· from the editors 

This combined issue focuses on 
teaching informal logic and critical think-
ing, with the exception of the first and 
last articles. For those of our readers not 
yet familiar with Argumentation Theory 
and with recent work in the Netherlands, 
the lead article by Frans van Eemeren 
and Rob Grootendorst will serve as a 
timely introduction. It is a pleasure to 
welcome them to these pages. They are 
both active in the publication of the 
European journal, Argumentation. At the 
opposite end of the line-up, we have 
decided to give some space to ou r own 
article, in which we set forth our concep-
tion of what informal logic is, and give 
the reader our sense of where things 
stand in informal logic, and what is on 
the agenda for the immediate future. 
From the very contents of this issue, it 
is clear that informal logic is closely 
related to, though not identical with, 
both critical thinking and argumentation 
theory. 

We all pledge allegiance to the idea 
that being logical and thinking critically 
require the abilities to read and write 
critically. However, most of us never take 
the further step of thinking critically 
about what that means. The eight articles 
that follow will help. Jonathan Adler 
focuses on the problem of writing 
critically. The next four articles, by Moira 
Gutteridge, Michael Scriven, William 
Taylor, and Lenore Langsdorf all revolve 
around an aspect of critical thinking 
which all too often is taken for granted : 
critical reading or critical literacy. Gut-
teridge's article highlights the problem 
in a forceful way. Scriven explores the 
problem of testing literacy and while he 
refers to recent developments in 
Western Australia, the pOints he makes 
will have application in other jurisdic-
tions. Taylor's article is one kind of 
response-how to encourage critical 

thinking in a course in political science, 
while Langsdorf describes an approach 
involving the integration of reading, 
writing and thinking in programmatic 
fashion. The two contributions from Phil 
Pecorino deal with different aspects of 
the teaching of critical thinking: the first 
with the perennial problem of grading, 
the second with the impact of critical 
thinking courses on the teaching of 
philosophy. John Follman discusses the 
vexing problem of testing critical think-
ing and includes a helpful survey of the 
literatu reo 

Nonsexist language and material. The 
editors subscribe personally to the posi-
tion that sexist language or examples 
have no place in scholarly writing. 
Henceforth it shall be the explicit policy 
of this journal not to publish material 
that contains sexist language or material. 
In the near future we shall announce the 
details of this policy, but in the mean-
time contributors should ensure that 
their submissions are non-sexist, and 
readers are invited to bring lapses to our 
attention. 

Computerization. In the future 
authors of articles accepted for publica-
tion will be invited (though not yet re-
quired) to send final typescript copies on 
5.5 inch floppy disks in WordPerfect of 
ASCII. Initial submissions should con-
tinue to be on paper (see inside front 
cover). 

Subscription renewal. This combined 
issue completes Volume IX. We remind 
readers that renewals for Volume X are 
due now. Please note the (slightly lower) 
new rates. You may photocopy or cut 
out the renewal form, opposite, and 
send it along with your cheque. The first 
issue of Volume X is in press. 0