Type

Examples

Freewriting

Speed writing; blind screen writing; e-list; chatroom

Responding to prompts

Journal prompts; readings prompts; peer review prompts; beginning-of-discussion catalyst; middle-of-discussion rejuvenator; end-of-discussion summary

Journals

Daily, weekly, reading-centered, event-centered, theme-centered, totally free, quantity-based, double-entry journals, lab notebooks,

Asking questions

Generating questions for readings; generating questions for peers’ texts; asking questions about the course; imaginary dialogues

Online communication

E-lists (listservs); Pipeline chats; popmail address books; IM chats; Daedalus chats

Class collaborative project

Class zines; class publications; mock trials; dramatizations

Personal publication

Individual’s magazine; personal web page

Imitation

Modeling of paragraph, sentence; using parodies; modeling genres (memos, letters to editor, CD liner notes, ads, etc.)

Impromptu reportage

In-class report on a staged event; report of a field trip or video

Metacommentary

Analysis of a writing assignment and how it was met; analysis of classroom use of a text, program; analysis of the course; generating grading criteria for assignments

Creative informal writing

Dialogues; skits; bio-poems of real/fictional persons (Gere, 1985); letters to famous persons; metaphor games

Skills-centered

Practice essay exams; job application cover letters; thesis sentences; revision of paragraphs; revision of peer papers