I think you hit on the distinction when you use the terms "procedure" and "procedure application". It is correct to say that a procedure returns a value and that an application of that procedure has a value. (since Scheme has first-class procedures, it's also true that a procedure has a value, but that's a more advanced topic.) Justin <div class="gmail_quote">On Sep 7, 2012 8:47 PM, "Ellen Spertus" <<a href="mailto:spertus@mills.edu">spertus@mills.edu</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"> I can't help feeling a twinge when I refer to a Scheme procedure "returning" a value, since I think my own teachers instead spoke of a procedure application as having, not returning, a value. Is it wrong to speak of a procedure returning a value? If so, how bad is it, and what is it recommended that I say instead? FWIW, we use PLAI as our textbook. Thanks. Ellen ________________________ PLT Educators talk list: <a href="http://lists.racket-lang.org/plt-edu-talk" target="_blank">http://lists.racket-lang.org/plt-edu-talk</a> </blockquote></div>