Ronald Flores, Sociology
Interviewed by Joe Keniston
How important is writing to your field of sociology?
Obviously central. Since there is no one way to study social systems, sociologists have to be able to articulate their argument to a very broad audience, many of whom share little in the way of theoretical of methodological approach. Thus, your language has to be clear and concise. Too much jargon or overwritten arguments simply are not going to be heard, much less understood. For me, the issue is especially problematic because I approach social systems from a quantitative methodology, which means that people are going to snore if I can't bring the story to life. If you want your ideas to be heard, you better be a good writer and speaker.
What writing do you do yourself? Were there any course in your educational career that you believe made you a better writer?
No, my undergraduate academic career was devoid of any courses that actually emphasized writing. When I got to graduate school...I was nowhere near where I should have been. Graduate school helped a lot because the revision process is a part of life. My writing really began to improve when I had to write all the time. Interestingly, my writing really, really improved when I became a professor at SLU. I feel like I moved to another level: I can write a bit more quickly, it comes easier for me.
What are your expectations for your students?
I expect my students to make academics the number one priority in their lives. I consider it a failure when a good student submits a paper that clearly represents a last-minute, desperation effort. I live for those moments when a student emerges into a solid scholar.
What role should the Writing Center play on campus?
The Writing Center should be a foundation for all students. It's beneficial to have a full-time director who is also teaching courses. If we had the money, we could also have mentors, like we have in FYP, across majors and programs.
When you're grading papers, do you tend to make more comments and corrections within the body of the text or at the end? What impact do you think your comments have on students (that is, if you mark all over a paper, do they get frustrated)?
When I first started teaching, I suffered from "marginalia," a compulsion to write excessively on the margins of student papers. This led to a lot of frustration on the part of students who simply "didn't know where to begin." I've since learned to be more judicious in my comments. I detail comments in the body of the text and summarize my concerns at the end.