Logic on paper

Three BYU–Hawaii alumni said they once treated required writing classes as “boxes to check,” only to realize later that those courses reshaped how they think, not just how they write. Their experiences in these courses reshaped how they approach ideas, arguments and communication far beyond the classroom, they said.

“Seven months after graduating, I don’t remember every paper I wrote, but I still use the habits those classes helped build almost every day,” said Mikaela Montgomery, an alumna from the Philippines. As students continue to move through required writing courses, these alumni suggest the value of those classes may lie not in the assignments themselves, but in the thinking behind them.

Montgomery said ENGL 331 (Professional Career Writing) changed how she communicates, organizes her ideas and presents them. She said one of the most important lessons she learned was that strong writing begins with clear thinking. “A writer must slow down, ask questions, organize their thoughts and convey a definitive message,” she said.

Montgomery said the revision process reshaped how she approached writing. At first, receiving papers covered in comments from her professor felt discouraging, she said. Over time, she realized the feedback was not about pointing out mistakes but about developing deeper thinking.

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“Changing your mind or improving your ideas isn’t a weakness,” she said. “It’s part of learning.”

Montgomery’s experience reflects a similar starting point among other alumni. Both she and Bima Kristiawan, an alumnus from Indonesia, said they initially viewed writing classes as requirements rather than opportunities for growth.

“I did think of them as requirement classes,” Kristiawan said. “Just something to introduce us to college writing.”

That perception began to change through specific assignments and feedback, Kristiawan said. In ENG 315 (Topics for Advanced Writing and Analysis), Kristiawan said he initially treated weekly reading notes as “busywork,” summarizing texts for completion. That shifted after feedback from his professor encouraged him to integrate his own thoughts into his writing.

For Renae Buckles, an alumna from Nevada and former writing tutor, ENG 315 introduced a different kind of intellectual discipline. Although she had worked at the Reading Writing Lab (RWL) for three years and was already familiar with the course’s assignments through helping other students, she said the class strengthened her ability to plan and organize research.

“I learned research and organization skills that helped me finish my undergrad submission papers,” she said. Buckles said one assignment that stood out required students to compare a modern piece to its original context while incorporating historical factors and creative adaptation. The process pushed her to think more deeply about how ideas are formed and reshaped over time.

“It had me thinking about motivators that go into creating a story and then how that process repeats itself with other authors,” she said. She added, “the outcome of the course would help” for her future career in linguistics anthropology, where she will engage with people and their stories.

Across these experiences, the alumni said writing courses emphasize habits and skills that are not limited to academic work. Montgomery said the classes teach students how to analyze information, evaluate arguments and communicate ideas responsibly. “Whether you’re writing an email, presenting an idea at work or having a difficult conversation, you’re using the same habits those classes develop,” she said.

That shift reflects a broader change in critical thinking, Montgomery said. Now, she said she takes more time to consider multiple perspectives before forming conclusions. “I try to understand different perspectives first, evaluate the evidence and only then form a conclusion,” she said. “I’ve become much more comfortable saying, ‘I don’t know enough yet.’”

At work as an administrative assistant, Montgomery said she now considers audience, purpose and clarity before communicating ideas. “Rather than reacting immediately, I’m more likely to ask questions, listen carefully and make sure I understand someone before responding,” she said.

Kristiawan said he applied similar skills while updating training materials for a campus Information Technology role, transforming what he described as “monotone instructions” into more meaningful and engaging content.

Despite these outcomes, all three said many students still underestimate the value of writing courses. Buckles said some students approach them with a “bare minimum” mindset, missing opportunities for growth.

Drawing from her experience as a tutor and anthropology teaching assistant, Buckles emphasized the value of writing as a thinking process. “Students have the advantage to grow in a field they may be turned off to … There are no wrong answers so we might as well fail until we understand our potential with writing,” she said.

For Montgomery, the misconception lies in seeing writing as only an academic skill. “It’s a life skill. The ability to genuinely understand other people’s perspectives through how they communicate affects almost every part of adulthood.”