A means now exists which allows the authors of computer-assisted instructional (CAI) programs to enter new exercises into the computer even if they possess only a minimum of expertise about computers and programing. The routine, called Journalism Computer Assisted Instruction (JCAI), is used for computer analysis of student writing in journalism and English courses. JCAI scans the student's written text for patterns specified by the author. These patterns may be single words, phrases, numbers, or other symbols. Based upon the presence or absence of these patterns and their location, the program comments about the accuracy, style, and other strengths and weaknesses of the student's writing. Preparation of a JCAI program involves three steps: 1) making a list of all key words or patterns and the comments they evoke; 2) writing out in English the conditions for when the comments should appear; and 3) translating the conditions into if-then commands. A detailed example illustrating how JCAI operates is provided. (Author/PB)