The 1,175 composition topics that appear in this special edition of the "Illinois English Bulletin" are suggested as possibilities for high school student writing assignments. After a brief statement about how secondary English teachers might use the topics in their classes, the topics are categorized by subject matter and types of composition.…

Recommends the resourceful, well-planned utilization of carefully selected current news stories from sophisticated publications to enrich the content of remedial writing classes. Presents three sample cases in which news items become the basis for the exploration of major social and ethical concerns. (DMM)

A detailed account of how a high school playwriting course was developed, with a list of 20 exercises. (RL)

Recommends teaching journalism as an English course or in combination with an English course to ensure the continuation of journalism education in the face of more stringent graduate requirements. Describes such a course, which includes literature, a research paper, and regular composition assignments. (HTH)

Describes how journalism students can learn basic reporting skills by writing news stories from popular children's stories, fables, rhymes, or songs. (MM)

Notes that syllabus requirements for British secondary school literature courses tacitly create a course in writing as well. Presents ways in which this writing component can be implemented, without isolating it from the literature component. (HTH)

Outlines a basic writing skills course organized around the process of transcribing reading and lecture notes from students' other classes. (HTH)

Describes the methodology and results of a survey of technical writing teachers. Respondents indicated whether their institutions offer a course in lower division technical writing and how they believe such a course should be taught. They also rated the appropriateness of various types of writing exercises. (HTH)

Solves the problem of student diversity in technical writing courses by proposing a thematic approach to course content, with appropriate materials arranged in a classroom library of case studies. (RL)

Short analytical writing exercises were designed to develop critical thinking and writing skills; stimulate creative thinking and writing; promote learning of psychological concepts; and to assess student knowledge. Design of these assignments was based on Bloom's taxonomy of multiple levels of critical thinking: recall, comprehension,…

The practical nature of technical writing is one of several concepts illustrated by the feasibility report assignment used in a technical writing course at Central Maine Vocational Technical Institute. As much as possible, the class is set up to simulate a work environment, including handouts printed as memos on letterhead paper. Students are…

Explains reasons for eliminating the requirement of "personal" writing from the curriculum in adult classes. (EL)

Describes a system for arranging assignments in a composition course that aims to prepare students for academic writing, by focusing entirely on exposition and its conceptual demands. (HTH)

Describes a writing assignment for business writing courses in which the class investigates a problem that affects them not as students but as members of a larger community. The assignment is a feasibility study for developing Athens, Ohio, as an arts and entertainment center. (HTH)

Proposes the concept of criteria formulation as an integral part of the report writing process. Suggests using the skills of analysis, synthesis, and valuing to produce readable, comprehensive, and accurate recommendation reports. (EL)