I also broadened its scope because I felt students in many different areas of study needed writing help. Most writing guides are written from the perspective of English and literature courses, but today students are increasingly likely to encounter writing-intensive courses in a wide range of fields, from history to physics to business to art. This cross-disciplinary approach to teaching writing is known as writing across the curriculum. Thus, it is hoped, students are more likely to see writing as an important part of their own education, not just something English majors need to be good at. Writing compels you to ask yourself what you know, to articulate your ideas, to link facts and concepts together, to acquire skill in rational argument.
Students are less likely to be taught by highly trained writing experts.
In addition, each academic discipline has its own traditions, its own terminology, and its own idiosyncratic rules about things like citations and references. These differences can make it harder for students to apply what they learn in one course to other subjects. The particular conventions vary, but the basic formula remains, and based on my experience I can affirm that students who learn to write well in one area can fairly easily translate that to other subjects. Real originality and style begin when one has mastered the basics covered here. Learning the lessons of the Nuts and Bolts Guide will help you on your journey to develop your own voice, your own thoughts, and your own virtues as a writer.