Investigates the coherence of nonstandard discourse linguistic sources. Provides examples, such as experimental writing and schizophrenic speech, that establish the necessity of the coherence mechanisms. Emphasizes that, by ignoring nonstandard samples, researchers overlook powerful ways to test theories of discourse. (HB)

Studies the discourse competence of mentally retarded residents of a group home by examining their arguments. Shows how their arguments exhibited useful patterns and gave evidence of being an acceptable and sought after discourse genre. Outlines the features of the residents' argument patterns. (HB)

Presents a new methodology for studying children's and adults' metalinguistic knowledge of the cohesive, discourse-level properties of spoken language. Studies the abilities of subjects to detect and then to explain discourse repairs in narratives. Considers why the discourse-level functions of the markers are not open to reflection. (HB)

Studies the relations of discourse and teaching to ideological and cultural production. Argues for the initiation of cultural critique within the research and pedagogical practices of the field of professional writing. Illustrates how such a model of criticism might be developed in professional writing research. (HB)

Analyzes dynamics of an online discussion group of graduate students who teach introductory composition and literature classes at the University of California at Irvine: advantages of a listserv over a distributed mailing list; benefits of a local listserv over a national listserv; resistance to a listserv; and various "nuts and bolts"…

Describes a project to code complementation patterns of all verbs in the Collins COBUILD English language corpus, using simple notation based on words and word classes rather than traditional functional categories. This is the first pedagogic grammar to integrate syntax and lexis using corpus data. Explores the possibility of using a pattern…

Analysis of 150 years of accident news writing in the Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald is presented, with the aim of uncovering the genesis of the "hard" news story and locating the practice of news writing in a historical context. Parallels are suggested between the nature of accident stories and the role and concerns of print media in…

A discussion of two text-types commonly occurring in casual conversation, stories and gossip, (1) details four kinds of stories told in casual talk, (2) demonstrates that gossip is a culturally-determined process with a distinctive structure, and (3) considers implications for teaching English-as-a- Second-Language. Analysis is based on over three…

Examined both qualitatively and quantitatively the diachronic evolution of referential behavior in medical written-English discourse within a social constructivist perspective. Analyzed a corpus of 162 medical articles published in 34 British and American medical journals between 1810 and 1995. (Author/VWL)

Proposes that different contexts occur in second-language (L2) classrooms and that repair is organized differently within each context. Suggests that within each context a particular pedagogical focus combines with a particular organization of repair that is appropriate to that focus. The organization of repair within each context is sketched and…

Hypothesizes that the structure of a teacher's oral discourse is a factor that influences student learning. Sets out to establish the conceptual and discursive frameworks of three teachers. Contains 17 references. (DDR)

Illustrates how a well-designed curriculum can lead students to construct an unwanted conception. Concludes that the conceptual-change-cum-discourse perspective has the potential to integrate the affordances of both methodological approaches and past empirical accomplishments. Contains 33 references. (DDR)

Describes the Cognitive Constructions Coding System (CCCS) designed to study family members and their descriptions of their difficulties. CCCS codes the context of a Problem Elaboration Episode, a segment of psychotherapy discourse. Discusses four studies that explore the validity and reliability of the CCCS. (MKA)

Examines newspaper statements about a politician, describing their rhetorical work in the political context and suggesting that the three segments of the articles were conceptually distant texts due to the degree of ambiguity that made an insider reading difficult for foreigners. The paper discusses the double exposure needed to arrive at a…

Analyzes five fifth graders' talk about a historical fiction novel. Focuses on students' conversational competence within the three-week unit by examining their developing competence in sustaining topics and themes, taking the perspective of the "other," and developing content and theme understandings. Suggests that these abilities…