Mina P. Shaughnessy

Mina Shaughnessy ( Pendo; March 13, 1924 – November 16, 1978), was a teacher and innovator in the field of basic writing at the City University of New York (CUNY).

Early life Born in the mining town of Lead, South Dakota, Mina Pendo and her older brother George lived far more enriched academic lives as children than their father, Albert Pendo, a miner, who only attained an eighth grade education.

Mina's mother, Ruby Alma (Johnson) Pendo, had attained a far higher level of education, receiving both a high school diploma and a two-year teaching certificate. Ruby Johnson taught school for two years in Alaska before her family moved to South Dakota, whereupon she met and married Albert Pendo.

Shaughnessy found her passion for teaching Open Admissions students in part due to the experiences of her father, who was often labelled as unable to excel in reading and writing.

Shaughnessy worked closely with Alvina Krause, an assistant professor at Northwestern at the time. She overcame her Midwestern accent and further developed the air of sophistication and confidence that was her trademark during her tutelage in the art and skill of public speaking (a knack that would serve her well later in her career) and acting. She worked in the Manhattan area while searching for parts in theater productions. One summer, Krause invited Mina to join her theater company that would travel to Eagles Mere, Pennsylvania. Shaughnessy joined the company, and after one performance was invited to audition for Eugene O’Neill’s A Moon for the Misbegotten in New York. She turned down the scout's offer, feeling it was more important that she return to Northwestern and complete her education. Shaughnessy graduated in 1946 with an undergraduate degree in speech.

Death Her doctor diagnosed her with a stomach ulcer but soon found it to be kidney cancer. debating the impact of her beliefs.

Shaughnessy's overriding focus on eliminating error from the writing of students has also drawn its share of critics. In a 1979 essay on "The Politics of Composition", John Rouse fiercely attacked what he saw as her over-emphasis on mechanical skills and correctness. And in 1991, Min-Zhan Lu published a controversial article on "Redefining the Legacy of Mina Shaughnessy" in the Journal of Basic Writing, the research journal that Shaughnessy herself had helped start in 1975. Like Rouse, Lu criticized Shaughnessy's focus on the surface features rather than meaning of student writing. Both Rouse and Lu's articles sparked many responses, and the debate over how dominant a role that issues of correct usage should play in teaching basic writing continues to this day.

The Journal of Basic Writing was founded by Mina Shaughnessy in 1975. Shaughnessy also served as the first editor of the journal. With support from the Office of Academic Affairs of the City University of New York, the JBW is published twice a year.

Bibliography of works by Mina Shaughnessy Books Errors and Expectations: A Guide for the Teacher of Basic Writing. Oxford University Press, 1979,

Articles These are reprinted in the Maher biography cited below. "Open Admissions and the Disadvantaged Teacher." College Composition and Communication. December 1973. "Diving In: An Introduction to Basic Writing." College Composition and Communication. October 1976. "The Miserable Truth." The Congressional Record. September 9, 1976. "Speaking and Doublespeaking about Standards." Address delivered at the California State University and Colleges Conference. June 3, 1976. "Statement on Criteria for Writing Proficiency." Journal of Basic Writing. Fall/Winter 1980. "Some Needed Research on Writing." College Composition and Communication. December 1977. "The English Professor's Malady." Journal of Basic Writing. Spring 1994. "Basic Writing." Address delivered at the Modern Literature Conference. October 1977.