David Bartholomae and Peter Elbow

In reading about the opinions of Bartholomae and Elbow, I recognized some of the obvious differences in regards to the subject of academic writing. Bartholomae values order and describes academic writing as “the language of truth and reason,” and “a tool for inquiry and critique.” He explains that “academic writing is pan of an undergraduates training.” Bartholomae, on the fundamentals of undergraduate writing, comes down on the side of “skepticism”, while Elbow on the side of “credulity” (willing to believe or trust too readily). Bartholomae supports that, “there is no writing that is writing without teachers”, establishing structure within the busy, evolving system of academic writing. Elbow would agree that the greatest development is promoted in an “open range environment” that encourages expression. In similarity, both authors (teachers of about the same age) were influenced by “New Criticism”.