Over the past decade, the theoretical basis for composition research and pedagogy has expanded. A social perspective on writing has been added to the cognitive view which dominated composition studies throughout the 1970s and early 80s. This social perspective has radically altered conceptions of the writing process. Whereas cognitive theory placed a creative and isolated individual at the centre of the writing act, social theory locates the writer in community, and shifts much of the control of discourse from the individual to the group. / This research takes the form of a case study of social workers attached to Quebec's Youth Court system. The specific focus within that setting is the preparation of reports about adolescents in trouble with the law. Data were collected through "think-aloud" protocols and interviews, including discourse-based interviews. The study offers a detailed description of the complex and dynamic relationship between the individual writer and the community, and provides a new perspective on the concept of "audience" and the notion of genre as social action.

This thesis presents an overview of imitation of models as a literacy pedagogy. Through comprehensive analysis of various perspectives both past and present, this thesis argues that imitation has been an effective literacy pedagogy throughout the history of rhetoric and composition and further, that it remains a feasible pedagogy for modern writing classrooms. The study finds that, by imitating models of excellence, students can not only learn a range of essential writing components, which include subject matter, style, genre, detail, creativity, and writing process, but also they can learn some nontechnical aspects, such as morality, from the model. The thesis also discusses how imitation pedagogy should be implemented. Key issues, including major steps involved in an imitation exercise, caution and judgment in model selection, and the conflict between imitation and plagiarism, are discussed in considerable detail. / Department of English

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-214). / Also available by subscription via World Wide Web / xvi, 214 leaves, bound 29 cm

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on March 27, 2008) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on February 15, 2008) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-109). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 218-234).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 202-214).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.