Presents a case study of a conversational storytelling in which a recipient redirects an ongoing storytelling. Finds that storytelling may be a way of accomplishing interpersonal activities, both for teller and recipients, and that the recipient can be an active participant in the storytelling. (MS)

A study classified 61 writing assignments from 10 undergraduate science and technology courses on the basis of audience and task specifications. Most assignments emphasized reporting on specific participatory experiences, and 25 percent of assignments specified an audience other than the course instructor. Pedagogical implications for…

Explores the decision patterns of good and below-average college freshman writers regarding available information on audience and topic. Finds that both groups tended to defer audience considerations until the revision stage. (KEH)

An approach to college faculty development applies fundamental principles of writing to improvement of the writing of college faculty. A series of rules for writing are presented in six categories: motivation; imagination; fluency; control; audience; and resilience. The rules focus more on efficiencies and economies of writing than content or…

An essayist shares ideas on the making of good speeches. Elements recommended include establishing rapport early, structuring the speech well, using language for movement, making the most of the occasion, focusing comments carefully, phrasing well, communicating purpose, having a theme, avoiding problematic vocabulary, and arriving at completion.…

Compares essays by college students from Mali and from the United States, exploring cross-culturally the influence of orality and audience or written discourse. Finds that the "other-directed," group-directed dimension of the Malians' writing contrasts with the overwhelming by self-referential dimension of the U.S. students. (SR)

Jones suggests that Johns' article recommending extensive use of real or authentic audiences in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) or English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) writing has pushed the value of authenticity too far. Johns' notes basic disagreement about some of the things ESL/EFL teachers can and should do and recommends a collaborative,…

Alumni periodicals can play an important part in a college fund-raising campaign. It captures alumni interest in the institution, provides news about campus events, and can highlight specific campus needs. Such periodicals can cover campaigns in several formats: features, news articles, dedicated section, annual report insert, regular column, or…

Suggests a method for extending feminist critiques of technology to technical communications issues, especially the balancing of gender biases. Provides possibilities for the application of feminist theory to technical communications. (HB)

Examines the process of media supplementation in the Stanford Five-City Multifactor Risk Reduction Project, a long-term trial of communitywide cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Indicates that accessible awareness media disseminated early in the education campaign promoted use of information-rich depth media later. Suggests that information…

Looks at how the theories of William Perry and Jean Piaget explain choices students made in writing persuasive essays. Examines the implications of their theories for teaching persuasion to eighteen-year olds. (SR)

Asserts that role-playing peer-response groups provide effective feedback and help students develop a sense of the characteristics of a particular audience. Illustrates with a sample lesson (a college application essay) by outlining five steps of the process. Offers other uses of the role-playing peer-response groups method. (PRA)

An informal survey of ghostwriters confirmed that communication is vital to success, with strategies including careful listening, getting to know the speaker well, understanding the audience, accurately reflecting the speaker's viewpoint, and fine tuning the mechanics and tone of the speech. (MSE)

Discusses developments in the field of mass communications over the last 10 years. Suggests that old polarities have been finally transcended or deconstructed and that a new set of questions is emerging which concern a range of particular issues and processes rather than generalities expressed in terms of the now untenable categories of viewer,…

Offers four brief descriptions from composition/writing teachers of class activities that work well for them, addressing using a grocery list to help students understand why audience awareness is important; using group work to help students analyze literature; having students define and describe good writing; and helping students with specified…