This essay explores "content," a word and concept now often associated with writing in fields including marketing, journalism, publishing, and technical communication. I present a definition of content appropriate to writing studies and explore a range of issues and practices that the content metaphor can bring to our professional,…

In this Symposium focused on MOOCs, this journal carries forward a tradition of attending to the technologies associated with composing and the teaching of composing. In the May 1983 issue of "College Composition and Communication," for example, most of the articles focus on composing and include a mix of inquiries, from Jack Selzer's on the…

Examines research on using word processors for writing and writing instruction. Argues that research can mislead and discourage teachers from using computers in their classrooms. Asserts that word processing encourages students to have fun while guiding them through the revision process. (MM)

Recounts a conversation with author Ken Kesey. Describes a year-long graduate writing course in which Kesey and his students collaborated on a novel. Explains how the novel was written and how characters and plot were developed. Suggests that, if available to the class, computers would have simplified the writing. (SG)

Describes how computers were integrated into freshman writing classes at Middlebury College without shifting the emphasis of the class away from writing. (AEW)

Helps the teacher of composition who is seeking the most current sources of information about computer programs for writing classes. Provides starred items for novice computer users and suggests "English Microlab Registry" for a listing of colleges and universities that have computer laboratories for writing.(NH)

Discusses what computers (word processors) can do for the writer. Examines the physical and psychological constraints experienced by writers and explains how word processors can help in overcoming them. (FL)

Describes the writing problems of "real world" professional users of word processing, which include editing instead of revising and rethinking, a reluctance to rewrite, and word-inflation. Suggests strategies for working with students to avoid these problems, focusing on functional writing used by professionals in various fields. (MM)

Describes an experiment at Montana State University in which 12 professors and four freshman composition students were trained to use the university's central computer as a word processor. Concludes that the computer can be a powerful revision aid for writing students. (FL)

Suggests that university computer labs offer the advantages of decentralizing instruction and drawing attention to students' writing. Notes that, although labs require money and instructional space, the benefits outweigh the limitations. Argues that, once a collaborative atmosphere is established and word processing is practiced, students can…

Explains how a year of observing two successful novelists write and revise on the computer provided a number of ideas that are encapsulated in the concept of a fluid text or the writer's conscious avoidance of a text that becomes static or fixed. (HOD)

Suggests a computerized writing workshop provides an ideal setting for collaborative learning, enabling students to participate in activities such as peer evaluation and group brainstorming. (HOD)

Explains how students in a basic writing course gained confidence and independence as writers by producing and revising their texts on screen. (HOD)

Outlines strategies for running a successful faculty workshop dealing with computers, such as: (1) make participation optional; (2) focus only on what an instructor needs to know to write and teach using a computer; (3) give word processing instruction individually; (4) present computer uses as possibilities, not as correct answers; and (5)…

Describes different kinds of student correspondence over the writing center network at a state university. Argues that the interaction between student and text via machine promotes good writing and improved motivation, even when the subject matter is as extracurricular as dating. Includes messages from student to student, student to teacher, and…