Shows how to assure fairness in grading essay exams by having students place a code number instead of their names on their essays. Notes that student reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Argues that the approach can be used in a wide variety of educational circumstances. (RS)

Describes a composition teacher's efforts to diagnose her vocational college students' literacy skills by using a more authentic performance assessment that integrates reading and writing. (SR)

Describes an approach to teaching the essay exam unit in a university reading and studies skills class. Notes that students grade their own essay answers. (SR)

Describes an instrument, the College Reading Specialist Competency Checklist, that assesses the competencies of reading and study skills specialists. (HOD)

Validates the college-level designation of the Fry Graph using comparative validity data. (AEA)

Describes a content area writing lesson which uses a process approach to promote independent student writing and to aid retention. Uses the Predict, Organize, Rehearse, Practice, Evaluate (PORPE) strategy which provides teacher modeling of effective strategies, guided student practice, and feedback. (RS)

Describes and discusses the biases inherent in human judgment and the difficulty of assessing the many facets of reading. Maintains that educators should be more tentative in the decisions they make based on assessment. (SR)

Reviews the Test of Written Language--2 (TOWL--2). Finds the test's blending of contrived and spontaneous assessment of students' writing to be a plus. Discusses drawbacks of the test. (RS)

Describes a placement test for incoming college students and its holistic scoring procedures. (MG)

Describes an evaluation model used to assess the effectiveness of a reading and study skills program at Washington State University, then suggests how it can be used in other reading and study skills centers.(FL)

Maintains that college reading programs can use a comprehensive model of assessment, not as a testing or accountability issue, but to reflect current research and match the program to the students. Examines the characteristics of a comprehensive assessment model and discusses such a program designed by the authors. (SR)

Examines the correlation between explicit positive or neutral comments by tutors and improvement in high school students' competency test scores. (RAE)

Determines from empirical information on the application of four readability formulas to a group of widely used college economics textbooks that there is no consistency in the absolute reading levels or the rank orderings of these books. (AEA)

Advocates the use of portfolios for educational assessment of college developmental learners. Discusses recent development of portfolios, factors influencing their use, literacy-based portfolio assessment, sample contents, managing the portfolio, and portfolios as collaborative reflection. (SR)

Reviews 25 college reading skills textbooks for their context skills presentations. Provides six suggestions for revising the instruction of contextual skills to college students. (RS)