Studies on Textbooks for Writing Instruction: Course Readers, Composition Books, Rhetorics, and Handbooks: A Bibliography

The 23 entries in this bibliography focus on the study of textbooks used in writing instruction. Some of the articles and book chapters theorize with limited and representative data sets, while others theorize with extensive and quantifiable data sets. Despite the level of theory and degree of data, the entries here represent only a fraction of the studies dedicated to the analysis of textbooks, or studies that contain only a minor section related to the issue of textbooks. Currently one can find 862 records on CompPile using the keyword search ‘textbook,’ and 82 records delimiting that with the keyword ‘data.’” One can also find online Rebecca Moore Howard’s “Textbooks: A bibliography for composition and rhetoric,” which lists 84 entries without annotations. Thus, this bibliography is a springboard for further reading

Towards defining digital writing quality

This chapter provides a description of current views towards writing quality and promotes a move toward a definition of digital writing quality. We argue that, because new digital affordances have changed how writing is learned, taught and delivered, the nature of written products has become increasingly multi-dimensional and interactive. Traditional perspectives toward writing quality offer a foundation for understanding the textual features that are essential to defining digital writing quality, but these views largely disregard non-textual and non-linguistic abilities needed to effectively communicate in digital spaces. We thus address contemporary realia to stimulate discussion about how to consolidate various domains of knowledge for defining digital writing quality. Aligning contemporary writing demands to form a comprehensive definition of digital writing quality can help transform the design and development of future writing technologies and curriculum for an increasingly technology-adept learning audience.Englis

Credit Union Partnerships with NeighborWorks Organizations: Proven Models for Success

This paper provides case studies showing that credit union partnerships with NeighborWorks organizations can contribute to building healthy communities. This is because credit unions and NeighborWorks organizations benefit from leveraging the human, physical, structural and financial assets that each has to offer while community members benefit from access to affordable financial products and services

The State of Illinois Manufacturing

The strength of the manufacturing sector is fundamental to the overall economic performance of Illinois and the U.S. as a whole. The manufacturing sector in Illinois create large numbers of jobs that pay high wages to workers, purchases more goods and services from within the state than any other sector, and constitutes a main component of the state export economy. For these and other reasons, manufacturing needs be at the center of all government discussions on economic policy.The Center for Labor and Community Research (CLCR) was commissioned by the Illinois Manufacturers' Association to analyze the condition of the Illinois manufacturing sector. We found that Illinois manufacturing is essential to Illinois' economy, and although it is among the top manufacturing states in the country, it faces a number of challenges. This report demonstrates why and how Illinois manufacturing matters, explains the current challenges it faces, and recommends actions to overcome some of these challenges. In addition to looking at manufacturing as a whole, this report looks at four key manufacturing sectors, or clusters, that together account for 64% of manufacturing employment in the state. These are the metals, electrical, printing, and food manufacturing sectors.A few key findings that CLCR uncovered in this study include the following: Manufacturing is vital to the state's economy and workers. Manufacturing exports create significant employment opportunities in Illinois, and the state's manufacturing workers are the most productive in the nation by far.Like other U.S. states, Illinois faces increasing competition from low-wage producers in the developing world as well as from highly skilled producers in developed countries. In order to remain competitive into the future, the sector requires increased investments in its infrastructure and workers and an improved workforce development system in order to increase the value-added component of their products.The Illinois manufacturing sector needs a "High Road" partnership with government and labor to increase investment in infrastructure and workforce development, to support the sector by creating specialized service centers that provide assistance to Illinois companies, and to effectively using public subsidies to reward and assist those companies that are pursuing High Road strategies of innovation and development