Idea processors are computer programs that can aid the user in creating outlines by allowing the user to move, reorder, renumber, expand upon, or delete entries with a push of a button. The question is whether these programs are useful and should be offered to students. Theoretically, an idea processor prioritizes ideas by placing them in a…

In the area of composition, computer assisted instruction (CAI) must move beyond the limited concerns of the current-traditional rhetoric to address the larger issues of writing, become process-centered, and involve active writing rather than answering multiple-choice questions. Researchers cite four major types of interactive CAI, the last of…

Distinguishes between using microcomputers for wordprocessing, drills, and repetitive tasks in mechanics and vocabulary and using them for alternative methods of presenting, reviewing, and testing course materials. Argues software for computer assisted writing instruction should address significant writing problems, approach writing from a true…