Describes the writer's experiences teaching American business writing in Russia and attempting to find documents for comparison of Russian and American approaches to business communication. Finds that the most documents common in the United States are rare or nonexistent in Russia; there, documents exist largely to show to officials rather than to…

Notes that while many technical communication instructors declare the benefits of client projects, too often instructors do not prepare students to interact with clients. Reviews a qualitative case study that demonstrates the difficulty students can have interacting with clients. Relates how students may not always be prepared to listen or respond…

Discusses idea strategies that can help the learner comprehend and communicate, and composition strategies that can be applied to writing for communication. Highlights include thought starters; information evaluation phases, including analyzing the audience; strategies in writing management; drafts and revisions; and introductions and conclusions.…

Suggests that through Kenneth Burke, writing teachers can approach writing as something to be feared, something to approach with trembling and mortification. Examines Burke's notion of how language "goads" writers to eliminate the response of others. Examines contemporary and Burkean approaches to writing that would help students to…

Lists alternative ways to present the same story: traditional, narrative, radical clarity, and point of view. Presents a four-step plan to assess what readers want to see and how to meet that need. Provides a cautionary note about how to avoid "bad" text. Explains that readers like variety, and suggests different ways to present visual…

Cites legibility, distinctiveness, handsomeness, and appropriateness as benchmarks for creating and assessing constants used in newspapers and magazines. Presents a history of where these elements originated. Adds that the masthead usually anchors the editorial page and should carry a smaller version of the logotype--other information should…

Discusses the use of the verb "said"--the verb of neutrality--and states that it is a good writer's trusted literary companion. Cites various examples of its use in promoting objectivity in stories, and offers advice from grammar writers as to using "said" effectively. (PA)

Considers how the Internet offers new opportunities for both audience research and content analyses, but notes that old problems researchers have encountered over the years remain. Notes that mass communication research will be better off or worse off depending on the skill of researchers in using the Internet. (SC)

Describes an argument workshop that can demystify the concept for students by revealing to them how much they already know about persuading an audience. Concludes that an argument workshop helps students see the authors included in their textbooks as individuals who drew from a repertoire of argumentative techniques to persuade an audience. (SG)

Outlines Willard Van Orman Quine's theory of language in the generation of empirical knowledge, gleaned from two works from his voluminous ouvre. Draws connections between Quine's theory and that of Richard Rorty, the American pragmatist philosopher. Sketches how this theoretical perspective can be applied in the technical communication classroom…

Uses the term "shape shifting" to describe a set of evolving, institutionalized practices that are open to both dark and benign interpretations. Discusses ways to foster diversity. Presents a practical guide on how graduate programs can be more proactive in preparing students for positions that demand a diversity of specialization and skills. (SG)

Outlines four goals of the ideal literate self and describes them as an active response to various abuses of the "political potential of the personal." Recognizes that literacy is a trope and poses a literate self in the interest of social justice. Discusses four abuses and three examples regarding the politics of critical affirmation.…

Suggests how the teaching of "you-attitude" (or "you-perspective") in business communication classes can be enhanced by using politeness theories, case grammar, and information structure. Uses a brief written announcement to show how these linguistic theories can inform specific writing strategies. Suggests that a "you-attitude" is gradable…

Presents an interview with Randy Powell, an author who has published several novels about teenagers who are finding their way through unsettled lives. Shares his belief that when you write from the heart, you do not have any choice about the themes and stories you write; they choose you as much as you choose them. (SG)

Discusses the use of literature clusters (8 to 12 children's books on a particular topic) to enhance learning and instruction. Concludes that the process of developing a literature cluster on intergenerational relationships will result in a cluster that expresses both the participants' experiences and their understanding of the intended audience.…