Surveys sources of news stories written by students in a media writing course concerning issues such as accuracy of facts, correct information, and use of direct quotes. Notes that having news sources respond to students' stories helps them to understand the importance of accuracy in writing and the implications of working with sources. (PA)

Argues that a checklist of what is required can help clarify the demands of writing and turn them into manageable items or practice units. Notes that skills involved in designing and applying checklists resemble those required for dealing with writing tasks on campus and/or at work. Focuses on using checklists to improve report writing. Discusses…

Addresses the problem of a handful of indefinite pronouns that can be either singular or plural without a change in spelling. Outlines guidelines for using the words "most,""all,""any,""some,""such," and "none." (PM)

A random sample of 305 principals was drawn from the membership roosters of 4 Principal Centers. Responses from 100 principals (33 percent) show that there is a relationship between writing apprehension level on performance of job writing skills. Advises school administrators to take courses in current written communication practices. (six…

The study compared the written expression of 56 fourth to fifth grade remedial readers and achieving readers. Significant differences favoring the achieving readers were found in three areas: productivity, syntax, and level of ideation. Remedial readers tended toward the same kinds of errors as achieving readers but with an increased frequency.…

Describes how the author changed his pedagogical stance to address students' interests and concerns in a college composition course. Argues that this approach helps explore students' educational values and improves the quality of their writing. (MM)

Analyzes the work of Horace Greeley, and outlines Greeley's view of good journalistic traits. Notes that Greeley believed that revision was the key to improving writing. (MM)

Describes how writing news releases can teach technical writing students audience analysis, formatting, conciseness, clarity, objectivity, editing, and style. (MM)

Argues the benefits of introducing S. I. Hayakawa's "abstraction ladder" to students. Discusses its implications for developing good writing and thinking skills and ways to use it with students. (RAE)

Students can learn to write better through work that emphasizes brainstorming, researching and selecting a topic, organizing and drafting ideas, revising and focusing, and editing and proofreading to make writing useful and meaningful. Writing must be integrated into all courses if students are to join the mainstream of the information processing…

Describes how allowing students to break the rules of standard writing can increase students' creativity in their written expression. Discusses several traits of this alternate style, or "Grammar B," including sentence fragments, double voice, lists, and spelling variations. (MM)

Explores the founding document of present-day New Zealand, the "Treaty of Waitangi," in terms of the Maori chiefs' signatures and their significance in European and tribal custom. Notes that most of the signatures on the original treaty were approximately 5mm high and were subsumed by the attempted European spellings of the names of the…

States that socially-oriented scholars think that context-specific writing skills that address the text's social milieu should be taught, whereas cognitively-inclined scholars think that models that can be adapted to a variety of writing contexts should be taught. Argues that synthesis is necessary to teach students to write in a variety of…

Notes that, although writing instruction is appropriate, students need to have the opportunity to practice daily what they have learned. Discusses a number of ways teachers can developmentally influence students' processes of becoming good writers. Suggests that motivational activities that create, build, evaluate, and edit writing help students…

Examines the effectiveness of grammar checking computer software in the journalism classroom. Finds that grammar checkers, in their current stage of development, may detract from learning rather than enhance it because of numerous errors in students' writing that went undetected. (RS)