Three hypotheses of second-language learning (Interference Hypothesis, Input Hypothesis, Fundamental Difference Hypothesis) are applied to the case of Polish-born English novelist Joseph Conrad, to see how well they explain his language learning. The first two hypotheses fail to explain adequately his mastery of written English, whereas the last…

Examines the characteristics of rejected manuscripts submitted to the "African Journal of Library, Archives and Information Science." Most of the papers were rejected because they contributed nothing new to knowledge (65.5%), used unreliable data (13.1%) and lacked focus (13.1%). There were no remarkable differences with regard to status…

Examines journal editors' opinions concerning nonnative speakers of English as contributors, with the intention of illuminating a critical means of participation in the discipline for nonnative speakers. Results of an interview study with the editors of 12 leading journals in applied linguistics and English language teaching are discussed.…

Novelist and faculty member McPeek Villatoro, son of a Salvadoran mother and an Appalachian father, discusses his childhood in Tennessee and San Francisco, racism encountered for being Latino or Appalachian, embracing his Latino roots, similarities between Appalachian and rural Central American cultures, the importance of teachers raising…

Describes a teacher's method of motivating her sixth- and seventh-grade students to become interested in interview pieces with authors. Provides a worksheet that encourages student engagement with the interview questions. (TB)

Refereeing describes the process by which an independent expert assists a journal editor in evaluating materials submitted for publication. Discusses the history, purposes, and criticisms of refereeing, as well as technical aspects that include standards, rejection rates, interrater reliability and bias, the referees, ethics and malpractice,…

Agricultural communication departments in all 50 land-grant universities responded to a survey indicating declines in funding, total staff positions, and tenure-track positions. They reported salary ranges for editors, writers, video producers, and graphic designers. Only 6% would strongly encourage their children to choose this field. (SK)

Traces the history and content of the NACADA (National Academic Advising Association) Journal through an analysis of the content of its 33 published issues, including number and length of articles, type of author(s), methodologies, and references cited. Prominent advising themes and trends are revealed. (Author/MSE)

Presents an interview with Luci Tapahonso, professor of English and writer of poetry, short stories, and children's books that depict modern Navajo life. Describes the strong sense of language in her family, her strong sense of herself as being part of a group, the importance of story telling, and how her two children's books came about. (SR)

Introduces the symposium articles originally offered during a panel discussion, "Teaching Race and Racism in Geography: Classroom and Curriculum Perspectives," that convened at the 1998 Boston (Massachusetts) meeting of the Association of American Geographers. Draws upon several passages from James Baldwin. (CMK)

Presents a case study to test whether two large ARL libraries adequately collect the monographic publications of their local faculty members. Discusses the many difficulties in acquiring faculty member publications and concludes by suggesting means to improve acquisitions. Considers implications and applicability of these two case studies for…

Discusses Catholic school scholars and their books. Asserts that every Catholic scholar and practitioner should have books on the shelf that are relative to what is being taught. Presents a list, based on the opinions of 35 Catholic educators, of general books, practical books, and church documents that are most commonly needed. (Contains 63…

Provides background information on the painter Rockwell Kent discussing his career as an artist, writer, and traveler. Includes ideas for teaching activities and a reproduction of one of his paintings. Describes the content of the painting that depicts his dairy farm located at the edge of the mountainous Adirondack National Park (New York). (CMK)

Considers how reading Jane Tompkins'"Sensational Designs" helps foster a new appreciation of the ways in which students contribute to the creation of a literary work. Discusses how students responded to their semester-long study of various "neglected" 19th-century women writers. (SG)

Includes three articles that discuss ways to encourage teenage writers. Highlights include guidelines for starting teen writing groups in school libraries; starting a teen print publication in a public library; and an interview with a young adult author, Chris Crutcher, who discusses how to write for teens. (LRW)