![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/unccwrc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/726\/2017\/06\/spongebob.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHave you ever wondered exactly what these terms mean and why tutors use them? Well, this post will teach you all about it!<\/p>\n
According to the Purdue OWL, Higher Order Concerns (HOCs) are elements that make up the \u201cbigger picture\u201d of your paper, like your thesis statement, your hypothesis, your audience, your purpose, your focus, organization, development, etc. <\/p>\n Lower Order Concerns (LOCs) on the other hand, are more minor elements that make up your paper, like grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, citation style\/formatting, etc. Working together, both HOCs and LOCs are the foundation of your paper. If you don\u2019t focus on HOCs and LOCs when you write and revise, then mayhem may ensue. I am exaggerating of course, but to better understand HOCs and LOCs, let\u2019s imagine this scenario:<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s pretend that your professor assigned you two papers to read that were written by fellow (anonymous) classmates, and asks you to write one paragraph summarizing each. <\/span><\/p>\n When you return to class next, your professor asks you which paper you prefer. So, which paper would you choose?<\/span><\/p>\n Okay, so I can\u2019t know which paper you would actually choose, (I wish I were psychic!) but if it were me, I would choose paper #2. Why?<\/p>\n Well, paper #1 did have perfect grammar, punctuation, spelling, citation style, etc., it\u2019s true! However, paper #1 still had some serious HOCs that the author didn\u2019t address as they wrote and revised, which made the paper almost illegible and the meaning almost meaningless. Even though paper #2 did have some LOCs that the author failed to address, its content was understandable, and overall, that\u2019s what matters most! <\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019re probably wondering, why is this important? And why are these concerns demarcated as \u201chigher\u201d and \u201clower\u201d order? Shouldn\u2019t a writer take both HOCs and LOCs into account when they write and revise?<\/span><\/p>\n HOCs are \u201chigher\u201d order because they are more essential to the meaning of your writing. As you saw in the example, paper #1 may as well have been written in an ancient code! Because the writer of that paper did not address HOCs as they were writing and revising, the paper wasn\u2019t as efficient as paper #2, which did address HOCs. Paper #2, even though the author missed a few LOCs as they wrote and revised, was at least understandable. The audience of paper #2 may have noticed the grammar, punctuation, and spelling mistakes, but what mattered most was that they could understand the thesis, purpose, and overall argument of the paper and hear the author\u2019s voice. In the end, that\u2019s what is most important.<\/p>\n Yes, in an ideal world we would all take HOCs and LOCs into account as we write and revise, but hey\u2014nobody\u2019s perfect! We can\u2019t all address every single detail of everything we write, so it\u2019s always a good idea to have another pair of eyes on the lookout for HOCs and LOCs, in addition to your own. <\/span><\/p>\n So, now you know exactly what HOCs and LOCs are all about and why we use these terms in the WRC. Now that you know this, go forth into the world! Keep HOCs and LOCs in your mind as you write, revise, (and revise, probably multiple times again,) and they will definitely help you out! <\/span><\/p>\n –Katherine<\/p>\n Works Cited<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cHigher Order Concerns (HOCs) and Lower Order Concerns (LOCs).\u201d <\/span>The Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab<\/span><\/i>. 1 March, 2013, <\/span>https:\/\/owl.english.purdue.edu\/owl\/resource\/690\/01\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Helpful resources about HOCs and LOCs:<\/strong><\/p>\n https:\/\/owl.english.purdue.edu\/owl\/resource\/690\/01\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n