The purpose of this study was to determine if any significant differences existed in the achievement scores of students who complete a business report writing course in an individualized instruction method as compared with those students who complete the same course in a traditional teacher-lecture method. Five hypotheses were analyzed for…

A complete description of the development of a guide to help authors improve the quality of descriptive evaluation reports of federally funded programs is provided. Improvements in reports would be particularly useful to planners who must decide if and how programs should be modified. The methods and procedures employed in the development of the…

Techniques of reversing English-Russian scientific and technical dictionaries into Russian-English versions through semi-automated compilation are described. Sections on manual and automatic processing discuss pre- and post-editing, the task program, updater (correction of errors and revision by specialist in a given field), the system employed…

A high school honors biology class project is described in which students write a research paper on a topic for which there is presently no known answer. This technique familiarizes the student with the mechanics of research and of writing a research paper. (BB)

The student instructors of a first-year writing and advocacy course at The University of Michigan Law School are required to take a training seminar devoted to discussion of research, writing, and advocacy. The content and teaching methodology of the training program are described. (JMD)

A self-instructional program for nurses to help them formulate clear, measurable objectives and to determine appropriate teaching techniques for patient education is presented. Exercises for writing objectives, review, and posttest are included. (MF)

Combines assignments in oral communication and writing long, formal reports to improve listening skills, public speaking skills, and evaluation techniques of students in technical writing courses. (RL)

MARC (Methodical Assessment of Reports by Computer) is a report-marking program which enables teachers to provide individualized feedback on reports written by engineering students. The MARC system is objective in its consistent application of the same programed criteria, but also allows individual markers to supply their own comments as required.…

Several consultants address the development and use of RFPs (requests for proposals) in the library automation procurement process, including the cost of developing a request; the need to concentrate on overall goals, not just the document; and the usefulness of the request as one step in a broader planning process. (CLB)

Responds to C. Lipson's article on the cultural context of technical communication by criticizing her lack of definition of the term "corporate culture," and suggesting that analyzing corporations as cultures is naive, simplistic, and would probably have little value for students of business communication. (SKC)

Discusses the problems of deciding whether to use, not use, or revise noun compounds. Presents guidelines that ask writers to weigh the familiarity, efficiency, and stylistic efficacy of the compound against alternatives for particular audiences. (MS)

Reveals how working in industry caused a former college writing instructor to realize some important lessons he failed to teach his students: the fact that proposals are written to make money, the importance of planning writing, the need to stick to schedules, and the value of interpersonal skills. (ARH)

Assesses the microcomputer's effects on the process and quality of business writing, focusing on writing anxiety, computer anxiety, time spent in writing, writing quality, and the relationship of gender to these variables. Concludes that the most significant predictor of quality is initial writing ability. (MM)

Notes that early studies in the rhetoric of science and technology emphasized how it differs from classical rhetoric, while more recent studies emphasize the similarities and thus the political/ethical and probabilistic character of contemporary science and technology and of the contemporary discipline of technical communication. (SKC)

Finds that current pedagogical emphases on audience analysis and adaptation in the field of technical writing are based largely on classical conceptions of audience and society. Traces the influences of rhetoricians who challenge the classical model as inadequate or inappropriate for contemporary rhetorical situations. (SKC)