Discusses the needs and problems of English departments identified by the MLA's l982 "Report of the Commission on the Future of the Profession." Discusses the "traditional" and "nontraditional" aspects of humanities education, disciplinary and general education, and the political, economic, and intellectual upheavals…

Power relations between professors and graduate students are fluid, in many ways under continuous negotiation. This is especially true in electronically mediated interchanges. Although a professor's power and authority far from disappear in a MOO (multi-user object-oriented domain) session, the power and influence of the students rise to challenge…

This lecture, by a professor of English and literature who is a recipient of the AAU (Association of Atlantic Universities) Instructional Leadership Award, states that the lecturer does not have a lot of faith in faculty development as a way of improving university teaching. The lecture also states that the professor is generally skeptical of…

Urges that college English departments play a greater role in both adult education and secondary level English education. (AEA)

Patricia Bizzell argues that inquiry into ethics and English studies is paralyzed by the view that "the imposition of ideological agendas...[is]...morally questionable," yet "our moral sensibility motivates us to promote particular ethic positions." The field is caught in this dilemma because its postmodern skepticism forces it…

An exploration was made of the discursive conventions for inscribing a reciprocal relationship between research activities and teaching practices typical of articles published in "College Composition and Communication." The study looked at 31 essays published in the 1993 volume. Ten recurring features of the articles were identified;…

Although most programs in technical communication reside in English departments where the focus is on writing, rhetoric, and exposition, the graduate certificate program in interactive multimedia at Mercer University is being developed for the Technical Communication Department within the School of Engineering. As a result, many of the…

The department of English at West Chester University, Pennsylvania provides a laboratory for examining the situation of composition in a department that has documented its dedication to a unified study of English based on attention to reading and writing. The department adopted a "Statement of Coherence" that signals a dialectic: the…

Communication among teaching assistants can be as complicated as communication among full time faculty members, so that power relationships influence the rhetoric they use when they talk about being students, teachers, and professionals. Analysis of the political dimensions of teaching assistant interaction in the English department at the…

Among the changes that have characterized English studies over the past 25 years is an increase in self-reflection. The rise of various kinds of writing collectively labeled "theory" has influenced this move to scrutinize actions and motives. Composition studies have developed classroom strategies for asking students to reflect on their…

Writing in Western culture requires mastery of both rhetorical theory and the expressive writing often promoted in composition studies, however great the conflict between them might be. The tension between these two poles can even be a source of excitement and motivation. Landmark composition studies such as those of James Britton and Janet Emig…

Teaching in the two-year college, which was once considered to be a stepping-stone to teaching at a four-year college or university, has become a unique profession in itself. In the years ahead, community colleges should be actively involved in cooperating in developing English curricula. Prospective teachers of English at two-year schools need to…

Proposes practical suggestions for department chairpersons in dealing with academic deans. Adds some thoughts about the need for more serious continuing education programs at the college level. (NKA)

Reflects on being selected as the first female head of the English department. Discusses the selection process (done at a poker game), women's academic advancement, power, and job related responsibilities. (EL)

Examines the underlying meaning of the phrase, "writing across the curriculum," its various administrative forms, and its implications for the faculties of colleges, particularly for English department faculties. (AEA)