’ fears. They must be jolted into believing into themselves as unique men and women who have the power to shape their own future.

“Violence is being done to the undergraduate experience,” says Carlos Hortas. “College should be open-ended: at the end it should open many, many roads. Instead, students are choosing their goal in advance, and their choices narrow as they go along. It’s almost as if they think that the country has been codified in the type of jobs that exist-that they’ve got to fit into certain slots. Therefore, fit into the best paying slot.”

“They ought to take chances. Not taking chances will lead to life of colorless mediocrity. They’ll be comfortable. But something in the spirit will be missing.”

I have painted too drab a portrait of today’s students, making them seem a solemn lot. That is only half of their story; if they were so dreary I wouldn’t so thoroughly enjoy their company. The other half is that they are easy to like. They are quick to laugh and to offer friendship. They are not introverts. They are usually kind and are more considerate of one another than any student generation I have known.

Nor are they so obsessed with their studies that they avoid sports and extracurricular activities. On the contrary, they juggle their crowded hours to play on a variety of teams, perform with musical and dramatic groups, and write for campus publications. But this in turn is one more cause of anxiety. There are too many choices. Academically, they have 1,300 courses to select from; outside class they have to decide how much spare time they can spare and how to spend it.

This means that they engage in fewer extracurricular pursuits than their predecessors did. If they want to row on the crew and play in the symphony they will eliminate one; in the ‘60s they would have done both. They also tend to choose activities that are self-limiting. Drama, for instance, is flourishing in all twelve of Yale’s residential colleges, as it never has before. Students hurl themselves into these productions—as actors, directors, carpenters, and technicians—with a dedication to create the best possible play, knowing that the day will come when the run will end and they can get back to their studies.

They also cannot afford to be the willing slave of organizations like the Yale Daily News. Last spring at the one-hundredth anniversary banquet of that paper—who’s past chairmen include such once and future kings as Potter Stewart, Kingman Brewster, and William F. Buckley, Jr.—much was made of the fact that the editorial staff used to be small and totally committed and that “newsies” routinely worked fifty hours a week. In effect they belonged to a club; Newsies is how they defined themselves at Yale. Today’s students will one or two articles a week, when he can, and he defines himself as a student. I’ve never heard the word Newsie except at the banquet.

If I have described the modern undergraduate primarily as a driven creature who is largely ignoring the blithe spirit inside who keeps trying to come out and play, it’s because that’s where the crunch is, not only at Yale but throughout American education. It’s why I think we should all be worried about the values that are nurturing a generation so fearful of risk and so goal-obsessed at such an early age.

I tell students that there is no one “right” way to get ahead—that each of them is a different person, starting from a different point and bound for a different destination. I tell neither them that change is a tonic and that all the slots are not codified nor the frontiers closed. One of my ways of telling them is to invite men and women who have achieved success outside the academic world to come and talk informally with my students during the year. They are heads of companies or ad agencies, editors of magazines, politicians, public officials, television magnates, labor leaders, business executives, Broadway products, artists, writers, economists, photographers, scientists, historians—a mixed bag of achievers.

I asked them to say a few words about how they got started. The students assume that they started in their present profession and knew all along that it was what they wanted to do. Luckily for me, most of them got into their field by a circuitous route, to their surprise, after many detours. The students are startled. They can hardly conceive of a career that was not pre-planned. They can hardly imagine allowing the hand of God or chance to nudge them down some unforeseen trail.

11. To Err Is Wrong

In the summer of 1979, Boston Red Sox first baseman Carl Yastrzemski became the fifteenth player in baseball history to reach the three thousand hit plateaus. This event drew a lot of media attention, and for about a week prior to the attainment of this goal, hundreds of reports covered Yaz’s every more. Finally, one reporter asked, “Hey Yaz, aren’t you afraid all of this attention will go to your head?” Yastrzemski replied, “I look at this way: in my career I’ve been up to bat over ten thousand times. That means I’ve been unsuccessful at the plate over seven thousand times. That fact alone keeps me from getting a swollen head.”?

Most people consider success and failure as opposites, but they are actually both products of the same process. As Yaz suggest, an activity that produces a hit may also produce a miss. It is the same with creative thinking; the same energy that generates good creative ideas also produces errors.

Many people, however, are not comfortable with errors. Our educational system, based on “the right answer” belief, cultivates our thinking in another, more conservative way. From an early age, we are taught that right answers are good and incorrect answers are bad. This value is deeply embedded in the incentive system used in most schools:

Right over 90% of the time = “A”

Right over 80% of the time = “B~”

Right over 70% of the time = “C~” Right over 60% of the time = “D~” Less than 60% correct, you fail.

From this we learn to be right as often as possible and to keep our mistakes to a minimum. We learn, in other words, that “to err is wrong.

Playing It Safe

With this kind of attitude, you aren’t going to be taking too many chances. If you learn that failing even a litter penalizes you (e.g., being wrong only 15% of the time garners you only a “B” performance), you learn not to make mistakes. And more important, you learn not to put yourself to situation where you might fall. This leads to conservative thought pattern designed to avoid the stigma our society puts on “failure”.

I have a friend who recently graduated from college with a Master’s degree in Journalism. For the last six month, she has been trying to find a job, but to no avail. I talked with her about situation, and realized that her problem is that she doesn’t know how to fail. She went through eighteen years of schooling to try any approaches where she might fail. She has been conditioned to believe that failure is bad in and of itself, rather than a potential stepping-stone to new ideas.

Look around. How many middle managers, housewives, administrators, teachers, and other people do you see who are to try anything new because of this failure? Most of us have learned not to make mistakes in public. As a result, we remove ourselves from many learning experience except for those occurring in the most private of circumstances.

Different Logic

From a practical point of view, “to err is wrong” makes sense. Our survival in the everyday world requires us to perform thousand of small tasks without failure. Think about it: you wouldn’t last very long if you were to step out in front of traffic or stick your hand a pot of boiling water. In addition, engineers whose bridges collapse, stock brokers who lose money for their clients, and copywriters whose ad campaigns decrease sales won’t keep their jobs very long.

Nevertheless, too great an adherence to the belief “to err is wrong” can greatly undermine your attempts to generate new ideas. If you are more concerned with producing right answers than generating original ideas, you’ll probably make uncritical use of the rules, formulae, and procedures used to obtain these right answers. By doing this, you’ll by-pass the germinal phase of the creative process, and thus spend litter time testing assumptions, challenging the rules, asking what-if questions, or just playing around with the problem. All of these techniques will produce some incorrect answers, but in the germinal phase errors are viewed as a necessary by-product of creative thinking. As Yaz would put it, “if you want the hits, be prepared for the misses.” That’s the way the game of life goes.

Errors as Stepping Stones

Whenever an error pops up, the usual response is “Jeez, another screw up, what went wrong this time?” the creative thinker, on the other hand, will realize the potential value of errors, and perhaps say something like, “Would you look at that! Where can it lead our thinking?” and then he or she will go on to use the error as a stepping stone to a new idea. As a matter of fact, the whole history of discovery is filed with people who used erroneous assumptions and failed ideas as stepping-stones to new ideas. Columbus thought he was finding a shorter route to India. Johannes Kepler stumbled on to the idea of interplanetary gravity because of assumptions that were right for the wrong reasons. And, Thomas Edison knew 1800 ways not to build a light bulb.

The following story about the automotive genius Charles Kettering exemplifies the spirit of working through erroneous assumptions to good ideas. In 1912, when the automobile industry was just beginning to grow, Kettering was interested in improving gasoline engine efficiency. The problem he faced was“knockthe phenomenon in which gasoline takes too long to burn in the cylinder-thereby reducing efficiency.

Kettering began searching for ways to eliminate the “knock.” He thought to him, “How can I get the gasoline to combust in the cylinder at an earlier time?” the key concept here is “early”. Searching for analogous situations, he looked around for models of “things that happen early.” He thought of historical models, physical models, and biological models. Finally, he remembered a particular plant, the trailing arbutus, which “happens early,” i.e., it blooms in the snow (“earlier” than other plants). One of this plant’s chief characteristics is its’ red leaves, which help the plant retain light at certain wavelengths. Kettering figured that it must be the red color, which made the trailing arbutus bloom earlier.

Now came the critical step in Kettering’s chain of thought. He asked himself, “How can I make the gasoline red?” perhaps I’ll put red dye in the gasoline—maybe that’ll make it combust earlier.” He looked around his workshop, and found that he didn’t have any red dye. But he did happen to have some iodine—perhaps that would do. He added the iodine to the gasoline and, lo and behold, the engine didn’t “knock”.

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