This post on the topic To Read or Not To Read at College Composition and Communications Conference is part of an electronic conversation that is taking place on PRE/TEXT List and other sites. For the list of posts in the discussion, go to CCCC.

---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: Pre/Text issues discussion [PTISSUES@MIAMIU.ACS.MUOHIO.EDU]
Subject: ps--ch: To read, or not to read at CCCC?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I for one see room for both practices. I've sat through an awe-full number of awful papers at conferences I attended at my own expense . . . and learned more from "working sessions," with short papers/statements/observations/topoi. On the other hand, I've also listened to some wonderful papers being read . . . every single one of which was written to be heard. Trouble is, most "conference papers" seem to be written to *read* as in a book or journal, not to be delivered and *heard.*

My students often present in class, or discuss, or make short statements/questions/topoi the focus of discussion, rather than reading full-length papers. Is there any real reason why the CCCCs can't also do that? Is that *not* communication, even communication toward a specific end? Of course it is.

Peter Sands
University of Maine at Presque Isle
181 Main Street
Presque Isle, ME 04769
(207) 768-9459
sands@polaris.umpi.maine.edu

To PTIssues and the conversation.