Getting to the point versus guiding readers toward the point when writing to inform

The lack of development evident in the bare-bones stories of many boys is characteristic not only of their expressive writing but also of writing they do for other purposes—writing to inform or persuade. In fact when Misty, a middle school teacher, showed her male students data on the relative achievement of girls and boys as writers and asked for their reaction, they responded that “writing is more of a girl thing.” Regardless of their purpose for writing, boys explained that they liked to “get to the point.” One boy summed up the group’s sentiments by declaring, “Don’t expect ‘long’ written work.”