This project is a historical and topical search into handwriting evaluation. It includes a statement of the problem; a justification; definitions; a bibliography listed in historical order with annotations on 36 books and articles; and a summary and evaluation of the literature. The conclusion of the paper discusses the importance of being aware…

Examines the questions: (1) What criteria do raters use when making holistic judgments of brief, impromptu essays? and (2) Do raters judge such essays in the same way they think they do? (FL)

Examines typical elementary school teachers' marks on student writing assignments, which place greater emphasis on mechanics at the expense of content. Suggests ways in which writing program effectiveness might be improved by shifting focus to the development of creative and effective content, during which mastery of mechanics will occur…

Research is reviewed on (1) ergonomic factors which affect handwriting performance, focusing on the student's grip on the writing implement, pressure on the writing instrument and surface, types of writing instruments, and writing paper; and (2) assessment of the legibility and speed of handwriting. (Author/JDD)

The definition of progress as applied to writing research and practice is examined, and three different approaches to understanding the writing of exceptional children are considered: a literal approach, an interpretive approach, and an evaluative approach. The scientific and social implications of each of the approaches are considered.…

Recent trends in composition research indicate that attention has turned away from the parts of the writing product toward the steps involved in the writing process. There are two common threads to this research: (1) writing has a number of distinct stages including prewriting, writing, and editing, and (2) errors are a natural part of learning,…

The English Microlab Registry (EMR) was first designed as a database, or research tool, for planners of English microlabs in order to give them access to information about all aspects of microlab management. But EMR also provides descriptive data about what a microlab is and may well provide insight into whether those labs will survive. An…

Mandates about the kind and amount of literacy instruction in classrooms and levels of reading required for successful promotion from grade to grade are currently dominating state and federal legislation. This paper gathers scholarship from three disparate sources to produce the first integrated review of policy-related research on literacy…

Data compiled from more than 2,000 member institutions of the National Testing Network in Writing were the source of this guide to writing assessment. Using an interdisciplinary approach, with insights from cognitive psychology, sociology, linguistics, educational measurement, rhetoric, and English education, the book gives suggestions on…

Using the right hemisphere of the brain in evaluating student writing means consciously and consistently incorporating its emotional, intuitive, and holistic functions with the more analytical functions of the logical "left" hemisphere when considering, judging, and directing improvement in student writing. Research seems to suggest that…

This book contains 20 articles, from a wide variety of perspectives, designed to bridge the interests of researchers and teachers on the topic of current composition research. The following articles are included: "Studying the Writing Abilities of a University Freshman Class: Strategies from a Case Study" (Charles R. Cooper, with Roger…