Studies the visual markers which students employ in writing descriptive and instructional text. Applies the guidelines approach, design decisions approach, and the information/reader model approach. Reports that beginning technical writing majors used fewer illustrations and visual markers than did technical majors. Suggests that the results may…

Describes a set of writing assignments in a high school English class in which students research controversial, complex issues and then write letters to government officials or persuasive essays for other students, thus learning about persuasive writing, and civic action, and becoming more exacting in their language and more precise in their…

Introduces humanistic ways of bringing students into the world of letter writing. The article deals with correspondence in which students are writing to someone, offers useful techniques for getting students to write to each other in class, and suggests ways of providing students with various kinds of masks from behind which to write. (VWL)

Outlines a text-based, interactionist approach toward writing and written communication. A brief analysis of the working drafts and revisions of a first-year college student's essay is offered to illustrate how key textual features function reflexively to establish and sustain the evolving but mutually held rational grounds of school writing and…

Discusses an unsuccessful English 101 writing assignment in which students were asked to analyze a Gary Larson cartoon. Examines critically the type of assignment that seeks to address and incorporate the student writer's "local knowledge" of cultural texts, while at the same time containing what counts as knowledge within limited parameters of…

Presents a teaching strategy that bridges expressivism and social constructionism. Discusses finding the sociopolitical and the cultural in the personal and describes seven steps centered on storytelling and autobiographical writing by which students connect their cultural backgrounds, their own individual ideas and values, and those of mainstream…

Argues that understanding assignments is the first step toward successful college writing. Urges instructors to support students by helping them to decode assignments. Breaks down instructions into individual tasks including (1) writing an essay, (2) examining an issue, (3) reviewing articles and books, and (4) focusing on some texts. Defines each…

Provides practical, research-based suggestions for improving reading and writing skills of college science students. Describes characteristics of skilled science readers. Explains how to select reading materials that make sense and what teachers can do to improve reading assignments. Lists traits of skilled science readers and offers suggestions…

Suggests the bachelor's paper as an alternative to testing for sociology majors. Explains that the paper enables the student to use the discipline's theoretical and methodological tools to address an important topic. Explores the advantages and disadvantages of the paper. Suggests that the assignment promotes assessment both of the student and the…

Summarizes a student-conducted telephone survey involving 200 interviews on the topic of dating. Describes the process of organizing and carrying out the survey. Notes that the project was exciting and beneficial for both students and professionals involved. (HB)

Describes two activities in a second-grade class that use drawing and writing to explore fractions. (SR)

Gives seven responses from practicing English teachers concerning ways that they have implemented the writing of various kinds of letters by students into the English curriculum. Demonstrates the efficacy and success of such methods. (HB)

Offers a range of classroom, writing, research, and small-group activities on racial issues for the social studies classroom. Deals with stereotypes, racial issues at school and beyond the classroom, and building alliances. (SR)

Offers techniques to make book reports a more meaningful experience for students. Suggests guidelines for book selections and for what the students should look for in their reading. Lists alternatives to traditional book reports that allow an evaluative approach to reading and provide an opportunity for creativity and critical thought. (DK)

Describes a student research project in a business communication course in which student researchers practice a wide variety of communication skills (oral communication, research, writing, and professional writing skills) as they manipulate their collected data into a persuasive report. (SR)