A study investigated the degree to which the page layout of a book affects the young reader's association of text with appropriate illustrations. Four hundred native French-speaking third-graders in eight Montreal (Canada) schools participated. In a third-grade text about animals, the names of the animals illustrated in pictures and other words…

A practicum was designed to help 40 students enrolled in creative writing classes at a suburban high school develop criteria with which to evaluate the aesthetic qualities of what they read. They were able to discern the differences between good and bad literature. Students were active participants in the process, performing skits, writing prose…

Communication theorists often make a distinction between two different ways in which a sign or a symbol can evoke meaning. In digital representation, the symbol's domain of reference is conceptually carved up into discrete units represented by purely arbitrary symbols. In analogical representation, the symbol retains a continuous correspondence…

Sections of the newspaper "USA Today" were compared with corresponding sections of four major newspapers--the "New York Times," the "Wall Street Journal," the "Los Angeles Herald Examiner," and the "Los Angeles Times"--to determine what editorial components made "USA Today" different and…

This study investigated the performance of 28 journalism students in making structural and mechanical/stylistic editing changes in spot news stories on video display terminal (VDT) screens and in hard copy. Results showed that editing on the VDT screen resulted in more structural and fewer mechanical/stylistic changes; academically superior…

Intended for use by students at any level above grade 4, this practice book sharpens students' knowledge of basic grammar skills. The book emphasizes combining and expanding sentences as well as checking written sentences for correct use of various parts of speech. The book includes a section on capitalization and punctuation. The book is…

Intended for use by students at any level above grade 5, this practice book helps students master fundamental grammar concepts and avoid grammar errors commonly made in speaking and writing. The book emphasizes correct sentence structure and clarity of expression. The book includes editing and proofreading exercises and a section on capitalization…

"Rhetoric Review" ("RR") was founded in 1982 as an umbrella journal in composition studies with rhetoric, the most inclusive discipline in the humanities, at its center. Being editor of such a journal requires a working knowledge of production, layout, and design, besides handling other routine duties like correspondence and…

A study investigated whether newspaper mug shots are perceived by readers as being positive or negative in tone and whether the mug shots that are selected match the roles of their subjects in accompanying stories. Twenty-three news and feature stories with associated mug shots were clipped from seven daily newspapers. Pictures and stories were…

Intended for those who want to teach composition primarily and centrally and not just as an adjunct to the study of literature, this book about the composing process provides continuing opportunities to put theory into practice. It consists of the following chapters: (1) "The Composing Process Is a Continuum"; (2) "Observing; Observing Your…

Computerized spelling programs or "spelling checkers" can be a wonderful tool for writers at any level of competence. However, they should not be used as adjuncts to the teaching of writing unless they meet two boundary conditions, one of size and one of design. The problem with design of the programs is that they allow for the…

The first section of this monograph on community newspapers describes the patterns and trends of "grassroots journalism" in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. Based on interviews with 37 newspaper editors, the following topics are covered: origins and history, goals, organization and structure, method of production, advertising, content,…

A middle ground, between picky concern for correctness and mushy libertarianism, must be found on which to base effective freshman composition courses. (JH)

The theoretical language-skills model of James Britton can be used to explain the usefulness of reading instruction in developing competence in writing at the college level. Britton's model of writing, adjusted for mature writers, involves four stages: prewriting, writing, reconsidering, and editing. The first two stages, prewriting and writing,…

This state of the art review gives an overview of the history of the development of Super 8 film, and describes a range of hardware associated with it, covering such areas as camera, sound synchronization, double system recording, lighting, film processing, sound transfer, editing, sound mixing, display, and methods of distribution. It examines…