Acknowledgements Page
You may have encountered the Romantic myth of the writer: the solitary individual who escapes to a cabin in the woods, regularly frequents a small table in a bustling cafe, or retreats into the silence that is him or her self to write. Although there is some truth to this image, most writers would agree that writing is a collaborative act. Writing actively involves others, not just as readers, but as participants throughout the composing process. When we chat with our roommates or friends in the cafeteria about a paper assignment, we are engaging in writing as collaboration. When we go to the Writing Center to work with a peer tutor, we are working in a collaborative environment. When we meet with a course professor--which you should do frequently--writing becomes an act of collaboration. When we consult with a staff member in the office of Student Academic Services or meet with a member of the HEOP/AOP staff, we are approaching writing as a collaborative venture. Just as writing is a collaborative act, much of the knowledge we gain in life is socially constructed. Through the exchange of ideas--through reading, listening, and viewing--we create new ideas that in turn become new knowledge. Therefore, each of your EN 103 papers will begin with an Acknowledgements Page that will describe how collaboration and social construction of knowledge function for your paper.
In your Acknowledgements Page you should present who you met with--formally or informally, with or without intent--to create your paper. You should describe the type of collaboration in this exchange and how it specifically contributed to your final paper. Whether listening to the news gave you a great idea for Paper #3 or meeting with a tutor helped you correct comma use, you should present this information in your Acknowledgement Page. Please be thorough and honest as you write your Acknowledgements Page. The information here will not adversely effect your grade. It will, however, give you great insight into your development as a writer as the semester progresses.