Where's the Content?

The author shares his perspective on the fundamentals of expository writing criteria for high school students. He asserts that while style, fluency, tone, and correct grammar are certainly important in writing, content has value as well, but across the U.S. even the most prestigious writing workshops for teachers generally bypass substance to focus on style. However, students must know facts, dates, and the viewpoints of various experts and authors to write their college term papers. It is suggested that writing about oneself can be the work of genius, but limiting high school students to thinking and writing almost entirely about themselves can lead them to believe that they don't need to seek information about anything outside of their own feelings and experiences.