In the introduction to "Writing in the Academic Disciplines," David R. Russell describes the history of writing instruction, problems with the way it has been taught, and some possible solutions. In Russell's opinion, studying the way writing history has been taught is important because the problems with writing are very entrenched and will not be easily fixed. Writing was once a very insignificant part of education. It was only taught in elementary school, and then it was only important to know the letters of the alphabet and to improve handwriting. Russell believes the most significant problem wit the way writing has been taught is what he calls the "myth of transience." Russell states, "The myth of transience masked deep conflicts in the mass-education system over the nature of writing and learning: what is academic writing and how is it learned?"(9).
The first shift in writing occurred in the 1870's. Writing began being used in new ways, not only as aids to oral communication, but as text that was meant to only be read, such as memoranda, specifications, and scholarly articles. According to Russell, writing became central to organizing production and creating new knowledge. The new professionals began writing for a more specialized audience rather than a general reader. .
The specialization of writing allowed colleagues to communicate through text their activities, goals, and information associated with their specific profession or discipline.
Although writing and education had been transformed, the education system had not. Writing was still taught as transcribed speech and as a single academic community. Teaching factual knowledge, what was "real", was more important than teaching written expression. Over the next century educators tried to solve the "writing problem", by looking for a single solution, when the problem they were trying to solve was part of the mistaken assumption that writing was just "talking with a pen.
