Argues that an anthology of professional essays (because of its intellectual demands) can impede rather than facilitate mastery of basic writing skills. Suggests that the main criterion in selecting readings should be a good match between the audience assumed by the chosen texts and the actual audience in the classroom. (SR)

Describes a three-week integrated art and writing unit in a freshman composition course (team taught by a visiting sculptor and an English professor), which provided students with an opportunity to explore the nature of art and the artistic process through writing. (SR)

Examines the ways in which writing teachers present themselves in a virtual classroom--a computer networked first-year composition classroom. Discusses how the teachers' online presence relate to their off-line, "live" presence. Suggests that differences among teacher are more important than similarities. (RS)

Describes the implementation of portfolio assessment in a writing program at Kenai Peninsula College, a small college in Alaska. Discusses adjustments to the program, problems, and future applications. Suggests that portfolio assessment can be useful to a writing program even if it is implemented for only one or two semesters. (SR)

Describes a method of teaching professional expository writing skills in which a teacher wrote to real professional people, some famous, and asked them to become "clients" for first-year student researchers by requesting specific information. Argues for the feasibility and success of this project. (HB)

Advocates a revival of oral communication, historically an element of classical rhetorical training. Points out that talk that focuses on noticeably literary texts and approaches does not encourage dialogic inquiry. Provides a model for fostering more casual discussion of student writing and literary texts. (HB)

Finds significant differences in level of writing apprehension among students in Freshman Composition based on grades in Freshman Composition but not based on a student's age or gender. Finds significantly greater writing apprehension among accounting majors than among non-accounting majors. (SR)

Describes a class discussion in the author's first-year composition class at a New York City community college, after students read a volume of Sappho's poetry. Discusses issues of reading comprehension, poetry, gender-preference prejudice, and how they were all set straight by one student from Brooklyn. (SR)

Shows how some key postmodern ideas about texts forced a teacher and her students to rethink typical writing assignments and typical student responses. Describes the assignments and considers how they invite postmodern critique. Suggests giving up grandiose, romantic notions that Freshman Composition can fix students either personally or…

Describes and analyzes a process for the training of in-service teachers of first-year college writing courses, based on reciprocal classroom visits of writing teachers. Argues for the value of these peer visits for both visiting teacher and visited teacher, engendering reflection as well as direct learning as apprentices. (SR)

Explores how shaming rituals and shame responses define the pedagogical scene portrayed in William Coles, Jr.'s novelistic account of a semester-long freshman English writing course, "The Plural I--and After." Argues that this novel does not fully embrace the vexing trope of the hero quest present in most other ethnographic research on composition…

Examines the theoretical and pragmatic objections to first-year composition courses raised by recent abolitionists who are composition insiders. Assesses four frequently proposed alternative models of first-year composition. Discusses evaluating these alternatives from the perspective of a writing program administrator's dual roles of curriculum…

Notes how early junior college compositionists sought to socialize a largely working-class student body into a middle-class sensibility. Argues that educators must make time to create historical narratives of two-year colleges as a valuable precursor to fighting for institutional reforms within institutions. Analyzes the manner that curriculum…

Analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of a project that used a peer group leader to help build bridges between basic writers and academic writers. Discusses the implications for the further use of peer group leaders in basic writing. (NH)

Describes the experiences of the author as she tries to transfigure her students enrolled in freshman writing and college preparatory writing classes at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon (located in the "dry side" of the state). Addresses students' racism, homophobia, and distrust of their own skills in writing. (RS)