Outlines the emergence of the field of composition studies as a scholarly research discipline in the 1970s. Argues that the development of composition studies is part of a broader intellectual history affecting linguistics and literary studies. Describes the common themes shared by these different fields of study. (HB)

Presents annotations of 17 research reports and journal articles (published between 1984 and 1992) that address nonfiction reading and writing in a classroom context. (RS)

Investigates the role that ethos takes in the scientific papers of American glacial geologists. Analyzes the rhetorical strategies of five articles spanning the time period from 1839-1988. Discovers a coherent evolution of rhetorical strategies over this time period. (HB)

Examines technical books for women of the English renaissance as a microcosm for studying connections among the emergence of technical writing as a genre, the rise of literacy, expansion of knowledge and technology, and replacement of orality by textuality as a result of increasing knowledge. (SR)

Presents a case study analyzing the texts produced by a basic writing student in her first three-and-one-half-years of college. Argues that longitudinal studies that examine both personal and academic histories can provide insights about writing development that are not accessible through other research methods. (SR)

Reviews studies that assessed spelling accuracy in writing. Reveals that first-year college students spell quite well, with 97.7% to 99.8% accuracy. Concludes that people reach such high levels of accuracy not through formal instruction or from writing, but most likely from reading. (SR)

Distinguishes three constructions which begin with "it is" (extrapositive, cleft, and inferential). Examines their linguistic characteristics, notes differences in meaning and function between them and their expletiveless counterparts, and explores the uses made of them by writers of fiction and nonfiction. (MG)

Addresses the question of whether text editing programs are successful in taking over the traditional functions of an editor. Compares the editing suggestions made by two of the most popular text editing programs ("RightWriter" and "Punctuation + Style") with those of an experienced editor. Finds that text editing programs are…

Investigates whether high- and low-apprehensive freshman composition students respond differently as peer evaluators in a face-to-face group versus a group using electronic mail. Finds that high apprehensives exhibit different strategies than low apprehensives for peer evaluation, and that high apprehensives participate more and rely more on the…

Surveys faculty of the College of Business at Illinois State University concerning writing assignments given in the functional areas. Finds an average of one research paper per class required in each of the five departments of the college, while the type and format of research varied. Discusses implementing the results. (RS)

Describes the recent integration of a critical pedagogy within the field of composition studies, especially regarding collaborative learning and difference. Discusses one writing class and how collaborative groups negotiated their differences. Shows how issues of difference affected or created problems within groups. (HB)

Reports on a handwriting experiment on the learning of four Arabic letters by novice writers of Arabic script. Finds a general learning effect expressed as a decrease of movement time and writing dysfluency. Finds a differential effect of practice on the trade-off between simple reaction time and movement time as a function of consecutive trials.…

Studies the helpfulness and value of references provided on resumes. Reports the results of a study of 228 personnel managers from top American companies. Shows that job applicants should not include references but should indicate that they are prepared to provide references when requested. Notes that references are of great importance in…

Provides an annotated bibliography of all articles published in "The Journal of Technical Writing and Communication" from 1990 through 1992. Classifies articles under five headings: The Profession, Education and Pedagogy, Preparation and Presentation of Technical Information, Research and Theory in Technical Communication, and Application of…

Discusses ethnographic studies in business and technical writing, noting that ethnography comprises four essential, overlapping contexts: the phenomenal context, the site's cultural context, the research community context, and the researcher's interior context. Claims ethnographic accounts should balance the input of each of these areas rather…