Updates and supplements a previous survey by Chapman and Tate. Indicates the type and number of specialized nonfiction writing courses available for graduate and undergraduate English majors and discusses changes in course offerings and enrollment between 1975-76 and 1985-86. (SD)

Describes a course designed to improve writing ability and ability to use chemical literature, emphasizing course materials, teaching techniques, and effectiveness based on two years of experience. (SK)

Recounts a technical writing institute presented by a delegation of North American technical communication faculty to Chinese English as a foreign language teachers. Discusses planning the 10-day technical writing institute; challenges and assumptions about teaching technical communication in China; institute lectures and activities; and institute…

The demand for skilled technical editors is growing as society places increasing emphasis on receiving accurate, concise, and complete technical data. Since many organizations do not have inhouse programs for training technical editors, a need exists to provide inexperienced people with basic editing skills. One organization has developed two…

The use of interpretive reporting techniques and programs offering real world training to writers may provide solutions to the problems encountered in writing about science for the mass media. Both science and environmental writers have suggested that the problems they face would be decreased by the use of more interpretive and investigative…

Describes a year-long collaboration to teach legal research and writing alongside civil procedure. In fall, civil procedure topics were used for writing assignments, in combination with simulation and demonstration exercises based on that case. In spring, students wrote briefs on motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment in a second case…

A project conducted during the last three years examined an undergraduate foreign language reading course, Technical Japanese, to understand the students' learning process. The course combines science with Japanese and includes note-taking skills as preparation for reading. (Contains 23 references.) (LB)

Both teaching technical editing skills in a logical sequence from introductory through intermediate and advanced levels, and helping students learn how to offer creative help to authors call for a structured approach to the editing course. Editing students should already have a firm knowledge of spelling, punctuation, and grammar, as well as…

Articles in these proceedings of a conference of the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication represent the views of professional communicators and academicians who share a concern for providing breadth and quality of preparation for present and future technical communicators. The 11 papers discuss the following topics: (1)…

The organizational report and letter writing course at Ohio University (Athens) is an advanced composition course designed to help students who expect to do such writing in their future jobs, but for whom technical writing and business communication courses are either inappropriate or insufficient. Students work in groups of four, investigating a…

A one semester high school industrial English course emphasizes the reading, writing, and speaking skills that relate to improved performance and understanding of vocational concepts. The course, particularly valuable for students who do not plan to attend college, is built around 15 units, which are varied according to student needs. The units…

A six-week course in scientific writing and publishing at the University of Florida College of Medicine covered prose, syntax, and writing style, construction of scientific papers, and the submission and review process. An advanced course is now offered due to heavy demand. Materials include scientific writing texts, comprehensive syllabi, and…

Describes a problem-based course structure (that focuses on problem solving, critical thinking, and team skills) for an upper-level business writing course that allows both English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and Native English-speaking students the opportunity to improve communication abilities in cross-cultural work groups. Discusses cooperative…

A professional writing course can help liberal arts students draw upon their knowledge of language, psychology, sociology, history, and humanities to develop marketable expertise. A west coast college's advanced writing class links liberal arts education and professional training in composition. Rather than emphasizing form, the course focuses on…

Law schools should require excellence of all students, and mastery learning is a technique useful for structuring entire curricula or course segments to achieve high standards. A Rutgers course in contracts, torts, and legal research and writing developed to apply mastery learning strategies has proven successful. (MSE)