Computer technology is expanding our profession's conception of composing, allowing visual information to play a substantial role in an increasing variety of composition assignments. This expansion, however, creates a major problem: How does one assess student work on these assignments? Current work in assessment provides only partial answers to…

Provides several research questions regarding discourse theory, which can be answered by classroom teachers of writing using their students' writing. (DD)

A defense of tagmemic theory and its value in teaching composition. (DD)

To make useful responses to students' writing, teachers must devote a good deal of effort to identifying mental processes implicit in the language of students and to refining the skills students already possess. (RB)

Discusses the extraordinary changes in pedagogy and scholarly procedure that have characterized the English profession in the past two decades. Observes that scholars let superficial differences blind them to significant connections between past and present, and too often look for disjunctions between current schools of research or approaches to…

Argues that teachers need to be aware of the diverse conceptual demands made by writing assignments in various disciplines; illustrates this by analyzing four assignments. (DD)