Discusses professional writers' use of "metaphorical stories" to describe their composing processes. Maintains that fiction writers' ascription of independence to their characters has profound psychological implications. Cites metaphorical stories as an important means by which authors understand and communicate their composing…

Discusses a teacher's experience writing poems with eight third and fifth graders pulled from their regular classrooms. Provides transcripts of the two poems written with the students. (SRT)

Examines definitions of written fluency, methods used to promote fluency, and some of the problems inherent in the approaches. Topics discussed include writing process, modeling, metacognition, and developmental studies. Concludes that written fluency is a multi-dimensional concept involving a range of strategies, their organization, and…

"Writing-by-process" and "writing-by-formula" are compared and evaluated. Teacher attitudes concerning both methods are examined. The author states that judicious blends of both approaches may merit continuing attention and experimentation by teachers and students. (CT)

Describes one teacher's attempts to move her students from rote learning to reasoning. Elaborates on the use of a standardized multiple-choice test as a basis for evoking students' arguments concerning defensible answers and reasons they are defensible. (JAD)

Suggests a set of sequenced writing assignments based on language use. Argues that language study involves learning how to observe as much as observing something particular. (MS)

Discusses the composing processes of speakers of English as a Second Language (ESL), and suggests teaching strategies to be used with ESL writers. (MM)

Asserts that tutoring in a college writing center is an effective way to train future composition teachers. Notes that this experience directly involves process teaching, provides a variety of pedagogical roles, and gives insight into the nature of writing assignments and teacher response. (MM)

Delineates various conceptions of and arguments about problem solving and proposes a means for dealing with these conflicts. Argues that composition studies should strive to find a common language with which proponents of opposing views can communicate with each other. (MS)

Suggests that expressive writing is important in the freshman writing course because of the motivation the writer's feelings and memories can offer. Outlines a unit on journal writing, including a cohesive series of both private and shared journal writing activities. (ARH)

Discusses the role of affect in cognitive processes. Concludes that to study the affective as well as cognitive components of composing is to acknowledge their true interrelatedness. (MS)

Presents a systematic strategy for examining topic-related knowledge prior to writing. Discusses a theory-based rationale for the measure, a formalized method for analyzing topic knowledge, and a guide for using the instrument. (JD)

Defines the term "hedging" (the use of words which make meaning less clear), focusing specifically on its nature and consequences in the teaching of the English language. Ways in which students can be made more aware of such language use and can avoid it are outlined. (CB)

Claims recent research involving premature editing--thinking aloud for the study--is too narrow in scope to allow for basic writers whose writing processes do not resemble the model. Using eight basic writers produces evidence to support the claim that many or most basic writers can write without editing prematurely.(NH)

Suggests that technical writing theory, which views the writing process as a process of design, can be applied in the writing classroom. Presents several strategies for teaching design, including teaching editing by levels, making better assignments, and stressing organization. (MM)