Deborah Tannen

In “How Male and Female Students Use Language Differently” by Deborah Tannen illustrates the day to day gender differences in institutions. Tannen is an author and professor that researched the difference in genders in school. Tannen successfully enlightens her colleagues about men and women differences in education institutions by, establishing her credibility through research, observations and using her logic. Tannen did research and wrote a book comparing men and women in education institutions. She focuses on the linguistics and uses other studies to prove her point. “The research of sociologist and anthropologist such as Janet Lever, Marjorie Harness Goodwin, and Donna Eder has shown that girls and boys learn to use language differently in their sex-separate groups.” (Tannen 1). Girls interact with other girls on a more personal and emotional level. Boys tend to act with other boys on a physical level; sports and hobbies. Tannen uses distinct research to identify key variables and to show her credibility. The logos appeal is evident in the way in which she uses other facts along with her original research. Secondly, Tannen does observations that allow her to show how men and women tend to have discussions. While men tend to be more joking, women talk more about their problems. “When
Men tend to be more vocal in class and want to talk. Women on the other hand, usually sit back and listen. Though this is not for every situation studies have proven this to be true. “…men speak more in class more than women…many of them find the “public” classroom setting more conducive to speaking, whereas most women are more comfortable speaking in private to a small group…” (Tannen 4). Classrooms are more comfortable for men to speak, they enjoy the public setting with the freedom of debate or discussion. Women prefer smaller, more compact groups for a discussion in “private” in order to express