To differentiate traditional from new, "hybrid" academic writing, Bizzell describes traditional discourse as a "correctness" that follows certain uses of language in writing for the "male, and white, and economically privileged" (Hybrid 11) in academia, including the use of a "grapholect" for writing, not reading the content. With this understanding, Bizzell identifies new, different works and creates an evolved style and genre of academic writing; she defines "hybrid" discourses as a combination of traditional academic discourse that may "violate many of the conventions of traditional academic discourse" (Hybrid 8). This new style is more diverse than traditional writing; it incorporates various cultural elements and individual language that differs from the accepted norm in writing. These "hybrid discourses " create composition that doubles both as academic writing and as an opportunity for individuals' to be heard.
Bizzell offers examples of new, respected scholars as evidence of hybrid discourse. The author includes the use of personal experience, "offhand refutation," humor, indirection ("deliberately not coming to the point quickly"), and cultural references, among other traits, as key characteristics of hybridized writing (Hybrid 14-16). Bizzell notes that Victor Villanueva, a Puerto Rican American, and Keith Gilyard, an African-American, both offer insightful, purposeful writing to the academic community. Both authors combine language, personal experience, culture, rhetoric, and traditional academic writing to create hybridized academic writing. From my own experience reading Villanueva's Bootstraps, I initially read the book as an autobiography, then added in the academic details with the help of classwork and discussion. This evolved style of writing fails to fit the standardized traditional understanding of writing, yet succeeds as academic, fulfilling the need for "correctness" in composition.
In her article later article "Basic Writing," Bizzel questions her own explanation of "hybrid" because the term is limited and biological. The term limits what may be considered as part of the genre, typically only two elements that are combined. Rather, this style may be considered to be a contact zone where culture, identity, and voice meet in writing. Bizzell's use of Gloria Andalzúa's Borderlands as an example of evolved academic writing brings to mind a powerful experience of my own. I work as a tutor in the WSU Writing Center where I read students' papers daily, each falling into what may be considered traditional discourse and many that are hybrid discourse, or a combination of the two. One student wrote on her own experiences as part of a Hispanic migrant-working family and part of the white, wealthy community where she attended school; the student compared her experiences to that of Anzaldúa and attempted to reconcile her understanding of individuality and voice by following that of Anzaldúa's. This work moved beyond what Bizzell calls hybrid because it incorporates so many elements and combines what is traditional with what is personal. Despite her work, I still wonder what the student may have done with her writing if she had been more confident in her ability to move beyond traditional standards in the paper.
To evolve composition in the classroom, Bizzell calls for the use of both traditional academic writing and new, hybrid works (Hybrid 19). Bizzell calls teachers the "gatekeepers to higher education" (Basic 6) to students. She calls for a democratization of education so that individuals may expand their understanding of scholarly writing and may find an avenue for their voice to be heard (Basic 11). Additionally, Bizzell notes the importance of looking beyond the "correctness" of writing style in order to help students succeed (Basic 11).
As a last note, I appreciated that Bizzell quotes bell hooks in both of her articles, noting the importance of voice, or, rather the importance of the many voices of an individual (Hybrid 20, Basic 8). I found this to be beautiful and, in a nutshell, a perfect example of the many characteristics and experiences of a writer that may be combined in numerous ways in writing.
Works cited
Bizzell, Patricia. "Hybrid Academic Discourses: What, Why, How." Composition Studies 7.2 (1999): 7-21.
____. "Basic Writing and the Issue of Correctness, or, What to Do with Mixed Forms of Academic Discourse." Journal of Basic Writing 19 (2000): 4-12.
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