Discussion of academic bibliographic instruction highlights an exercise in developing critical reading skills by reading and effectively reviewing ERIC abstracts. Topics include rhetoric and writing-based approaches in bibliographic instruction, sentence structure, text assessment, and automated bibliographic tools and interpreting text on a…

A study examined the reliability and validity of curriculum-based measurement indicators in written expression for 112 middle school students. The most reliable and valid predictor of student writing proficiency as measured by both teacher ratings and a district writing test was correct minus incorrect word sequences. (Contains references.)…

Analyses the ways in which university-entrant science students carry out and communicate experimental activities, and identifies a model to explain characteristic communication practices. Observes the investigative strategies of participant students who have a lack of experience with laboratory work and scientific writing. Uses laboratory reports…

Illustrates the use of multigenre research reports, a collection of student responses to a topic that incorporates several different writing modes. A ninth-grade global issues class was assigned a multigenre research project on Latin America. Reveals the results of the projects and provides an appendix. (CMK)

Offers suggestions for drawing attention to form and content in both introductory language courses and upper-division content courses. By implementing strategies for revising traditional speaking and writing tasks through "creative personalization," students can enhance critical thinking skills across the language/literature curriculum…

Studied how college students acquire academic literacy through their writing. Findings for six South African students for whom English was a second language show the difficulties students have in using their own words and in distinguishing different voices in writing. Explicit assistance from lecturers was found to assist students in understanding…

Defines interactive writing and how it works. Recommends starting with the message sheet, then going on to written conversation and writing to a make-believe character. Identifies six benefits of interactive writing and asserts that interactive writing supports a basic human need of expressing one's thoughts and communicating them to others. (DLH)

Provides various activities that museum docents use to help students "see" rather than "look" at art objects. Ideas include playing a looking game, using the five senses to describe the painting, creating stories about the art object, and having a treasure hunt while visiting a museum. (CMK)

Provides a detailed description of a way to encourage students to write for a purpose and to actively engage in the evaluation of their product. (Author/VWL)

Reports findings of an investigation of how English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writers edit their academic papers. Interviews were conducted with 50 university students: 10 ESL writers (graduate students) whose final drafts exhibited grammatical accuracy, and 40 ESL writers (undergraduates) whose final drafts exhibited frequent and varied…

With the implementation of Israel's New Curriculum in English, English teachers are considering the type of assignments that help students transition from isolated skills to communicative ability. Suggests that assignments dealing with relationships are a good starting point. (Author/VWL)

Discusses the personal and subjective nature of humor and considers ways that children respond to humor in literature and films. Suggests activities for school library media specialists to use with specific books that are humorous, including group discussions, individualized writings, and examining illustrations. (LRW)

Reports qualitative results of a study of undergraduates that investigated the effect of a 30-minute presentation of Carol Kuhlthau's Information Search Process (ISP) model on undergraduate students' perceptions of research and research paper anxiety. Describes content analysis based on Critical Incident Technique that examined student writings on…

Compared summaries produced by French as a first and second language secondary school students, according to ten variables evaluating the written texts. Statistical analyses, analysis of variance, t-tests, and correlation analysis of variable exploring both the language and the content of the summaries. Findings suggest that French as a second…

Presents a selected, annotated bibliography of recent research in the teaching of English, with most studies appearing in the period between January and June, 1999. Includes sections on assessment; family and workplace literacy; literature; media, society, and literacy; moral education; professional development; reading; research methodology;…