A self-study model used to assess the effectiveness of occupational/technical and transfer programs at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (JSRCC) in Virginia is provided in this manual. First, an introduction discusses the intent of the evaluation process and describes revisions of the model which was initially developed between 1979 and 1981.…

"Writing for the Computer Industry" is a two-quarter course that addresses the needs of English majors interested in careers as technical writers, graduate level students retraining for second careers as software technical writers, and computer science majors. Course work includes (1) analyzing audiences for computer documents and identifying…

In Zimbabwe, university students continue to have problems with scientific communication despite the fact that English is a widely-used second language and students have received most formal science instruction in English. However, the problems differ from those of both students of English as a foreign language and students studying their first…

All language use, including written school language, is rhetorical and communicative, and both composing and reading textbooks are rhetorical situations that include interactions and transactions. One issue concerning text characteristics is whether the diverse parts that authors play influence how students learn from their books and respond to…

Noting that many elements of the English classroom--printed books, paper, pens, and typewriters--now considered indispensable were once innovations in technology, the articles in this focused journal issue explore the impact of electronic technologies on the English classroom and how to adapt those technologies to instruction. The essays deal with…

This guide suggests techniques for teaching skills in summary writing to students of English as a foreign language (EFL) in scientific and technical fields. Activities include: pre-summarization (identification of thesis sentences, conclusions and other essential components, multiple readings, notetaking and text-marking); summarization activities…

This student guide is intended to assist persons employed as supervisors in developing writing skills. Discussed in the first four sections are the following topics: when to write (writing versus talking, writing as backup, writing for efficiency and to overcome time lags, and passing the message); how to write (making writing simple, clear, and…

A study investigated the types of writing assignments commonly found in undergraduate natural sciences and engineering courses. The study was used as a basis for the development of composition courses for limited-English-speaking students in these fields, the most popular fields of study among foreign students. Eighty take-home assignments given…

This book is a step-by-step guide to the logical writing of meaningful and practical vocationally oriented reports. The book contains an introduction and 12 additional chapters. The introduction defines vocational evaluation reports and discusses the skill, art, and science of meaningful report writing. The 12 chapters cover the following topics:…

A study provided the initial test of a multidimensional instrument based on the idea that syntactic language choice might predict writing apprehension. The test measured six factors: (1) blank page paralysis, (2) general affect toward writing, (3) positive/negative business affect, (4) alternative modes, (5) attitude toward writing competence, and…

This guide for writing research or technical reports discusses eleven basic elements of such reports and provides examples of "good" and "bad" wordings. These elements are the title, problem statement, purpose statement, need statement, hypothesis, assumptions, procedures, limitations, terminology, conclusion and recommendations. This guide is…

Materials contained in this instructional module are designed to assist the elementary classroom teacher in gaining the necessary skills for developing a career education unit of work. The module is structured around four enabling objectives: (1) Correctly construct a goal statement, (2) correctly construct a behavioral objective, (3) define goal,…

A study was conducted to determine if increasing the redundancy of sections in scientific articles where typical readers became bored or confused would have a desirable effect on other readers. Undergraduate journalism students applied R. F. Carter's signalled stopping technique to two different science articles by indicating points where they…

The 42 papers in this volume discuss a variety of technical writing topics. The following are some of these topics: (1) industry's views on new directions in technical communication, and the technical writing skills that industry needs; (2) an interdisciplinary approach to teaching technical report writing in the community college; (3) designing…

This report is a summary assessment of the contents of the FY 78 Year End Reports on Youth Employment and Training Programs (YETP) and Youth Community Conservation and Improvements Projects (YCCIP) programs that were submitted to the National Office of Youth Programs. Section 1 introduces the study. It covers Youth Employment and Demonstration…