Offers a new theory of explanatory discourse intended to guide analysis of and stimulate improvement in explanations designed for the mass audience. Identifies research literature relevant to improving the quality of written explanations, organizes findings on effectiveness that resolve controversies in the literature, and suggests principles for…

Reports that professional writing students using computers wrote significantly better papers than their counterparts in traditional classrooms. Attributes the success of this study (other studies have failed to find significant differences) to the population of skilled, motivated, upper-level students and consistent use of computers from planning…

Indicates that using highlighters to mark errors produced a 76% class improvement in removing comma errors and a 95.5% improvement in removing apostrophe errors. Outlines two teaching procedures, to be followed before introducing this tool to the class, that enable students to remove errors at this effective rate. (JD)

Reports results of a study indicating that increasing computer time from one and a half hours to three hours per week did not improve the quality of students' newswriting, and suggesting that departments with small capital budgets need not necessarily invest huge amounts in computer terminals for every student. (HTH)

Describes a classification of organizational patterns for whole essays and a method by which both teachers and researchers may use it to analyze student essays. Reports the results of such an analysis applied to a controlled study of undergraduate writing. (HTH)

Outlines the histories of the dominant theoretical views of the composing process including the expressive view, the cognitive view, and the social view. Argues that claims for making composition a true academic discipline must be based on a conception of process broader than any of these three views. (SRT)

States essential principles in the teaching of writing, prepared by the Commission on Composition of the National Council of Teachers of English. (HTH)

While Mosenthal's Context Pyramid Model of Classroom Writing Contexts is a useful framework for guiding research on writing, it is argued that the model is actually a special case of earlier conceptual frameworks for research on memory and cognition by Jenkins and Bransford. (BS)

Concludes that more than 15 percent of the federal income tax law's complexity is attributable to the capital gains sections. Confirms the idea that the capital gain and loss provisions substantially complicate the law in both absolute and relative terms. (FL)

Provides information on current and anticipated course offerings, programs, and workshops or seminars in technical communication at 30 colleges. (FL)

Discusses S. I. Hayakawa's contributions to the literature of semantics and explains how these relate to technical and business writing. Shows how to adapt Hayakawa's scholarship to teaching. (FL)

Reflects on the nature of composition studies as a discipline, first delineating some of its distinctive features and then discussing advantages and dangers associated with these features. (FL)

Reports on a study that examines the validity and usefulness of Rogerian rhetoric. (FL)

Linda Flower and John Hayes respond to Marilyn Cooper and Michael Holzman's "Talking About Protocols," pointing out errors in their understanding of protocol analysis and a study in which the data appear to contradict what Cooper and Holzman assume the researchers should see. Includes reply by Cooper and Holzman. (HTH)

Explores the content of advanced composition courses for upper class college students. Suggests that in addition to concentrating on the student's own writing, it would be valuable if such courses included materials from rhetoric research to make students aware of the history and traditions of the field. Cites recommended materials. (RBW)