The roots of technical writing are deeply planted in the field of mining engineering, with its emphasis on economics, value, and social stability. In the mid-16th century, Georgius Agricola published "De Re Metallica," a compilation of knowledge about mining and metallurgy. Agricola sought to explain the reasoning behind some of the…

The purpose of this paper is to assess the differences in university oceanography students' scientific writing. Specifically, the authors examine the argumentation structures of a high scoring paper and a low scoring paper. This study was conducted in an introductory level oceanography course in a large public university. In this course students…

Focusing on satisfying the theatrical feature film audience, this book provides writers with the tools necessary to successfully create and market a screenplay. It includes "scribble exercises" every few pages--specific activities and questions to stir readers' reactions. Chapters in the book are: (1) Drama Is Conflict; (2) Satisfying…

This lesson uses artworks as inspiration for narrative writing: students in grades 6-8 will have the chance to think critically about their interpretations of the events in an image and to write a story that tells background on the image or extends details on what has happened. During two 50-minute lessons, students will: demonstrate knowledge of…

This paper describes, reflects on, and analyzes the process of engaging student writers in a creative-critical writing workshop in which they not only work toward presenting a portfolio of original work, but are engaged in performance, dramatic intervention, and creative challenges to texts. The paper explains how students are invited to meet…

This book describes "Writing Pictures," a daily developmental writing exercise in which students visualize a moment in their life of their own choosing, sketch it quickly, and write four guided sentences in paragraph format about it. Beginning with level one, it takes students through the basic format, and, with time, students progress upward…

This guide is for students working on dissertations that are based on qualitative research. The guide attempts to frame the dissertation process as a set of iterative cycles of deliberation which include facing the dissertation, moving into the dissertation, crafting the research proposal, proposing the study, living with the study, entering into…

This book contends that, by putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), young people can learn to express their true feelings, understand themselves, create, re-create, and explore who they are and want to be. The book stresses that besides developing and sharpening creative communication skills, personal writing is even good for mental health…

This article suggests one way of categorizing types of factual writing and introduces a teaching strategy for developing students' awareness of structural and language features of many factual genres. It is based on genre theory and the idea that generic structures of texts are determined by the purpose of the text. Six nonfiction genres are…

Students undertaking research degrees, particularly Ph.D. degrees, are expected to write and publish refereed journal articles. Students from non English-speaking backgrounds and cultures (NESBC) can find this process particularly difficult. Students become familiar with the genre of the research article through reading the journals. However, as…

To illustrate the principles of partial specification in writing research, six emerging paradigms of writing research are considered. It is shown that each of these paradigms makes contradictory claims as to what constitutes the principal causative context of classroom writing competence. The sociopolitical implications for these paradigms are…

Describes a case study of the composing strategies used by a professional writer, Donald Murray, concentrating on his planning and revision processes. (FL)

Suggests that through commenting on their own papers, students gradually develop a sense of an imagined external audience and of themselves as writer and audience. (MM)

Discusses the composing skills that students need to acquire on their way to becoming better writers. (AEA)

Describes some of the insights that an Eastern perspective, particularly the tradition of Zen, might give to the act of writing. (HOD)