Concerns arise about two of the most widely used measurements in writing research because of faulty logic in the construction of the Writing Apprehension Test and the possibility of incomplete analytic procedures using T-unit analyses. Two experiments were conducted to address these concerns. Results are discussed. (Author/MT)

Middle school students use note writing not only as a natural response to real social and emotional needs, but (when caught by teachers) as an indirect means to communicate with adults. Although these notes are important, it is difficult to determine if note writing makes a difference in children's success at writing or developing social skills.…

Reports responses of several authors of young adult literature concerning the importance of first readers' reactions to their unpublished drafts. Offers comments on the general subject of writers' attitudes toward criticism and revision. (EL)

Suggests the teacher-written essay as a useful way for writing teachers to respond to student writing and at the same time become people who write. (EL)

Reflects on personal existential familiarity and application of old ways of teaching to produce "nothing new" but rather something effective by letting students find their own lamps and their own solutions to writing problems. (JK)

Contributors present (1) a tactical approach to paragraph patterns and comprehension that can be used on all grade levels, (2) three objectives of an instructional framework, and (3) a plan consisting of two sequential hour-long lessons that are elaborated. (JK)

Presents and discusses a descriptive paragraph useful for teaching composition students how rhetorical fragments work in writing and why sentence fragments do not. (HTH)

Causes of aliteracy, having reading and writing skills but choosing not to use them, are discussed. Ways of preventing it by making reading relevant and connecting reading to writing are suggested. Enabling preservice teachers to become confident in their ability to write is stressed. (MT)

Consists of four articles on teaching basic skills in vocational agriculture classes. Topics include (1) a survey of the current situation, (2) developing the "new" basic skills for a changing society, and (3) teaching writing skills. (CH)

Suggests having students write letters of inquiry to companies as a practical way to research a specific area and then write for a specific audience. Argues the benefits of this assignment, such as increased student motivation when writing for a real audience rather than a teacher. (SRT)

This article describes a "whole language approach" to the development of literacy and a Basic Writing Scale developed to evaluate growth in writing ability and to diagnose strengths and weaknesses in the writing of illiterate adults. (CT)

Cites examples of surprise combinations of words that give sudden pleasure to a listener or reader.

Presents an example of a poorly written memo that students must rewrite and edit for style and organization. The exercise works best with four or five students at a time. (SRT)

Suggests three stages to proposal writing that will help increase the writer's success rate and help in writing proposals faster: interview the reader/buyer; write a "yellow-pad" proposal; and use a guide for proposal writing. Also discusses how to organize a proposal. (CT)

States that incorporating a short poetry or drama unit in a composition course can stimulate both students and teachers and that the benefits include more creative thinking, better attitudes toward writing and assignments, and sharpened revision skills. (EL)