The Muse: Misunderstandings and Their Remedies
Eric Detweiler, Middle Tennesse State University
Paul Evans, Middle Tennesse State University
Amy Fant, Middle Tennesse State University
Amy Harris-Aber, Middle Tennesse State University
Kate Pantelides, Middle Tennesse State University
Publisher: Middle Tennessee State University
Language: English
Formats Available
Conditions of Use
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
CC BY-NC-SA
Reviews
Reviewed by Rebecca Haddaway, Assistant Professor of English, Middle Tennessee State University on 6/10/26
This text approaches teaching and learning about the writing process from a variety of angles that are widely applicable to the college composition classroom. I foresee myself relying especially on the sections on process, research, and... read more
Reviewed by Rebecca Haddaway, Assistant Professor of English, Middle Tennessee State University on 6/10/26
Comprehensiveness
This text approaches teaching and learning about the writing process from a variety of angles that are widely applicable to the college composition classroom. I foresee myself relying especially on the sections on process, research, and reflection. Additionally, each section offers a range of perspectives helpfully remixed from several composition texts, allowing students to explore multiple approaches to each topic.
Content Accuracy
The text material offers an approach to college composition that is grounded in research on composition pedagogy. It treats students as collaborators in their education by introducing them to the theoretical background behind its pedagogical approach.
Relevance/Longevity
The Muse is a flexible text for the college composition classroom because of its focus on writing process. One of my favorite things about this text is that it consistently provides students with the tools to understand and construct the "why" behind their writing, such as by linking writing practice to rhetorical theory.
Clarity
The Muse is clear in both prose and organization. Each section begins with a concise and well-organized introduction that unites the essays included, which generally come from other OER texts.
Consistency
Section introductions ensure that the material is consistently clear and navigable. Sections are well-balanced and include an even variety of perspectives.
Modularity
The Muse can easily be broken into parts and rearranged according to an instructor's approach. For example, an essay on multimodal composition may be assigned alongside an essay on the research process or on genre. The Muse is designed without the assumption that instructors will use the text in a linear way, making if flexible for classroom use.
Organization/Structure/Flow
The text is organized by topic, with each topic related to a different aspect of the composition process. It is easy to locate essays within each clearly labeled section.
Interface
The Muse is easy to navigate using the main navigational key or links provided on individual pages.
Grammatical Errors
The text is free of grammatical errors.
Cultural Relevance
The Muse is an excellent pick for student approaching writing from a variety of backgrounds because it focuses on empowering students to explore their unique composition practices. The text is not prescriptive and instead coaches students on the skills they need to think rhetorically about writing.
CommentsI really appreciate the text's emphasis on essays about writing, which makes the text personable and approachable.
Table of Contents
- The Muse: Misunderstandings and Their Remedies
- Collaborative Authorship
- I. Getting Started
- II. Rhetorical Reading and Composing
- III. Literacy and Composing Processes
- IV. Primary Research and Ethical Research Processes
- V. Genre and Methods of Analysis
- VI. Reflection, Revision, and Transfer
- VII. Appendix A: Documentation Styles (MLA & APA)
- VIII. Appendix B: Writing and Research Skills
- IX. Appendix C: Building Your Writing Confidence
- Glossary
- Suggestion Form
About the Book
An open-access textbook composed to support Middle Tennessee State University's ENGL 1010: Expository Writing course. In this book, we adopt this exploratory orientation to communication, inviting you too to consider writing across contexts, its many consequent misunderstandings, and satisfying moments of remedy.
About the Contributors
Authors
Eric Detweiler is an associate professor who’s worked and taught at MTSU since 2016. He also directs MTSU’s Public Writing and Rhetoric program. He studies, teaches, and writes about the rhetoric and writing education, podcasting, and video games.
Paul Evans is a lecturer at MTSU who teaches dual-enrollment, first-year writing courses. He earned his M.Ed. and M.A. in English degrees at Belmont University. Paul also serves as Director of the Blakney Foundation, a private organization concerned with emergent and early literacy.
Amy Fant began teaching at MTSU in the Fall of 2016. She earned her M.F.A. in Creative Writing at Emerson College, and has taught English in K-12 schools and higher education since 2007.
Amy Harris-Aber specializes in cultural rhetorics with a concentration in the rhetoric of foodways as cultural discourse. In 2020, she earned her doctorate from MTSU.
Kate Pantelides is an associate professor at Middle Tennessee State University and served as the Director of General Education English for seven years. She teaches writing, rhetoric, and research classes for undergraduate and graduate students. Her scholarship addresses research methods, feminist rhetorics, and writing program administration. Dr. Pantelides’ work has been published in College Composition and Communication, Composition Studies, Computers and Composition: An International Journal, and Composition Forum, among other venues. She is the co-author of Try This: Research Methods For Writers with Jennifer Clary-Lemon and Derek Mueller.