Picture books provide effective models for student writing. For purposes of organization and writing lessons, the models found in picture books may be divided into three groups: (1) language patterns; (2) story structures; and (3) literary elements. Language patterns include repetitive sentence patterns, verse forms, word patterns, and cultural…

This examination of an evaluation of writing based on process rather than on product argues that one of the primary functions of evaluation as a part of teaching should be to diagnose the writing strategies that underlie a writer's current performance, not just textual problems. The first half of the paper discusses the various ways teachers use…

Offers a nonverbal prewriting strategy, writer-based sketches, intended to help students turn their thoughts into words. (MS)

Outlines the characteristics of policy and procedure manuals. Focuses on some of the difficulties in writing these: (1) maintaining legality; (2) maintaining accuracy and consistency; (3) finding an appropriate style; and (4) handling the review and approval process. (JAD)

Describes methods for organizing and developing booklets of technical articles emphasizing engineering innovations, used as a marketing tool by corporate sales divisions. (JAD)

Explores the mental processes involved in preparing to write. (FL)

The article describes an approach by which word processing helps to solve some of the writing problems of learning disabled students. Aspects considered include prewriting, drafting, revising, and completing the story. (CL)

Adapts Edward de Bono's "Intermediate Impossible" strategy--for considering ideas that normally would be discarded as stepping-stones to new ideas--for use as a prewriting activity to enhance creative problem solving. (HTH)

Describes five prewriting activities for courses that emphasize writing and deemphasize discussion of literature. The activities focus on organization and theme statement so that students think about every possible subject, theme, and approach. (HTH)

Describes the use of speech communication activities as springboards for writing assignments. Focuses on interviewing, storytelling, role-playing, letter-writing, and nonverbal communication exercises. Concludes that such prewriting activities help remedial writing students in organizing thoughts, generating information, interacting with peers and…

Reports the results of a study that revealed that the instructional activities that precede writing are more important to student improvement than longer comments on the writing itself. (JL)

Professional speakers often use simple mental recipes to organize impromptu talks. The author taught these recipes to his high school composition students and used a timed trial format to give them practice in rapidly outlining their thoughts on a given topic. Thirteen of these recipes are provided. (SJL)

Reports on the difficulties a teacher had while trying to compose her first poetry assignment at the Bread Loaf School of English. (RL)

Presents teaching tips for (1) generating titles as a prewriting activity; (2) having students write a biography of a classmate; (3) asking students to determine scenarios for their business communication documents; (4) using interviewing as a method of primary research; and (5) sequencing writing assignments to help students clarify their…

Argues that students need invention strategies as well as introspection to collect information and make sense of it, but they also need instruction in discriminating among invention strategies and help in choosing the best strategy for a given writing task. Three overlooked strategies are research, collaboration, and form. (RS)