Writing and Psychology - by Douglas Vipond (Hardcover)

About the Book

Although psychology is steeped in writing, as a discipline it has developed little explicit understanding of writing. This is the first book to examine writing (and the teaching of writing) in psychology from the standpoint of composition studies, the scholarly field that specializes in the study and teaching of writing. The book's purpose is to develop a different, richer, more explicit understanding of writing than psychology presently has. Three major aspects of writing are discussed: audience, genre, and style. After examining these, the author draws implications for the teaching of writing in psychology. The work does not aim to tell psychologists how to write better; rather, it suggests how they might think differently about writing.

Book Synopsis

Although psychology is steeped in writing, as a discipline it has developed little explicit understanding of writing. This is the first book to examine writing (and the teaching of writing) in psychology from the standpoint of composition studies, the scholarly field that specializes in the study and teaching of writing. The book's purpose is to develop a different, richer, more explicit understanding of writing than psychology presently has. Three major aspects of writing are discussed: audience, genre, and style. After examining these, the author draws implications for the teaching of writing in psychology. The work does not aim to tell psychologists how to write better; rather, it suggests how they might think differently about writing.

About the Author

DOUGLAS VIPOND is Professor of Psychology at St. Thomas University (Fredericton, Canada). His articles on writing, reading and pedagogy have been published in journals such as College Composition and Communications, Poetics, and Teaching of Psychology.