Argues that business communication should encourage the use of plain language while breaking down the ideas that it is unprofessional to write in clear prose and that it is safer to keep prose muddy so as to avoid controversy in an organization. (SRT)

Suggestions are made for creative class activities that help students become more familiar with punctuation marks and their use. (JD)

Points out the advantages of a writing lesson in which a class of second graders jointly compose a paragraph on the basis of questions asked a selected child in the group ("the VIP"). (CI)

Examines several examples of "black holes" in the language--usages that "suck all the meaning out of a sentence." (FL)

A disturbing deterioration has been noticed recently in the editing of history books. They have mistakes in grammar, word usage, style, and punctuation. Specific examples are provided. (RM)

Notes that "The Stone-Faced Boy" illustrates author Paula Fox's clarity of insight and graceful writing. (FL)

Discusses the characteristics of a proposal generated from within a company--its focus on content, narrow arguments, and audience consideration. Describes four possible responses to internal proposals, constructing them on a grid, and offers strategies to meet the most difficult response. (HTH)

Describes what 300 titles of published works reveal about the process of writing titles and about writing in general. (DD)

Contends that the genitive apostrophe is losing its grammatical significance and its utility and will eventually be dropped. (DD)

Urges teachers to write constructive comments on students' compositions. (DD)

This module provides paraeducators with awareness of strategies that can be used to help students become better writers. The NWREL 6 + 1 Trait[R] model is offered as an example of an approach that can be used to develop and assess student writing skills and enable paraeducators to assist teachers in the instruction of writing. Paraeducators will…

Lists the qualities of good writing and suggests eight books which make words come alive and reading and writing exciting and rewarding. (RB)

Lists fourteen dos and don'ts for the beginning writer, especially the student journalist. (RB)