摘要：Scholars in writing across the curriculum (WAC) have long puzzled over the troublesome relationship between general education and disciplinary preparation. Summarizing the problem, Chris Thaiss (1992) writes, 揟he goals of general education courses tend to be idealistic梕.g. 慶ultural literacy,?憈he ability to write in college,?慳ppreciation of scientific method挆whereas goals of major courses tend to be specific and preprofessional?(p. 63). As a result, he suggests, students tend to view general education courses 揳s so many unrelated fragments?(p. 72). According to David Russell and Arturo Ya馿z (2003), this fragmentation alienates students: 揙n one hand, students and teachers are pulled toward one disciplinary specialization; on the other hand, they are pulled toward 慻eneral?or broad education for civic life or other professional specializations梬ith alienation often resulting?(p. 332). These feelings of alienation can also stem from students?experiences writing in general education courses: often, students believe their instructors?writing advice is nothing more than individual whim, rather than part and parcel of disciplinary or professional expectations, leading them to see such experiences as irrelevant to their educational goals and career aspirations.
