Argues that in an age of frugality, schools might achieve more by settling for less. (Editor)

Identifies a rhetoric of public theology that is specifically targeted for mass audiences in an attempt to influence religious and secular publics on public policy. Argues that such a rhetoric differs markedly from that of civil religion and displays three characteristics: expedient simplicity, existential content, and action rituals. (JD)

Presents results of a study on the effects of topic selection on holistic scoring, which supported the idea that topic effects are reflected in student writing and influence student scores. (JC)

Presents results of a survey that suggests that high school journalism courses help students gain language arts skills better than required or elective English courses. (JC)

Two experiments examined the role that college students' verbal aptitude and evaluation anxiety play in the production of persuasive letters. Results showed that verbal aptitude should be considered when predicting the quality of students writing. Taking writing anxiety into account did not increase the predictive power of verbal aptitude scores.…

Tyrone Crider, the director of admissions at Central State University speaks to black high-school students about the importance of succeeding in school and in life. He uses the Top 20 songs for inspiration, giving a traditional educational message in a non-traditional way. (MLW)

Discusses five noun-related sentence level difficulties that first-year law students have in constructing feasible arguments for the courtroom. (MS)

Reviews the major elements of short fiction to suggest the primacy of voice in creative writing, and recommends approaches for helping students develop voice in their writing. (NKA)

Draws from the work of J. Kinneavy to identify text superstructures that are considered organizational patterns within larger structures: literary, expository, persuasive, and expressive writing. (HOD)

Reviews arguments for, but questions the validity of, the "information society" and presents a personal view of communication which includes six "laws" (e.g., communication usually fails, except by chance) and a situational model (same messages and communications may create different effects in different communication…

Recounts the gratifications of being a debate coach, which include seeing the progress of students, the increased personal contact with students, and the interesting uses of the training. (EL)

Tracks bargaining interaction and the development of arguments between school administrators and teachers (on the issue of teachers' files and evaluations) through sequential sessions and caucus meetings. Examines similarities and differences in the reasoning process on subissues that are dropped, modified, or retained in the final argument. (PD)

Reviews articles by Shoemaker, Morell, and Smith that appear in this issue and summarizes their suggestions for translating research into practice. Other, more aggressive approaches--the "survival gambit," the "cost-effectiveness ploy," the "younger-generation-is-going-to-hell argument," and the "infiltration route"--are suggested. (MBR)

Examines Plato's characteristics of ideas and guidelines for definitions in rhetorical arguments. Discusses several classroom assignments based on Platonic rhetoric with emphasis on definitions. (HTH)

Second in a series of booklets designed to assist Year 6 teachers with planning instruction to meet objectives of the National Literacy Strategy, this booklet reproduces the medium-term planning for the Autumn and Spring Terms 2001-2002 and contains detailed planning for a further Autumn Term unit (report Writing) and two for the Spring Term…