Suggests that certain kinds of writing assignments encourage children to engage in writing at a higher than usual level of syntactic complexity. (DD)

Answers basic questions that teachers in various departments have found useful while thinking about their writing assignments: (1) the role writing assignments play; (2) whether to abolish them; (3) what students should be able to do in their writing; (4) intellectual skills students should learn; and (5) how students can be helped in…

Advocates a course-specific electronic reserve for timely, simplified distribution of course readings. Provides guidelines for the copyright and fair use implications of electronic reserve, suggesting a password-protected site. Explains the logistics of file creation, software, and hardware. (Contains 14 references.) (SK)

Presents a compilation of classroom writing strategies designed for students and selected from readings and classroom experiences. (RS)

Describes a writing assignment in which students write an essay employing lexical, etymological, and connotative definitions. (SR)

Weddings are unique and dynamic--each flavored differently and each with a life of its own. They celebrate specific customs, rituals, and the importance of family and culture. Always, they stir up emotions, and, on occasion, they may spin and whirl, looping out of control. For children, they may inspire romantic dreams, and provide new roles to…

The ways to proceed with the summer reading list, which will be able to locate some of the books at the public library during the summer months, are presented. The task of creating a reading list is considered to be difficult as there are thousands of books on the market based on reading for pleasure.

Mr. Johnson has discovered that the higher the level of student engagement and creativity, the lower the probability of plagiarism. For teachers who would like to see such desirable results, he describes the characteristics of assignments that are most likely to produce them. Two scenarios of types of assignments that avoid plagiarism are…

Objective: To demonstrate the connection between students' learning and the world beyond the classroom. Type of speech: Informative. Point value: 15% of course grade. Requirements: (a) References: 3 (1 of which must be an interview); (b) Length: 4-6 minutes; (c) Visual aid: No; (d) Outline: Yes; (e) Prerequisite reading: Chapters 3-6, 8, 9…

Speech pathology students readily identify the importance of a sound understanding of anatomical structures central to their intended profession. In contrast, they often do not recognize the relevance of a broader understanding of structure and function. This study aimed to explore students' perceptions of the relevance of anatomy to speech…

Contemporary undergraduate courses in research methods are challenging to teach because of the wide scope of the subject matter, limited student contact hours and the complexity of supervising research projects undertaken by novices. Focus group assignments within class offer an interesting and enjoyable way for students to develop and apply…

Very often, some type of writing assignment is required in college entry-level Human Anatomy and Physiology courses. This assignment can be anything from an essay to a research paper on the literature, focusing on a faculty-approved topic of interest to the student. As educators who teach Human Anatomy and Physiology at an urban community college,…

This study investigating the effectiveness of Calibrated Peer Review (CPR )[TM] in a senior-level biochemistry class had three purposes: to (a) compare the CPR process for feedback with TA-generated feedback in improving students' ability to write scientific abstracts; (b) compare CPR results for males and females; and (c) observe whether CPR…

A writing assignment to increase student understanding of and interest in practical applications of organic chemistry is described. Students were required to study a pharmaceutical or other organic compound and perform a qualitative risk assessment on the chemical. Student perceptions of the benefits of the paper were generally positive. (Contains…

As any instructor knows, the easy availability of internet content has greatly increased student opportunities for work that is less than original. Today, the term plagiarism can range in meaning from using an unattributed phrase or sentence (accidentally or intentionally) to submitting entire purchased works as one's own. The profusion of online…