Advising student writers to think constantly about their readers, this book provides thorough instruction in the technical writing process, organizing most chapters around easy-to-understand guidelines, and providing numerous annotated examples of writing done at work. New to the second edition of the book are chapters on persuasion, using the…

A study explored the connection between reading and writing by examining the writing produced by three young readers of action comic books. The subjects were in grades four and five in a British Columbia (Canada) school and were identified by a survey as being avid comic book readers. During three writing sessions, they were asked to produce…

This article presents methods and results from diachronic studies of articles carried out within the project "LSP Texts in the 20th Century," a study of genre-bound linguistic change and variation in science and popular science in the fields of economics, medicine, and technology. The interrelationship between text and context is central for the…

During the past century, most research addressing the legibility of text in print has used adult subjects. The study reported in this paper investigated differences in reading rate and comprehension scores of eighth grade students reading from paper copy or computer screen. Three hundred eighth grade students in computer literacy classes were…

To investigate the relationship between reading ability and the detection and repair of text-based (internal) inconsistencies, a study examined 100 college students enrolled in an introductory educational psychology course at a large state university. Based on their performance on the comprehension portion of the Nelson-Denny Reading Test,…

Two variables that designers should consider when developing computer-based instruction (CBI) text screens are text density, which manipulates the context of the information presented, and screen density, which is a measurement of the amount of information presented at one time on the screen. A study on text density was designed to identify…

This study examined whether reference questions based on the text-linguistic structure of scientific literature would enable users to express their information needs effectively. Subjects with similar levels of topic familiarity completed online search forms that used open, bibliographic, or (text-linguistic) structural questions. Questions based…

Describes a technique using expository text structures and graphic organizers as the basis for taking notes from content area texts. This technique can be transferred to notetaking during lectures. (RS)

This paper addresses the role of prior knowledge in the comprehension of narrative and expository text, two major categories of discourse. The paper reviews some of the differences in the essence of prior knowledge required to comprehend each text type and then examines research on prior knowledge and conceptual change that deals with both text…

Researchers have found that readers they described as "strategic" had a purpose for reading, that they monitored their comprehension as they read, and they reflected on their reading. Although most readers have grasped fundamental reading processes by age 12, they still do not have well-articulated concepts about effective strategies to…

Describes an effective technique that teaches middle school students three patterns of organization extensively used by textbook authors and lecturing teachers: chronological order, cause and effect, and compare and contrast. (SR)

Defines Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML), a format for electronic documents that provides documentary information for efficient accessibility, dissemination, and preservation. Compares SGML to Open Document Architecture (ODA) based on standards by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and describes the principles and…

Examines through a text analysis of spoken and written discourse the meaning and function of the double genitive (DG) in English in comparison to the inflected preposed genitive. The study shows the DG to possess unique and specific pragmatic functions not adequately described for nonnative students. (22 references) (Author/CK)

Examined the role of text structure awareness in the recall of information of four expository text types: description/collection, comparison/contrast, cause/effect, and problem/solution. University-bound students of English-as-a-Foreign-Language participated in the study. Results revealed participants were most aware of the comparison/contrast,…

Describes ways in which a small group of preschool children in an urban Head Start Program responded to typical information books during read-aloud sessions. Notes results of a group pretend reading of books children had just heard. Concludes even young children are attuned to characteristics of texts. (PM)