The articles in this journal issue examine the characteristics of student writing apprehension, and teaching methods to alleviate it. The titles of the articles and their authors are as follows: (1) "Writing Anxiety: Reasons and Reduction Techniques" (Helen R. Heaton and Pauline M. Pray); (2) "Writing Anxiety and the Gifted Student…

Writing is an important tool in teaching skills to adult basic education (ABE) students. To be a successful teacher of writing, teachers must be successful writers. They must be aware of the writing process and willing to use it daily in their own lives in order to convey its importance and its usefulness to their students. One method of teaching…

Reports a study of the initial effects of word processing on essay-writing performance and on writing apprehension. Concludes that college freshmen using word processing showed greater progress in writing performance from pre to post essay tests than did those using traditional methods, but they did not show significant difference in writing…

Once its source has been identified using the multidimensional model developed by D. W. Stacks, R. W. Boozer, and T. D. P. Lally, writing apprehension, especially among business writing students, can be treated in the classroom with specific pedagogical techniques. Emphasizing the writing process rather than the product--stressing peer and teacher…

Theoretical and practical guidance is provided to anyone involved in teaching, curriculum development, or program planning for writing instruction for adult students. A broad range of situations in which adults learn to write are explored. Three parts include 13 chapters on the following topics: (1) understanding the distinctiveness of adult…

A study was conducted to examine the communication reticence of high school students enrolled in required speech and writing courses. Approximately 200 students completed the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA), the Unwillingness-to-Communicate Scale (UCS), and the Writing Apprehension Test (WAT). Data were then analyzed to…

Describes a study comparing the writing processes and written work of 33 female and male freshman. Students were given a Writing Anxiety Scale, asked to write two essays, and then interviewed. Analyzes length of time spent composing, number of words, use of personal pronouns, topic preference, writing anxiety, and writing experiences. (PAA)

Originally developed as part of a project for the Department of Defense Schools (DoDDS) system, this learning package on writing apprehension and the writing process is designed for teachers who wish to upgrade or expand their teaching skills on their own. The package includes an overview of the project; a comprehensive search of the ERIC…

A study investigated whether reading ability is a significant factor in the level of student writing apprehension and whether writing apprehension is reduced as reading skills improve. Subjects were 49 college freshmen enrolled in a reading improvement course that was directed toward learning in three domains: (1) cognitive--knowledge, synthesis,…

This study examined the effect of news writing instruction in freshman composition to determine whether the diversity of instruction would result in improved writing performance and attitudes of students. Data were gathered from 71 students at a private Oklahoma college randomly assigned to three control groups (taught by a traditional approach)…

Articles in this publication address the writing process, teaching writing, and research on the teaching of writing, and take the form of personal experience or opinion, or explore the work of others who have contributed to the field. Articles in the first issue of the volume include: "Imaginary Gardens and Real Issues: Improving Language Arts in…

Writing strategies were incorporated into a pharmacy program communication skills course, and their effectiveness measured in comparison with a previous student group (n=20). Experimental subjects (n=28) showed significant improvement in writing, verbal skills, ability to formulate ideas, and identifying appropriate target audience, and had…

Examines the effectiveness of two writing-to-learn formats in helping developmental students master biological information and in decreasing writing anxiety. Objective measures showed a small but significant decrease in writing anxiety over the quarter, unrelated to writing format. Writing format also had little effect on content knowledge, based…

In an effort to reduce student writing apprehension, an informal, in-class study was conducted in a lower-level college writing course at an Alabama university. The 16 students in this course took a Writing Apprehension Test (WAT--pretest) on the first day of class. Throughout the course, all writing was based on student experiences and came from…

More than half of the entering freshmen at Rio Grande College in Ohio are required to take developmental English. In addition to having grammar, reading, and writing difficulties to overcome, most of these students have negative attitudes toward writing. In an effort to improve students' writing skills and attitudes, word processing instruction…