Argues that freshman composition courses should teach students to use writing to develop an awareness and trust in their own thinking processes. Cautions that students who get nothing but directive instruction will be handicapped in learning to think for themselves. (RS)

Recommends four books which describe how to teach children to read and write about real-world matters. States that children who are engaged with meaningful materials that they have helped select and tasks they have helped plan require less extrinsic motivation than those who are assigned meaningless materials and tasks. (MG)

States major concerns that writing instructors usually have when utilizing the writing-across-the-curriculum approach, including the fears that (1) time will be used poorly; (2) students will be overwhelmed; and (3) they themselves are not competent to manage student writing activities. Gives advice on overcoming these concerns. (KEH)

Discusses a study on how 20 adults in an undergraduate U.S. labor history class transferred writing skills and knowledge they gained from the workplace to the classroom. Determined that it is important for researchers and administrators to recognize and acknowledge the significance of this interplay to serve the interests of students more…

Argues that process writing done by a group on a common topic (individual writing with group and peer interaction on an area of shared information) is an effective way to develop writing and language skills. (RS)

Describes the writing across the curriculum movement, citing research reports and articles which discuss its advantages and disadvantages. Notes several problems involved in effectively implementing writing across the curriculum. (MM)

Establishes a broad framework from which to interpret and evaluate the reading-science learning-writing connection. Intends to outline the established links between, identify current bottlenecks in thinking about, and highlight productive inquiries into print-based languages and scientific understanding. (ZWH)

Presents an instructive outline for writing a research paper for National History Day. Organizes the process into three steps: (1) select an interesting topic; (2) develop a strong thesis; and (3) write a well-constructed paper. Includes hints on organization, technical matters, editing, and readability. (DK)

Proposes that the value of formal writing conventions has diminished. Notes that, although formal conventions are important, the findings are hard to generalize. Uses content analysis to prove formal conventions are valuable and are often justified on rhetorical grounds, suggesting the dichotomy between formalist and rhetorical axiologies is…

Analyzes synthesis essays of graduate students for the importance and origin of information and for the quality of key rhetorical moves. Confirms the interrelatedness of comprehension and composing processes and illustrates how writers, with varying levels of topic familiarity, use both their knowledge of disciplinary topics and their experience…

Describes a study which shows that pairing content and English classes has immediate benefits for students of English as a Second Language. Suggests that content and language learning reinforce each other. Shows that such a pairing helped ESL community college students compete with native speakers in a psychology course. (SR)

Argues that metaphorical language and metaphorical thought pervade the sciences and science writing. Asserts a useful bond between technical writing and poetry. Provides numerous poems uniting scientific themes with metaphorical language. (HB)

States that second-language acquisition students enrolled in developmental courses share the problem of making the transition from the personal to the abstract in discussing and reading academic topics. Reports on the collaboration aimed at increasing students' understanding of complex sociological and anthropological concepts while at the same…

Draws on the perceptions and experiences of upper-division students enrolled in writing-intensive (WI) classes in their majors at a large state university. Discusses findings as they relate to the ideologies of writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines. Suggests greater attention to a field's inquiry methods and strategies for…

Presents several cooperative learning lessons that integrate science, reading and writing. Notes that sample lessons involve six methods of cooperative learning drawn from four prominent developers and researchers, David Johnson, Roger Johnson, Robert Slavin, and Spencer Kagan. Describes the cooperative learning method to illustrate how to use it…