Examines the relationship between technical writers and their texts. Suggests the amount of ownership any writer has varies depending on context; therefore, in technical writing, the more a document represents an organization, the less likely the words and ideas are to be solely under the control of the writer. (NH)

Offers a brief history of portfolio assessment, addresses question teachers should consider when implementing portfolios, and gives a classroom scenario using portfolios. Describes the impact of portfolio grading on students, discussing power issues and student attitudes, and increasing student power. (SR)

Argues that students need a course in grammar and that the teaching of grammar should not be considered remedial. Discusses grammar at the college level, and making grammar relevant to high school and college students. (RS)

Surveys British academics. Reveals a divide between writers who favor a word processor as their main writing tool and those who favor the pen or pencil. Finds that word processors are both indirect and delayed. Suggests that educators may need to legitimate handwritten drafts or reversion to handwriting for some word-processor users. (RS)

Describes a writer's professional relationship with the scholarly figure of David Bartholomae and his collection of writings. Considers the issue of authority, social class, and tone in a writer's relationship to his or her sources, subjects, or readers. (TB)

Describes the attitude of the author, a journalism instructor, who emphasizes in his classes that journalism is work worth doing, even fun, despite the fact that its hard work for low pay. Notes the importance of accomplishing this while also demanding meticulousness in students' work. Describes ways the author accomplishes this. (SR)

Interviews Kim Stanley Robinson, a well-known science fiction author. Discusses his reasons for writing science fiction, his writing influences, and writing techniques. Explains his interest in science and the relationship between music and his writing. (PM)

Describes approaches to teaching business writing that can produce effective writers. Addresses the myths that writing is impossibly hard to master, that writing skill is inborn, and that writing well means "obeying the rules." (SR)

Examines the effect of news writing instruction on the attitudes and writing performance of students in English composition classes. Finds the only significant difference between treatment and control groups is students' perception of the practicality of the writing instruction they received. (SR)

Describes a writing assignment (intended to counter some students'"writing is irrelevant" attitude) in which students write resumes and letters of application that are reviewed by personnel officers of "real world" corporations. (SR)

Examines whether accelerated college writing courses are an effective alternative to regular courses in developing writing skills. Finds that accelerated courses were less effective than the regular courses with respect to writing attitudes and percentages of student essays judged competent. (PRA)

Finds differences in writing practices (among employees participating in writing workshops) based on educational level. Finds that a large percentage of workers with graduate training write long reports, write to other experts in their field, and spend time revising. (SR)

Presents, in the first section, an autobiographical narrative about the author's mother and herself and her own daughter. Discusses, in the second section, issues raised when writing about and thus sharing aspects of a private life. (SR)

Presents an interview with Oliver Sachs. Discusses his approach to writing, including the physical pen-and-ink approach as opposed to using a word processor; his use of journals; his motivation for writing; his approach to revision; and his view of himself as a writer. (NH)

Discusses how the author and a colleague made a short videotape of students talking about their writing experiences. Describes first steps, arrangements and questions, the shoot itself, and crafting the video. Discusses uses of this video, noting the impact this infusion of student voices can have in the composition classroom, influencing the way…