Describes a model that distinguishes seven types of meaning that can function in reading: discoursal, lexical, morphological, propositional, syntactic, rhetorical, and functional. (MKM)

Demonstrates that (1) in a theory of comprehension, global coherence must refer not just to the availability of a macrostructure, but also to its ease of construction; and (2) the topic-comment assignment at the sentence level can be an important influence on the reader's perception of the passage topic. (FL)

An unofficial study is recounted in which professional journals from various disciplines were examined to see whether writing styles were appreciably different from one another. An appendix with excerpts from some of the journals, with varying degrees of coherence is included. (HTH)

Focuses on sources of distortion and other inaccuracies in the work of oral historians and explains that such problems result from efforts of informants and historians to make a narrative more easily understood by the audience. Considers various efforts by oral historians to minimize distortion by using greater care and rigor in conducting,…

Submits that Martin Luther King's persuasiveness in his writings may be attributed not only to his structure, logic, and ethos, but even more to his creative, eloquent, and commanding use of the English language. Supports this argument with examples from King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." (RL)

Reviews the kinds of discourse analyses that are currently being undertaken, summarizes research findings, and makes suggestions based on these findings for structuring texts to be used for instructional or informational purposes. (Author/MER)

Observes that college students seem to produce a very pure form of epideictic discourse, an Aristotelian mode appropriate to speeches before the general public. Considers the implications of this observation, why teachers should understand college students' fascination with the epideictic, and how teachers can show them its appropriate and…

Reviews research which indicates that children should be taught to consider their purpose for reading and should receive feedback on whether they have achieved their purpose. (MKM)

Discusses the referential meanings of nouns within discourse with emphasis on their anaphoric role from one phrase to another. (Text is in French.) (TL)

Questions the thesis that the emphatic English "do" can only be analyzed in terms of discourse context, as opposed to sentence structure. (Text is in French.) (AM)

Explores both paranoid and non-paranoid political discourse including the nature of the evidence and the extent to which such evidence is distorted. Contends that study results affirm the value of the Hofstadter evidence-inference dichotomy. (MH)

Presents a case study of the United Colors of Benetton advertising campaign as a conscious strategy to transform advertising into a broader category of communication. Argues that the campaign reflects the discomfort created by the postmodern dilemma of arbitrary meaning. Analyzes selected advertisements from the campaign. Recommends further study…

Explores the role of discourse analysis in psychotherapy, change-process research. Focuses on how available linguistic resources, or cultural meanings, can both construct the client's problem and negotiate its solution. Discusses the implications of studying therapeutic change as a discursive activity comprising the use and negotiation of…

Examines a representative World Wide Web page about India to determine ways in which it addresses the "ingroup" of diasporic Indians and "outgroup" visitors to the site. Identifies several textual strategies including modes of formatting, use of language, specific selection of images and multimedia elements, and specific links…