Demonstrates how grading students journal can be made easier by making the journals goal-oriented, such as using them as the basis for exams. Suggests that journal assignments can involve more complex learning tasks such as analyzing, interpreting, and applying course materials in specific ways. (PA)

Describes ways in which freshman composition classes can be made more interesting, such as the use of cliche analysis. Defines cliche, and provides some appropriate examples for classroom use. (PA)

Aims to teach students how to merge the realms of creativity and analysis by using metaphors. Presents various activities to develop metaphorical thinking and writing skills. (PA)

Describes three writing assignments (on a scientist, a topic in science, and a topic in technical communication) that help technical writing students develop their technical backgrounds, familiarity with reference materials, peer editing skills, and writing skills. (RS)

Discusses writing assignments based on the SOAP technique, which has four primary elements: the Subject, the Occasion leading to the writing, the Audience, and the Purpose. Describes using the technique in a social studies classroom. (RS)

Argues that a prevalent mistake made by teachers preparing writing curricula and assignments is dividing writing into classes or modes. Suggests alternatives to classifying writing. Envisions writing as a discourse act and assignments as performance of such acts. (HB)

Describes a senior-year requirement of a high school in Oregon consisting of a prescribed research paper. Demonstrates the benefits of this requirement among those in college writing courses. Argues that freeing students to choose a topic may be the key. (HB)

Discusses the rationale for experimenting with diverse discourse alternatives in writing classrooms. Offers examples of the readings that inspire the author and her students, as well as samples of student essays. (SR)

Discusses a form of poetry written for two voices--two side-by-side columns, each read by a different voice. Mentions precedents of this form in art, music, and poetry. Presents examples of fourth grade, high school, and university students' poems written in this form. (RS)

Describes two assignments conducted during the first few days of class that introduces students to the concept of format, provides a writing sample from each student, and furthers the process of students getting to know each other and the teacher. (SR)

Presents a nine-assignment sequence that has students engage three interconnected problems of writing and word processing. (SR)

Describes a business communication assignment in which students participate in a formal meeting (on coursework and evaluation) and later analyze the group processes. Notes that written activities from each student include preliminary memos, minutes of the meeting, and comments on group processes. (SR)

Uses two direct writing assignments to show that performance assessment denotes the kind of student response to be examined, whereas authentic assessment denotes assessment context. Although not all performance assessments are authentic, it is difficult to imagine an authentic assessment that would not also be a performance assessment. Educators…

Describes an assignment in which students interview businesses to learn about the kinds of writing done in that business and then assess the rhetorical context of such writing. (SR)

Describes how generating effective advertising copy affords students practice in aspects of persuasive writing, such as developing a thesis, refuting counter-arguments, and writing in a comparison-contrast mode. Notes that this approach helps students negotiate the problematic shift from expressive to persuasive discourse without losing their…