Explores some of the most frequent kinds of interactions that might occur between student and teacher in a conference. (HOD)

Focuses on the nature and problems presented by grading student essays. Offers some solutions to those problems and reasons why it makes sense to put the burden of proof for grading on students so that a constructive dialog can develop between students and teacher. (TB)

Describes a videotape containing interviews with students, faculty, and external evaluators shown at the Conference on Basic Writers workshop; participants then experienced assessment techniques used to evaluate the project's success. Gives an account of the project, a detailed description of the means of assessing it, and suggestions for how and…

Presents a colloquium (based on exchange of opinions on the "Bizcom" listserv on the Internet) that explores the concept of writing well. Illustrates the influence of electronic mediation on the communication process. (SR)

Reviews briefly accounting writing skill research, discusses the subject bias prevalent in that research, and relates this weakness to a potential bias toward grammar and syntax in curriculum development. Argues that the user of accounting information is an important but neglected party in the communication process, whose input should be…

Discusses how technology complicates the submission and return of assignments in distance education courses. Notes that although software provides some solutions, marking papers and providing meaningful feedback to students in an online environment proves to be more complicated and time consuming than the traditional pen-on-paper method. Considers…

Describes a group activity for writing and evaluating poetry on "pi." Notes that the activity worked well in a high-school geometry class and that the students in the class had fun with it. (RS)

Constructs a protocol of a teacher reading and responding to a student essay. Provides a map of the various concerns a teacher can take up in reading. Creates and models a heuristic to reflect on reading and responding practices in light of one's philosophy, assumptions, and practice. (PM)

Considers how responding to students' writing can be a tricky business. Recognizes how teachers affect students' attitudes toward reading, writing and literature. Concludes that if teachers respond honestly to their students' writing as serious and interested readers, they will establish an atmosphere of trust and acceptance in which their…

Discusses implications of "readarounds" with the author's first-year English composition students. Notes that readarounds consist of student drafts circulated around an entire class, evaluated according to three or four criteria, and praised via the lavish use of highlighters. Concludes readarounds teach students to make valid suggestions on peer…

Contributes to the knowledge of portfolio systems for writing evaluation by sharing evaluative procedures and their results. Reports on the results of a survey of students evaluated using a portfolio system. Finds that students preferred the portfolio system. (RS)

The analysis of 2,369 finite clauses in 11 English-language academic articles on oceanography attempts to establish the semantic characteristics of "by" phrases as a step toward understanding the circumstances in which authors were likely to use the prepositional phrase following a passive verb form. (CB)

Advocates using audio cassette tapes for commenting on student writing. Maintains that taped comments are adaptable, effective, simple, and fast. Argues that taped comments can be focused on the writer, can respond to the writing, and can develop the writer's independence. (SR)

Describes a "Volunteer Reader" project in which volunteers from the community read and respond to student essays. Lists typical questions and answers that address the logistics of the project. Notes that the project has spread to the district level. (RS)

Examines the effects of essay topic variations on the writing performance of honors students and students of low ability taking Florida's College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST). Finds that the effects of variations in essay topics are not significant compared to general verbal ability in English and prior experiences in writing. (RS)