Describes how the Business Writing Center, within the business school of Emory University, serves remedial and advanced students, provides much-needed assistance for international students, and fosters linkage with liberal arts programs. (SR)

Describes a novel type of interactive writing called "interest journals" that motivates students and promotes persuasive writing. Discusses getting started, and the benefits of interest journals. (SR)

Argues that in no other course can students get such a varied knowledge base combined with practical experience as in scholastic journalism. Discusses how students learn writing, technological, and business skills; are well prepared for standardized testing; and receive character education. (SR)

Investigates normative longitudinal change in student writing during college. Selects nine measures as good representatives of nine factors--factors of independent and bound ideas, idea elaboration and substantiation, local cohesion, establishment of logical boundaries, free modification, fluency, and vocabulary. Finds that eight of the nine…

Describes seven activities for teaching students "researched writing"--activities that offer possibilities for active and interactive researching, writing, and thinking, and that include small group work, discussion, and other activities. (SR)

Describes a writing assignment (useful for junior high through college age students) that seeks to improve students' descriptive writing through a set of class writing assignments using visual and concrete objects. Allows students to gain awareness, gain knowledge and discuss it, and ask questions as a body of learners rather than in isolation.…

Describes eight assorted activities, all based on the use of almanacs, that offer high-interest activities developing skills which students can use in other, later work--activities that can be interspersed throughout the year during those unplannable days that occur at the ends of units, on days before breaks, or when everyone needs a break from…

Describes an assignment in which students read a travelogue excerpt and then must determine specified aspects of the writer's character based on evidence from the text. Notes how this exercise shapes students' awareness of how character influences writing, and how biases and assumptions influence reading. (SR)

Discusses how the author and a colleague made a short videotape of students talking about their writing experiences. Describes first steps, arrangements and questions, the shoot itself, and crafting the video. Discusses uses of this video, noting the impact this infusion of student voices can have in the composition classroom, influencing the way…

Describes how the author used literature with her second-grade students to explicitly demonstrate elements of the writer's craft. Focuses on how writers get their ideas, descriptive language, and character development. Describes how these young students made noticeable improvements in their writing over a fairly short period of time. Draws…

Explains format, style rules, and lexicographic conventions that improve clarity and precision in a technical glossary. Discusses general rules, rules of style, rules of grammar and syntax, and rules for figures. Describes the computer display techniques and file management system used to develop such a glossary. (SR)

Discusses pitfalls authors can avoid in their research to improve their chances for publication: careless writing; unspecified assumptions; undefined context; unanswerable questions; soft and/or fuzzy hypotheses; vague, undefined terms; inadequate samples; inappropriate use of students in conducting research; inappropriate conclusions; multiple…

Describes a successful approach used by the author in "Composition and Literature" courses which teaches students to write in a relaxed manner about material unnatural to them (literary texts). Describes focusing on communicating to a generally ignorant reader who is knowledgeable about the work. Argues that papers became clearer as the semester…

Argues that comparison and contrast are an essential part of review writing for high school newspapers. Offers examples and discusses their use in reviews of movies, albums, restaurants, books, concerts, and more. Notes the importance of including audience and reviewer reaction, of grading, and of a good lead and conclusion. (SR)

Surveys instructors and students regarding what they believe students learn and what writing skills they improve by completing business report writing assignments. Finds that business communication instructors reported greater improvement in students' skills than students reported for themselves. Offers four guidelines for closing this gap.…