Describes several assignments and activities that focus on writing for "real-world" purposes, including writing to pen pals, government agencies, and for children or the elderly. (MM)

Investigates the effects an assigned audience has on undergraduates' attitudes, composing strategies, and persuasive writing. Finds that while assigning an audience had a limited effect on essay scores, it increased students' interest, effort, use of audience-based strategies, and ability to persuade. (SR)

Describes some of the key elements in publishing a quality yearbook. Includes what time of the year is best for publication, what to include, and what not to include. Emphasizes the importance of including faculty in a yearbook. Contains recommendations on creating a comprehensive academic and sports section. Provides tips on handling "people"…

As a college alumni organization designs a World Wide Web site for communication, it should consider why it is creating the site; features that will appeal to its audience; the effort it will take to keep information timely; adding to the site's value by offering useful, interesting information not available anywhere else; and touring other sites…

Describes ways an editor of student publications can cultivate on-going communications with the people who read and are affected by what is in the publication. (SR)

Presents generalizations about the editing process in a governmental agency. Suggests that editing is a complex, meaning-making process. Notes that the three vary greatly in their readiness to use their personal authority in interpreting the audience's needs. Suggests that editors gain authority by assuming the role of language specialists and by…

Examines the academic reputation of reference materials and their role in education. Suggests that reference writing differs from academic writing in the target audience and recency of information. Indicates that reference writing has low status among academic circles despite the great value it carries for society as a whole. (MAB)

Describes how a class of seventh graders learned to use diplomacy and effective interpersonal communication to let their teachers know how they feel. (PRA)

Continues questioning the position of the ethnographer as filmmaker in relation to those of whom the filmmaker speaks, while arguing that attention be given to the position of those to whom the filmmaker speaks. Refocuses attention on the effects of the ethnographic film in the place of its reception. (PRA)

Examines the natural language descriptions employed by American high school adolescents in talking about the kinds of communication events they experience in everyday life. Finds that adolescents describe communication events through use of setting, participant, speech act, and purpose marker terms. Differentiates nine basic clusters of…

Describes the writing theories of Lev Vygotsky, and how they are borne out by modern research. Asserts the Vygotsky's ideas show why cooperative learning strategies such as peer response groups fit into the beginning stages of the composing process. Discusses Vygotsky's zone of proximal development. (PRA)

Comments on some recent debates in audience studies. Argues that much active audience theory is in fact premised on a heavily negotiated reading (if not a misreading) of some of the earlier work that is often invoked as its theoretical basis. (SR)

Describes an assignment for a sophomore-level technical-writing course which teaches students to respond to different audiences with different needs by having them analyze and then respond to actual complaint letters (on the same topic but from two very different people). Includes successful and unsuccessful responses generated by the students.…

Offers suggestions for training librarians to work with teens. Discusses knowing the audience and including them as part of the presentation; addressing controversial topics such as gay and lesbian teens; using handouts, including an evaluation of the presentation; and some basic topics to cover. Includes recommended resources for young adult…

Uses a theoretic model of attention to messages to guide a series of laboratory/field experiments involving mass media, classroom instruction, and health interventions. Draws on individual differences in need for novelty as a basis for identifying target audiences likely to engage in health-risk behaviors and as a guide for designing messages…