Joseph M. Williams
Encyclopedia
Joseph M. Williams was a professor in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago
.
Williams began as a researcher of English language. In Origins of the English Language: A Social & Linguistic History he traces the history of the English language from the evolution of man through to Modern English. His interest in studying close connection between grammar and rhetoric, reflected in another earlier book The New English: Structure, Form, Style, culminated in Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace
, his noteworthy textbook on writing style
.
In Style, based on "The Little Red Schoolhouse" course he taught at Chicago for many years, Williams established and vehemently defended two basic principles that “it is good to write clearly, and anyone can.” (Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace (9th Edition) 4). To meet these ends Williams laid out streamlined steps to help writers first make their sentences and paragraphs clear and then graceful. This includes expressing actions in specific verbs to make sentences clear. Paragraphs are cohesive, when sentences have a sense of flow, and coherent, when paragraphs are felt as the whole. Emphasis depends on how sentences end. Graceful sentences and paragraphs are concise, shapely (uninterrupted and coordinated), and elegant (balanced in syntax, meaning, sound and rhythm). In later editions, he discussed ethics of writing understood as a social act between writer and reader and offered steps to produce coherent documents.
Noting the kinship between Style and The Elements of Style
by William Strunk and E.B. White, some praised Williams for practicality of his advice http://www.econ161.berkeley.edu/econ_articles/reviews/williams.html, while others criticized him for his own wordiness which he strived to combat in writing of others http://www.amazon.com/Style-Lessons-Clarity-Grace-9th/dp/0321479351.
The Craft of Research
, a collaborative textbook written by Williams and his two long-term academic colleagues and friends – Wayne C. Booth
and Gregory G. Colomb
, – was designed to help students plan, carry out and report on research in any field and at any level – from a term paper to a dissertation, an article, and a book. Authors understood writing a research report as “thinking in writing” and “thinking from the point of view of [the] readers” (The Craft of Research 15). Their treatment of research arguments included a refinement of Stephen Toulmin
’s formal layout of arguments. In another book, The Craft of Argument, Williams and Colomb looked at written arguments in general. The authors claimed that in argument “questions and answers not only seek truth, but also generate the means of persuasion that rhetoric seeks” (The Craft of Argument xix).
Together with Gregory G. Colomb, Francis X. Kinahan, and Lawrence D. McEnerney, Williams developed innovative instructional materials for advanced writers in the academy and the professions known as The Little Red Schoolhouse http://www.me.gatech.edu/me/academics/little_red_schoolhouse/description.html, http://writing-program.uchicago.edu/courses/grad.htm.
From 1980, Williams (together with Colomb and others) ran Clearlines, a consulting firm helping writers in corporations, law firms, and consulting groups to write clearly and concisely. http://clearlinesconsulting.com/
ASNE LITERACY COMMITTEE: Writing and Reading Today
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
.
Williams began as a researcher of English language. In Origins of the English Language: A Social & Linguistic History he traces the history of the English language from the evolution of man through to Modern English. His interest in studying close connection between grammar and rhetoric, reflected in another earlier book The New English: Structure, Form, Style, culminated in Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace
Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace
Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace is a book by Joseph M. Williams, late professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago...
, his noteworthy textbook on writing style
Writing style
Writing style is the manner in which an author chooses to write to his or her audience. A style reveals both the writer's personality and voice, but it also shows how she or he perceives the audience, and chooses conceptual writing style which reveal those choices by which the writer may change the...
.
In Style, based on "The Little Red Schoolhouse" course he taught at Chicago for many years, Williams established and vehemently defended two basic principles that “it is good to write clearly, and anyone can.” (Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace (9th Edition) 4). To meet these ends Williams laid out streamlined steps to help writers first make their sentences and paragraphs clear and then graceful. This includes expressing actions in specific verbs to make sentences clear. Paragraphs are cohesive, when sentences have a sense of flow, and coherent, when paragraphs are felt as the whole. Emphasis depends on how sentences end. Graceful sentences and paragraphs are concise, shapely (uninterrupted and coordinated), and elegant (balanced in syntax, meaning, sound and rhythm). In later editions, he discussed ethics of writing understood as a social act between writer and reader and offered steps to produce coherent documents.
Noting the kinship between Style and The Elements of Style
The Elements of Style
The Elements of Style , also known as Strunk & White, by William Strunk, Jr. and E. B. White, is a prescriptive American English writing style guide comprising eight "elementary rules of usage", ten "elementary principles of composition", "a few matters of form", a list of forty-nine "words and...
by William Strunk and E.B. White, some praised Williams for practicality of his advice http://www.econ161.berkeley.edu/econ_articles/reviews/williams.html, while others criticized him for his own wordiness which he strived to combat in writing of others http://www.amazon.com/Style-Lessons-Clarity-Grace-9th/dp/0321479351.
The Craft of Research
The Craft of Research
The Craft of Research is a book by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The book aims to provide a basic overview of how to research, from the process of selecting a topic and gathering sources to the process of writing results. The book has gone through three editions, and...
, a collaborative textbook written by Williams and his two long-term academic colleagues and friends – Wayne C. Booth
Wayne C. Booth
Wayne Clayson Booth was an American literary critic. He was the George M. Pullman Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in English Language & Literature and the College at the University of Chicago...
and Gregory G. Colomb
Gregory G. Colomb
Gregory G. Colomb was a professor of the English language and literature and Director of Writing Programs at the University of Virginia. His research interests were in writing studies, 18th century literature, and theory. He studied at Rice University and University of Virginia...
, – was designed to help students plan, carry out and report on research in any field and at any level – from a term paper to a dissertation, an article, and a book. Authors understood writing a research report as “thinking in writing” and “thinking from the point of view of [the] readers” (The Craft of Research 15). Their treatment of research arguments included a refinement of Stephen Toulmin
Stephen Toulmin
Stephen Edelston Toulmin was a British philosopher, author, and educator. Influenced by Ludwig Wittgenstein, Toulmin devoted his works to the analysis of moral reasoning. Throughout his writings, he sought to develop practical arguments which can be used effectively in evaluating the ethics behind...
’s formal layout of arguments. In another book, The Craft of Argument, Williams and Colomb looked at written arguments in general. The authors claimed that in argument “questions and answers not only seek truth, but also generate the means of persuasion that rhetoric seeks” (The Craft of Argument xix).
Together with Gregory G. Colomb, Francis X. Kinahan, and Lawrence D. McEnerney, Williams developed innovative instructional materials for advanced writers in the academy and the professions known as The Little Red Schoolhouse http://www.me.gatech.edu/me/academics/little_red_schoolhouse/description.html, http://writing-program.uchicago.edu/courses/grad.htm.
From 1980, Williams (together with Colomb and others) ran Clearlines, a consulting firm helping writers in corporations, law firms, and consulting groups to write clearly and concisely. http://clearlinesconsulting.com/
Books
- The New English: Structure, Form, Style. New York: Free Press (1975)
- Origins of the English Language: A Social and Linguistic History. New York: Free Press (1975, 1986)
- Style: Lessons in Clarity and GraceStyle: Lessons in Clarity and GraceStyle: Lessons in Clarity and Grace is a book by Joseph M. Williams, late professor of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago...
. Glenview, Ill.: Scott, Foresman (1981, 1985, 1989), New York: HarperCollins (1989, 1994), New York: Longman (1997, 2000, 2003), Toronto: Longman (2005), New York: Pearson Longman (2005, 2007) - Style: Toward Clarity and Grace. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (1990, 1995) with two chapters coauthored by Gregory G.Colomb
- The Craft of ResearchThe Craft of ResearchThe Craft of Research is a book by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The book aims to provide a basic overview of how to research, from the process of selecting a topic and gathering sources to the process of writing results. The book has gone through three editions, and...
. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (1995, 2003) with Wayne C. Booth and Gregory G.Colomb - The Craft of Argument. New York: Longman (2001, 2003, 2007) with Gregory G.Colomb
- Style : The Basics of Clarity and Grace. New York: Pearson Longman (2003, 2006)
- A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and DissertationsA Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and DissertationsA Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations , is a style guide for writing and formatting research papers...
, Seventh Edition: Chicago Style for Students and Researchers. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (2007) by Kate L. TurabianKate L. TurabianKate Larimore Turabian was an American educator who is best known for her book A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. In 2007 the University of Chicago Press published the 7th edition of the book...
, revised together with Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G.Colomb, and The University of Chicago Press Editorial Staff
External links
- Interview with Wayne Booth, Gregory Colomb, and Joseph Wiiliams - authors of The Craft of Research by The University of Chicago Press
- The Question: Why Is Writing Clear? Why Is It Concise Or Direct? by Joseph Williams in ASNE LITERACY COMMITTEE: Writing and Reading Today
- Hierarchy of abstraction key concept in powerful writing by Carolyn Matalene in
ASNE LITERACY COMMITTEE: Writing and Reading Today
- A tribute to Joseph Williams on the occasion of his being presented with the Golden Pen Award by the Legal Writing Institute by George D. Gopen
- Joseph M. Williams, Professor Emeritus of English and Linguistics, 1933 – 2008, The University of Chicago news story
- "Language was his passion" obituary in Chicago Sun Times
- Linguistic expert taught value of storytelling obituary in Chicago Tribune