THE BEST OF THE INDEPENDENT RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION JOURNALS 2012 represents the result of a nationwide conversation-beginning with journal editors, but expanding to teachers, scholars and workers across the discipline of Rhetoric and Composition-to select essays that showcase the innovative and transformative work now being published in the field's independent journals. Representing both print and digital journals in the field, the essays featured here explore issues ranging from classroom practice to writing in global and digital contexts, from writing workshops to community activism. Together, the essays provide readers with a rich understanding of the present and future direction of the field. In addition to the introduction by Steve Parks, Beverly Moss, Julia Voss, Brian Bailie, Heather Christiansen, and Stephanie Ceraso, the anthology features work by the following authors and representing these journals: Jamie White-Farnham (COMMUNITY LITERACY JOURNAL), Noah R. Roderick (COMPOSITION FORUM), Kate Pantelides and Mariaelena Bartesaghi (COMPOSITION STUDIES), Heidi A. McKee (COMPUTERS AND COMPOSITION), Rex Veeder (ENCULTURATION), Matthew Pavesich (JOURNAL OF BASIC WRITING), Kelly S. Bradbury (THE JOURNAL OF TEACHING WRITING), Derek N. Mueller (KAIROS), Richard H. Thames (KB JOURNAL), Jeanne Marie Rose (PEDAGOGY), and Melvette Melvin Davis (REFLECTIONS).