Defines the ballad as the link between the written and the sung. Explains that ballad meter is made of quatrains that alternate between four-stress and three-stress lines, and contain an "abcb" or "abab" rhyme scheme. Notes that ballads are mnemonic devices and tell stories. Discusses modern balladeers and describes ballad writing assignments. (PM)

Describes a 9th grade required course, Social Issues, and a related writing assignment. Students investigated an issue of personal interest to them and produced a paper with reflective and analytical writing. Six girls sparked a critical comprehension of reality. Data from interviews, focus groups, and papers indicated that the project enhanced…

Considers how theories of writing grounded in cultural studies and ethnographic writing have explicitly taken up questions of writing students' relations to cultures and communities outside the academy. Considers disciplinary influences in ethnographic writing. Discusses the reenvisioning of the politics of postmodern ethnography. (SG)

Defines the boundaries between "realist" literature and science fiction and fantasy. Describes science fiction writing assignments. Mentions science fiction and fantasy books suitable for the uninitiated reader. (RS)

Provides directions for making four-page fold-a-books for children to use when authoring their own books. (MG)

Describes an advanced desktop publishing course that combines instruction in a few advanced techniques for using software with extensive discussion of such design principles as consistency, proportion, asymmetry, appropriateness, contrast, and color. Describes computer hardware and software, class assignments, problems, and the rationale for such…

Reviews the arguments for and against teaching the traditional five-paragraph essay model. Describes a teaching approach in which students critically examine these arguments while learning the principle features of the five-paragraph essay. (SR)

Describes 3 assignments for introductory-level business writing students (who have already learned the fundamentals of document design) that present design challenges in a sales letter, a resume, and a memo report and instructions, to be introduced in class over a period of 8 to 10 weeks. (SR)

Describes one teacher's difficulty in getting his eighth-grade students to revise their writing. Discusses his successful use of writing "skeletons" to help define what revision is and to teach a structure for one type of revision. (SR)

Examines the types of documents written by 23 executives/managers in 2 different companies, finding that the most frequently written documents are memorandums and letters. Notes implications for business writing courses. Suggests that students be required to prepare a wide variety of documents in business writing courses. (SR)

Examines several pieces of writing (class assignments as well as writing done outside of school) by the author's 10-year-old daughter. Notes the different kinds of learning promoted in them, and maintains that school writing assignments should be as "real" as possible. (SR)

Considers the problems with ranking students' written work and some of the benefits of evaluating. Argues that teachers should do less ranking and more evaluation. Discusses the limits of evaluation. Asks teachers to foster a "liking" for their students' writing. (HB)

Maintains that composition teachers should urge students to combine linear, objective, abstract masculine tradition with its opposing circular, sensual, subjective, contextual, committed discourse of femininity. Advocates doing so by using the essay to explore a contemporary controversial issue. (SR)

Describes an assignment in which students write a business report on a company they would like to work for, thus providing motivation while they learn the technical aspects of writing a business report. (SR)

Describes a method for developing writing expertise in English-as-a-Second-Language students that involves a sequence of five writing assignments. The method addresses the concerns of writing teachers and researchers and provides students with experience in academic writing. (12 references) (VWL)