This study investigates how middle school students and teachers in preservice and master of arts classes analyze writing samples. Three sets of participants analyzed and scored a common set of writings. Findings indicate that several intact classroom groups of eighth-graders, preservice teachers, and veteran teachers in a graduate reading program…

An important goal in preventing writing disabilities is to provide effective early instruction to at-risk students to maximize their writing development. This study examined whether or not explicitly teaching six at-risk second-grade writers, including children with disabilities, how to plan and draft stories would improve their story writing as…

If writing matters, how can we improve it? This study investigated the nature of writing plan quality and its relationship to the ensuing writing scores. Data were drawn from the 1998 Provincial Learning Assessment Programme (PLAP) in Writing, which was administered to pupils in Grades 4, 7, and 10 across British Columbia, Canada. Common features…

Twenty-five students, all undergraduates except one, were informally surveyed to determine their attitudes toward the use of word processing in the writing of student papers. Their responses indicated that the use of a word processor was a matter of personal choice with such factors as speed, convenience, storage, and print-outs cited as…

Advocates creating a content centered writing course with research assignments that demand critical interpretation as well as appreciation of the processes writers undergo to create clear, informed, and developed prose. (CRH)

This experimental, statistical study investigated the effects that a review of grammar and writing mechanics would have on the overall quality of college students' documents in technical/business communication. In the experimental group of 25 students, the professor assigned several exercises in grammar and mechanics as a review related to…

Investigates the impact of portfolio assessment strategies on second graders' perceptions of themselves as writers. Finds that the process had positive effects on students' perceptions of themselves as writers; their ability to describe strengths and weaknesses in their writing; their ability to identify changes in themselves as writers; and their…

Describes observing and working with Emily, a third grader who was a proficient reader but whose knowledge in reading did not seem to transfer to spelling. Finds that Emily's spelling improved over the school year as she internalized spelling strategies and proofreading practices. Notes that her confidence improved and that she was able to explain…

Compares the effectiveness of five grammar/style analysis software packages in analyzing business students' writing. States that the software exhibited differences in correctly identifying mechanical and style errors, avoiding misleading error messages, and providing remedial advice. Warns that no similar empirical tests have been done previously.…

Examines students' responses and comments on facilitative (helping the student rethink a paper analytically) versus directive commentary (teacher suggestions made in an authoritative manner). Argues that directive commentary has several legitimate uses and that its judicious use can coax students into writing stronger text. (SR)

Children usually improve their writing in response to teacher comments. HARRY is a computer tutor, designed to assist children improve their narrative writing, focusing particularly upon grammar and style. Providing assistance involved identifying aspects of grammar and style on which to concentrate, including ways to enable the computer to detect…

o complementary experiments analyzed the acquisition of text content linearization in writing, in French-speaking participants from third to ninth grades. In both experiments, a scrambled text paradigm was used: eleven ideas presented in random order had to be rearranged coherently so as to compose a text. Linearization was analyzed on the basis…

Many of the best nonfiction writers violate punctuation rules frequently enough to indicate that the rules neither tell very well what to do nor inform very accurately about what is done. An examination of 18 prominent authors' use of the entire hierarchy of punctuation marks shows disagreement and inconsistency among the writers concerning…

A 3-year project examined the cognitive effects of word processing on writing processes and products. In particular, the project examined effects on writers' planning, reviewing, and revising in a series of six assessment studies. Among the most important results of the project were that writers using word processing alone--both student writers…

Since introducing a grammar unit can be daunting and frustrating for both teachers and students, a collaborative unit for a 10th-grade class was planned that would satisfy an administrative requirement but also maintain the integrity of the writing program. The unit was planned by developing an approach of non-intrusive grammar instruction at the…