Presents an interview with Richard Rorty. Notes that Rorty's views may surprise some compositionists: "social constructionism" does not refer to any intellectual movement he is aware of; social constructionism does not share the same fundamental assumptions as new pragmatism; writing across the curriculum is a terrible idea; and there…

Presents Martin Greenspan's four-stage (preparatory, incubation, illumination, and verification) model of the creation of new thought. Argues that this model provides a way of seeing, identifying, and understanding features of writing to learn and learning to write that other composition theories have not permitted. (RS)

Examines three phases of linguistics' influence on writing instruction. Suggests that the production of context-independent, explicit texts is too narrow a goal and that helping students imitate speech in their writing is a proper goal for an advanced composition class. (RAE)

Describes a writing course which shapes sequence and response to do justice to the potentially superior student writer. Emphasizes balancing and integrating reading and writing assignments; encouraging revision as an opportunity to think; optional conferences; and peer evaluation. (RAE)

Recommends that as college faculties of all disciplines become more concerned with the quality of their students' writing and seek assistance of composition faculties in improving it. The need for a common vocabulary for defining "good" writing, diagnosing problems, and recommending teaching methods is apparent. (RAE)