This study was undertaken to identify those factors in a basic composition program (BCP) which promoted or inhibited growth in student writing abilities and to determine the appropriateness of the case-study research strategy for studying student writing processes. Data gathered included all writing produced by one BCP class of 19 students, tape recordings of meetings of one five-member editorial board of peers, and a measurement of students' affective responses to the BCP on a semantic differential instrument. Findings of this study were that student writing growth was promoted through BCP practices of free choice of paper topics; engaging in prewriting/planning, revising, and reformulating writing; and editing of peers' writing. Some students' growth was inhibited by their disinclination to write or edit, over-dependence on peers to rewrite papers, and divided editorial attention of the instructor. (Author/LL)