Argues against one facet of writing across the curriculum (WAC) "doctrine"--the apparent reluctance to correct students' mechanical errors. Asks WAC proponents to reflect on the vital consideration that one must master the craft before being capable of taking writing to the level at which it approaches or becomes art. (RS)

Introduces this special issue of the journal, which focuses on an important aspect of learner language--linguistic errors. Each of the nine articles are highlighted. (Author/VWL)

Rating errors in personnel evaluation are universal but may be minimized if administrators are aware of them. Research identifies seven types of error: unwarranted strictness, unwarranted leniency, central tendency, halo effect, recency, contrast, and attribution. Countermeasures include developing clear term definitions, using multiple raters,…

Compares the performance of novice computer users and users with significant proofreading experience in proofreading from screen and paper. Results showed that the users with previous experience did better in the screen mode, but no difference between the groups was evident in the paper mode. (Contains 22 references.) (JLB)

Discussion of tutorial interactions in intelligent tutoring systems focuses on an empirical study of university students that identified five considerations human tutors take into account when they plan tutorial interventions to correct student bugs, or errors, in computer programming. Tutorial goals and strategies are described, and future…

Studied development of procedural knowledge in 14 adults, aged 18 to 35 years, engaged in a novel task using a toy tractor-trailer rig. Results revealed three phases of development in subjects' knowledge of steering procedures and the rig's movement patterns, and their use of feedback information. Subjects also manifested different levels of…

Discusses the inaccuracies and distortions found within the Portland Baseline Essays, one of the most widespread Afrocentric teacher resource materials in use. Specific distortions examined are that ancient Egypt was a Black nation and that the achievements of ancient Greece had African origins. (GLR)

Pedagogical, linguistic theoretical, and psychological perspectives on corrective feedback in the field of second-language learning/teaching are discussed, and an attempt is made to integrate these different perspectives. (39 references) (JL)

Analysis of over 750 timed writings of postsecondary keyboarding students found speeds ranging from 39-49 gross words per minute. They left uncorrected one-half to three-quarters of an error per minute. Accuracy and speed standards representing realistic conditions using electronic equipment should now be developed. (SK)

Analyzed the types and magnitude of linguistic adaptation occurring during spoken and multimodal human-computer error resolution. Researchers collected samples of users' spoken and written input immediately before and after recognition errors and at different spiral depths. Results indicated that human language changes in at least three different…

Discusses two intriguing ways of explaining error in student writing--the work of Michel Foucault and the work of Roland Barthes. Describes in-class activities and essay assignments that use these perspectives to help students to reach improved understanding of error in writing. (SR)

A father and music teacher describes his frustrations when trying to get Prentice Hall Publishers to correct over 2000 factual errors in his daughter's seventh-grade science textbook. Textbooks featuring pictures of African-American women working in science labs may incorrectly portray scientific experiments. (MLH)

Five strategies to help students select and learn relevant spelling words include: proofreading and trying to spell misspelled words correctly; choosing words from their proofreading lists that might be useful for future writing; examining useful ways to learn how to spell words; learning related words that they can already spell; and getting…

This study investigated the development of the frontal lobe action-monitoring system from late childhood and adolescence to early adulthood using ERP markers of error processing. Error negativity (ERN) and correct response negativity (CRN) potentials were recorded while adolescents and adults (aged 12-22 years, n = 23) performed two forced-choice…

The article proposes Stern's (1983) framework for classifying issues related to instruction in order to ascertain the relevance of Universal Grammar (UG) in the ESL/EFL classroom. Discussed in this article, particularly as UG pertains to them, are issues related to: (a) L1 transfer; (b) teaching rules and giving error correction versus presenting…