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.