This article describes the results of a survey of community college instructors who were asked about the writing they assign in non-English courses. The 171 respondents, representing 140 colleges, identified the kinds of writing they assign and the challenges that come with assigning writing. These challenges included finding time to grade…

One concern about teaching online or in large, lecturestyle classes is the inability to see students' reactions to course material. These visual cues give instructors feedback on student comprehension, material clarity, and effective delivery modes. Instructors have to see the results of student assignments and exams or end-of-semester evaluations…

Suggests ways to teach college students basic skills in reading, presentation/oral communication, and writing/publication skills in the context of content courses. Suggestions include guiding and monitoring reading, encouraging frequent student presentations, assigning a variety of writing tasks, and requiring graduate students to write term…

Describes a collaborative writing project at Adrian College in Michigan. Students in a general chemistry class collaborated with those from a freshman writing course; the intention was to have students combine their talents to improve their ability to express scientific ideas in a clear and accurate manner. Discusses student reactions and…

To gather evidence in support of the relationship between writing and learning, a controlled experiment in a course in foreign policy analysis was introduced. The students who wrote more did not receive higher grades than those who had the traditional lecture format. (MLW)

A study investigated the effectiveness of integrating writing instruction in a developmental mathematics course as a means of improving overall student performance. It was found that while adding writing instruction did reduce slightly the amount of time available for mathematics instruction, student performance was also better. (MSE)

A project at Loyola University of Chicago and Northwestern University has three teams of two students each write papers and present them at a joint meeting. One team from a university writes in support of a particular side, while its counterpart at the other university takes the opposite view. (MLW)

A study of written teacher comments on student papers in the University of Texas at Austin's program in writing across the curriculum found that the comments' instructional effectiveness was situational. Recommendations are made for enhancing their effectiveness by more awareness of student perceptions and need for assistance. (MSE)

Monmouth College (New Jersey) paired one section of freshman composition with introductory sociology. This section focused on expository composition skills serving sociological inquiry, such as comparing and contrasting, critically analyzing written text, and supporting a position through reasoned argument. The paper discusses theoretical…

One college mathematics teacher finds that asking students to write brief essays about their attitudes toward and experiences with mathematics offers insight into student motivation, perceptions and misperceptions, and emotional responses. The essay serves as a communication and motivational tool for both teacher and students. (MSE)

Use of in-class writing assignments in a college chemistry course, intended to help students form and express new concepts, was also found to increase students' sense of participation and feeling of control over learning and to help the instructor assess learning and further instructional needs. Some resistance was also discovered. (MSE)

Research on learning disabilities in students is reviewed, and classroom techniques for college instruction to support writing among these students are suggested. They include making an extra effort for clear classroom communication, dealing with errors in writing mechanics, helping students achieve coherence, giving hints for planning and…

In college courses in statistics and computer programing, learning can be enhanced when students are required to express formulas and notations in writing. This approach helps improve concept formation, comprehension, problem solving, and ability to draw conclusions and interpretations. Attention to syntax and form is important. (MSE)

A college writing teacher offers teaching suggestions based on experience, concerning communication with students, error correction, creating priorities among objectives, making standards and evaluation criteria clear, giving positive reinforcement, encouraging use of the writing center, giving assignments that support writing objectives, and…