choose a word to begin
gen·e·sis
/ˈjenəsəs/
the origin or mode of formation of something.
con·trar·y
/ˈkäntrerē/
opposite in nature, direction, or meaning.
sys·tem
/ˈsistəm/
a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized scheme or method.
con·gru·ent
/kənˈɡro͞oənt,ˈkäNGɡro͞oənt/
in agreement or harmony.
Original Theory
Many students have been taught to believe that in order for their writing, especially essays, to be taken seriously it must include "advanced vocabulary." Advanced vocabulary in writing meant words you wouldn't use in your everyday language or in any other assignments because it just wasn't right.
I was taught this way of thinking since I began writing essays for school, and I had always struggled finding and using a vocabulary level above my own. As a result of this, I am still not confident in my writing. I personally disagree with this way of thinking because I believe the content of an essay is what matters most. I believe that as long as the essay is well-thought out and the point of it gets across, the vocabulary used doesn't really matter. The only exception would be essays such as research papers that require a higher level of vocabulary that needs to be used in order to explain certain ideas or concepts. I chose to research this theory to see what other people thought and if it had affected them the way it did to me.
Interviews
For my interviews, I interviewed people from different areas of the US. For example, Liz is from Ohio while Alanna and Alma are both from California. I also looked for people who had different school experiences, for example college graduates in the workforce versus people who are currently in school, either at a university or community college. I believe that these differences can greatly impact someone's opinion and thoughts.
Essays
The essays I chose both had different perspectives but were written by researchers of language development in children. While one essay praises using and teaching more advanced vocabulary to children in school, the other believes forcing children to use it can cause confusion and a misunderstanding of the meaning of these words.
Liz and Alma
Liz, a freshman accounting major at Chemeketa Community College, doesn't believe that advanced vocabulary is needed to gain credibility as long as the reader understands the essay's main point. They think that what really makes an essay credible is the accuracy of the information given and the author's sources. I agree with Liz's view on vocabulary, but I still believe that advanced vocabulary may be needed for essays like research papers.
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When I first interviewed Alma, she was a freshman psychology at Reedley College and believes that the vocabulary level used in an essay depended mostly on the topic of the essay. However she also said that, like Liz, she believed that the use of your own vocabulary level doesn't determine the credibility of the essay. Alma also said she thinks that writer's use of advanced vocabulary may come from the want for audience to understand what they are trying to say. Alma is now a English major and still stands by her original opinion.
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Victoria
Victoria is a freshman studying biology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She believes that advanced vocabulary used in essays can actually confuse readers rather than help them understand the subject better. She says that she thinks many students use advanced vocabulary to sound like they know more than they do, which leads to the author using words they don't truly understand. Victoria also says that she believes writers do this to appear like a more trustworthy writer. She also considers the fact that many students are taught to use "bigger" words if they want their paper to even be considered worth reading. I agree with Victoria's opinions because I have seen some of the behaviors she describes in myself. I know I've used words I had never heard of before in essays because I thought they would improve it.
In this article, Marilyn Martin talks about her belief that students who try to use advanced vocabulary often misuse. In the article, she says “Students’ usage frequently contains a mishmash of styles. A learner may use a hyperformal expression; conversely, a learner may unwittingly subvert a written communication with a deviation in register,” (Martin 131). Martin believes that student may use words above their vocabulary level both incorrectly and inconsistently in their essays. This may lead to a student misusing words and confusing their audience rather than helping them understand what was trying to be said and cause further confusion when they have to be taught that it was used wrong. She says “The real challenge comes when a student chooses a wrong word when speaking or writing; the teacher has the delicate task of explaining what has gone awry, rather than merely telling the student to discard one word in favor of another - a procedure that usually leaves the student mystified and in no position to avoid a similar misstep in the future,” (Martin 130). Martin states that the misuse of a word could cause further confusion once a teacher has to teach the student where they went wrong in using it. Not only can it lead to confusion, but it does not guarantee that the student will avoid making the same mistake in the future.
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Mari
Mari has a bachelor’s in psychology from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, an associate’s in nursing from South Texas College, and is currently in school for a bachelor’s in nursing. She considers using higher level vocabulary in an essay as a way to appear more educated on the topic of the essay. Mariselda also believes it makes the author of the essay seem more professional and experienced than they would if they had used everyday language.
Alanna
Alanna is a manager at a office supply company and a recent college graduate with a Bachelor's in Business. She believes that advanced vocabulary is necessary in an essay or research paper because it helps build credibility for the author. She says that if the author doesn't use advanced vocabulary, she feels they don't understand what they're talking about. While I don’t agree with Alanna’s opinion on essays, I do agree that some research papers require a more advanced level of vocabulary depending on the topic.
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Jeremy M Anglin, one of the authors of an article titled “Vocabulary Development: A Morphological Analysis,” believed that advanced vocabulary must be taught. Anglin was a researcher of vocabulary development in children, including school-children who learned English as a second language and were living in America. Anglin and his co-writers believe that advanced vocabulary must be taught from a young age and is not only needed to be successful in school, but to be a competent reader as well. He says “Vocabulary development has been shown by psychologists to be strongly related both to cognitive development (as measured, e.g., by tests of intelligence; see Anderson & Freebody, 1981; Terman, 1918; Wechsler, 1949),” (Anglin et al. 7). The writers of the article believe that advanced vocabulary is not only needed for school, but is needed to boost mental development in young children as well.
Liz
Alma
Victoria
Alanna
Mari
