Uses on-line protocol analysis to contrast the effects on the writing process of knowledge taught in three instructional treatments: models, general procedures, and task-specific procedures. Finds that the task-specific group integrated their ideas purposefully, thought critically about the concepts being defined, and appeared to establish a…

Investigates whether prompts and topic types affect writing performance of college freshmen taking the Manoa Writing Placement Examination (MWPE). Finds that the MWPE is reliable but that responses to prompts and prompt sets differ. Shows that differences arising in performance on prompts or topics can be minimized by examining mean scores and…

Argues that teachers need a comprehensible and flexible view of what counts as a written text in the larger world outside the classroom. Discusses two cases that demonstrate working with middle schoolers and their writing. Discusses the kind of knowledge about written text that teachers of writing need, and offers recommendations for teacher…

Describes outcomes of a national investigation in the United Kingdom into linguistic characteristics of writing in GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) English examination. Argues that greater precision in describing writing will promote better teaching and learning. (NH)

Writing across the curriculum (WAC) programs had their genesis in grass-roots efforts to promote attention to writing in all disciplinary areas. At first based on generic faculty-development activities with little regard to systemic and institutional concerns, WAC programs are now more often engaged in assessment and research of writing,…

A study describes a program for improving the quality and variety of students' writing. The targeted population consisted of elementary and special education high school students in suburban communities north of Chicago, Illinois. The problems were documented through the collection of writing samples, teacher observation, student self-evaluation,…

A study examined whether the familiarity and competence that many African American students have with elements of rap music and culture could be used as a bridge to the production of other literate texts. Two high-school English teachers, one teaching at Fremont High School, East Oakland and the other teaching at Berkeley High School in Berkeley,…

A study examined the effectiveness of showcase writing portfolios, a 9-week intervention strategy to improve 18 first-grade students' writing. Students (who were from Roseville, Michigan) selected most of the entries in their "showcase" portfolios. Subjects' writing was assessed on three measures: the quality of writing was assessed…

A study investigated whether there would be any significant difference in test scores between students instructed in the use of graphic organizers during their creative writings and those students not instructed in their use. Graphic organizers can help writers keep to the topic by having their ideas in front of them as they are writing. They also…

An action research project developed a program for improving writing skills. The targeted population consisted of second through fifth grade students in two districts in growing middle to upper class communities, located in suburbs southwest of Chicago. The need for improving writing skills was evidenced by classroom teacher observations,…

A descriptive study investigated whether a common middle-level writing program exists, and what factors impact the writing program and the relationships among these factors. A random sample of 1,500 classrooms in California and Missouri stratifying on four grade span school types (K-8, 6-8, 7-8, 7-9) was chosen. A survey was developed, sent, and…

A study traced the discourse control of one writer, over 3 years, from his basic writing course to his junior year "membership" in academia. It reported on the student's transitions in areas of print code control in 28 writing tasks from 6 classes covering 3 disciplines. The analysis involved 38 error patterns, including spelling,…

A study examined whether students who underwent training and gained experience in the use of computer word processing techniques would score significantly higher on a writing test than students who received no such training. Students in two randomly selected English Composition II classes at Gloucester County College (New Jersey) were randomly…

To demonstrate that peer evaluation is an appropriate means of improving written composition, particularly in terms of audience and goal orientation, the use of peer evaluation as a teaching method is discussed and then the connection between peer evaluation and audience awareness is drawn. Based on observation of Dutch 17-year-old students, the…

Decentering, as defined by Jean Piaget, occurs when the mind considers and coordinates experience from more than one perspective. Focusing on decentering in two parts of the writing process--discovery and audience awareness--a study examined the relationship between the personal and impersonal decentering abilities of college freshmen and their…