Discusses a five-point rationale for teaching abstracting in technical writing classes and a step-by-step method for teaching the informative abstract. (HTH)

Describes an incremental approach to writing research papers designed to promote students' commitment and audience awareness. (MM)

A parent of a first-grade student shares examples of her daughter's written compositions and makes a plea for teaching handwriting skills in the context of real communication (letters and stories) and not as a separate activity. (RH)

Reports on a study designed to determine what kinds of writing assignments (if any) junior high school teachers required of their students. Concludes that most teachers had their students do some sort of writing. (FL)

Urges teachers to publish their students' writing. (JL)

Presents a program for effective revision procedures based on five criteria: amount/kind of detail, appropriate emphasis of content, logical progression, stylistic appropriateness, and mechanical accuracy. (PD)

Proposes that a discussion of narrative techniques and their application helps technical writing students better understand their audience's needs and interests. Discusses point of view and sequence. (HTH)

Presents commentaries on Peter Elbow's "Writing with Power." Murray comments positively on Elbow's authoratative voice, while Hashimoto observes negatively that Elbow relies on generalizations and that his previous book will likely be of more use than "Writing with Power." (HTH)

Recommends a 15-step cut-and-staple method that helps students improve their writing while learning to manipulate parts of their work in the revision stage of the writing process. Offers secondary suggestions in addition to the 15 steps. (RL)

Describes one method of responding to the sales techniques of college textbook publishers' representatives. (AEA)

Discusses seven sources for students to discover topics that are conducive to writing. The sources include the library browsing table, the mass media, a mock argument, and vague auditory or visual stimuli. (HTH)

Discusses the pedagogical consequences that follow from distinguishing invention from prewriting. Contrasts the importance of stasis in invention, and the resulting importance of writing with an audience in mind, with prewriting techniques that merely direct students toward exploring a topic without reference to an audience. (RL)

Weighs the advantages and disadvantages of using the workshop approach in college writing instruction. Focuses on inadequate instructor qualities, inadequate class mix, poor use of time, boredom, and grading procedures as problems to be overcome when using the workshop approach. (RL)

Details a method wherein advance organizers are used to help students learn to deal with cause and effect relationships in their writing. (FL)

Two school districts in southwest Washington resolved practical concerns related to the mastery learning of writing skills. (Author/MLF)