Academic Advancement in Composition Studies (PDF)

This volume deals with a number of related issues that are becoming increasingly crucial for English studies during this time when most faculty in the field are assistant professors approaching tenure review or associate professors seeking promotion. These critical issues focus on:
* The diversity of research and scholarly publication in composition studies;
* The fact that composition studies faculty are often evaluated by personnel committee members, department chairs, and deans unfamiliar with the nature and demands of the field;
* The way that American higher education is rethinking "scholarship" and the role it plays in the work and evaluation of faculty members; and
* The role composition studies faculty can play in this review of scholarship and professional advancement.

This book seeks to address the entire spectrum of "composition studies" -- expository and argumentative writing, personal essay, literary nonfiction, technical and business writing, historical rhetoric, empirical research, and more -- by understanding the nature of and evaluating the work of faculty members in this broad field. Scholarship and advancement issues are discussed in a variety of situations including basic and regular first-year composition classes at four-year and two-year institutions or writing centers, advanced writing courses, ESL and skills-development programs, and writing classes and programs for teachers, administrators, and researchers. The chapters focus on a variety of subjects, including the importance of mentoring and faculty development in all departments and institutions; and how young scholar-teachers and assistant professors can prepare for a successful personnel or tenure review.