Most of these issues started in grade school in the 1990s. I watched an interview from two years ago where an older professor had to deal with PhD students who were bright, but just not capable of writing a paper at the level expected. I don’t think it’s just a US problem...various countries are openly talking about this fundamental ability that is lacking now.
Our office deals daily with grad students... none of them are what you could call articulate. Not in their speech and certainly NOT in their writing.
I have to read their e mails about 4 times over to GET what they are saying... and it isn’t always clear then.
Professors are just as bad-maybe worse... it’s a toss up
When I send messages to them, I have to write like ‘See Spot run.’-to make sure they understand.
In High school we were taught this formula for writing for English composition.
paragraph one - introductory sentence, three topic sentences, transition sentence.
paragraph two - based on 1st topic of paragraph one, use same formula
paragraph three - based on second topic of paragraph one, use same formula
paragraph four, based on 3rd topic of paragraph four, use same formula.
paragraph five - summary paragraph,
state your summary
3 sentences to support your summary
final conclusion sentence.
Using this formula, I received an A on every paper written as an in class writing assignment. And most of my out of class papers as well.
Remember that English is the language we use for miscommunication with each other.
It’s not strange that this was creeping up on us from start of the George Bush Senior in the late 80’s and all throughout the 90’s.
The root cause was computers and school systems that didn’t know how to integrate them into the classroom/curriculum. They just knew they needed them and that the kids should have access to one at home. That’s the death of English composition and general penmanship.