Provides a critique of two recent monographs related to the general issues of writing centers: "Writing Centers in Context: Twelve Case Studies," edited by Joyce A. Kinkead and Jeanette Harris, and "Dynamics of the Writing Conference: Social and Cognitive Interaction," edited by Thomas Flynn and Mary King. (HB)

Finds that traditional aspects of writing, such as outlining, revising, and audience analysis, rated highest in a ranking by technical communicators of 67 possible topics of an undergraduate course. Notes that other fundamentals, such as style and mechanics, were close behind. (SR)

Responds to Deborah Wells Rowe's critique of Sarah J. McCarthey's article in the same issue. (HB)

Analyzes the recognition, development, and use of the power of persuasion in American sales letters from 1905-20, as well as two other business-writing traditions that developed during this period: the "you" viewpoint and the "five C's." (KEH)

Describes a study in which 30 letters from corporation executives to shareholders were examined for readability and writing style. Concludes that letters written by executives who were viewed as successful fell into accepted levels of readability. Observes that opening paragraphs tended to be equivocal or positive. Suggests study of shareholder…

Presents the text of an account of the author's research. Notes that the text's four layers (scientific report, reflective analysis, personal history, and deliberative appeal) are each indispensable yet individually inadequate to the task. Considers the tensions among possible accounts of the research and what these tensions say about the reading…

Finds that company recruiters are most interested in the following items commonly found on a resume: address information, job objective, education, work experience, and extra curricular activities. Finds also that the use of high quality paper and typesetting is not important, and that recruiters prefer the traditional historical/chronological…

Examines writers' options in organizing comparisons. Finds that chunking of content in a systematic way is a strong predictor of holistic quality ratings, and that higher rated papers tend to be written by students with higher verbal abilities and more extensive topic knowledge. Demonstrates the complexity of the choices writers must make in…

Describes how recent research in industry and academia on collaborative writing has redefined authorship, documented writing experiences, developed models, and established guidelines for successful collaboration that include attention to both writing processes and group processes. (SR)

Investigates how job recruiters seeking to fill positions in mechanical engineering or marketing are influenced by the quality of writing in student resumes. Finds that teachers must assess how accurately they and their students understand the community's discourse practices to help students enter a professional discourse community. (PRA)

Offers a case study of a child who used school writing activities to perform rather than simply to communicate. Finds that, although the child's language resources contributed greatly to his success with written language, they did not always fit comfortably into the writing workshop used in his classroom. (PRA)

Discusses why recent studies of word processing offer contradicting results about computer-assisted revision. Examines how writers' cognitive processes for revision are affected by word processing. Finds that (1) experienced writers define revision to include more global-level changes, whereas students tend to focus on local-level concerns; and…

Critiques various forms of modernism, traditional Marxism, and liberalism from a postmodern perspective. Identifies the politics of the intellectual projects undertaken by Frederic Jameson and Patricia Bizzell as modernist and reactionary. Argues that their academic appeal lies in their conservatism. (HB)

Constructs a language-centered perspective toward the social-rhetorical construction of knowledge by juxtaposing Kenneth Burke's philosophy of language with Thomas S. Kuhn's philosophy of science. Discusses rhetoric's epistemic status and the social constructionist account of discourse production. (HB)

Presents an interview with Donna Wiseman. Discusses current programs and activities of whole language, criticism of leaders in whole language for being above any question or criticism, the existing research base for whole language, and the future of the whole-language movement. (RS)