When I was in graduate school for writing, there was a great deal of talk about “threshold concepts” in writing. Mainly, these conversations were put forth to implore teachers to reflect on their practices and to remember what it was like to be a first-year writing student; never you mind that many teachers and writers struggle with some of these concepts long into adulthood and possibly their entire lives. This includes struggling with the writing process. For this post, we are going to look at embracing threshold concepts and how to think about them as they relate to our writing lives.
What is a threshold concept
A threshold concept is “a concept that, once understood, changes the way that a person thinks about a topic” (Dunick). That is to say, threshold concepts challenge us in ways there are instrumental to our growth as writers. Key elements of threshold concepts include their difficulty, multi-disciplinary, transformative power, and irreversibility. For further reading, in “Enhancing Teaching-Learning Environments in Undergraduate Courses” by J. Meyer and R. Land, both authors discuss these notions.
Here are some examples of these types of concepts:
- Writing is a process: One doesn’t simply get writing done and call it a day. Writing takes time and there are recursive steps to consider as you write. That is a long way to say that you must start at the beginning and move forward, returning to any of the steps along the way–prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
- Writing is about prior experiences: Your experiences matter and where you come from matters. Those with affluent backgrounds will have different experiences with writing and literacy than somebody who grew up lower on the socioeconomic ladder.
- Writing involves metacognition: Metacognition is thinking about the way you think. It’s crucial when it comes to problem solving and making the same successes over again. As it relates to writing, it is the way in which we write and what choices we make that are most effective.
- Writing is done collaboratively: The lone writer in a room under a lamplight is but a daydream. The reality is that writing involves other people that include writers, editors, and the people reading your text.
How to overcome threshold concepts
To overcome threshold concepts, I believe metacognition is key. You have to think about your writing and how you write. If something isn’t working then there is a problem. Therefore, you must change the way in which you write.
In order to tackle these challenges, you must remember that a draft is only a starting point. There is always more work to be done. You aren’t done until you are done, and revision is a large part of this (remember the recursive process). You also have to reflect on the strategies that are most effective in your writing without reinventing the wheel (for starters anyway). Lastly, by participating in peer review sessions for feedback, or by listening to criticisms with open ears, you can gain a collaborative understanding of writing.
Conclusion
Embracing threshold concepts is a difficult problem for the average writer. There is a process to consider, metacognition to master, and collaboration to tackle. I still struggle with some of these concepts, too, and have to remind myself that writing is a daunting task–but a task that I am very much committed to doing on a daily basis. Remember, if it ever becomes too easy, you are probably doing it wrong.
Works Cited
“Understanding Threshold Concepts.” Miami University. Web. https://miamioh.edu/howe-center/hwac/teaching-support/resources-for-teaching-writing/understanding-threshold-concepts.html
“Threshold Concepts.” Carleton College. Web. https://www.carleton.edu/writing/resources-for-faculty/threshold-concepts/
