This examination of an evaluation of writing based on process rather than on product argues that one of the primary functions of evaluation as a part of teaching should be to diagnose the writing strategies that underlie a writer's current performance, not just textual problems. The first half of the paper discusses the various ways teachers use…

Reports that professional writing students using computers wrote significantly better papers than their counterparts in traditional classrooms. Attributes the success of this study (other studies have failed to find significant differences) to the population of skilled, motivated, upper-level students and consistent use of computers from planning…

Describes a classification of organizational patterns for whole essays and a method by which both teachers and researchers may use it to analyze student essays. Reports the results of such an analysis applied to a controlled study of undergraduate writing. (HTH)

Reflects on the nature of composition studies as a discipline, first delineating some of its distinctive features and then discussing advantages and dangers associated with these features. (FL)

Presents a discursive survey of bibliographic resources in historical rhetoric and current composition research with annotated bibliographies for the more important sources. (MM)

This paper first discusses methodologies employed in recent research on the composing process. It then presents results of that research in terms of the process and subprocesses of writing. It closes by discussing limitations of the methodologies and conclusions about the results. (Author)

Introduces a theory of the cognitive processes involved in composing in an effort to lay groundwork for more detailed study of thinking processes in writing. (RL)

Details a study that investigated incremental effects of intensive instruction in creative writing on 10 indicators of writing performance of seventh-grade students: vocabulary, morphology, sentence openings, sentence lengths, sentence types, organization, clarity, end punctuation, general clarity, and spelling. (FL)

Studies predominant types and patterns of awkward sentences in student writing. Suggests that four types of syntactic problems--mismanagement of clause structure in errors of embedding, of syntax shift, of parallel structure, and of direct/indirect speech--are associated with patterns of semantic problems. Suggests pedagogical approaches for these…

Argues that the very qualities that critics most object to in scientific work are those that afford the most productive communal discussion. Suggests that by disparaging objective methods and advocating increasingly subjectivist methods, compositionists may be impairing their ability to improve their own work and use it to promote social justice.…

Reviews recent complex and somewhat confusing evidence on writing-to-learn. Draws on the field of cognitive psychology to offer a way to reconceptualize how researchers might approach the study of the impact of writing on learning. Considers five methods for assessing structural changes in knowledge due to writing. (MG)

Suggests that distinguishing between a second-order reflective mentality and a first-order factive mentality is central to the perception of voice. Shows that the particular language interests of compositionists can lead to new understandings about grammar and the relationship between language form and language use. (MG)

Reports on a study investigating high school students' choice of topic and form of discourse for their writing. Finds that topic choices related to gender, and that topic and form choices related to grade level. (SR)

Promotes the use of oral evidence in composition historiography to guard against overgeneralization and simplistic reduction of composition history to binary oppositions. Defends oral data against positivistic attacks on its reliability as evidence argues for its evidentiary value. (SR)

Presents a transcript of an interview with the British logician and philosopher Stephen Toulmin. Covers aspects of his various books. Relates his thoughts to the field of composition studies. (HB)