This teacher-researcher study explored the manner in which students created video compositions in a secondary English language arts media studies program. A review of research literature indicates fundamental differences between print and video compositions, which include modality of representation, task setting, and curricular role. Another…

This case study closely examines how John (a former student of mine, age eight, second grade) composed during an informal writing group at school. Using qualitative research methods, I found that John selectively took up conventions, characters, story grammars, themes, and motifs from video games, television, Web pages, and comics. Likening his…

Tests the supposition that male and female writing styles differ, using 88 college students as subjects. Finds that the writing of men and women is far more similar than different. Finds that differences resulting from mode of discourse were more widespread than differences resulting from gender. (MG)

Reports the results of analysis of revisions in 100 randomly selected sets of 12th-grade students' essay drafts. Findings revealed that there are patterns of revising strategies among the students and that these differences are associated with the quality of their writing. (HOD)

Examines the evidence for both the linguistic and rhetorical hypotheses about writers' planning and presents new research on episodic patterns within the writing process itself. Uses protocol analysis to look at the content and nature of writers' plans. (HOD)

Examines writers' options in organizing comparisons. Finds that chunking of content in a systematic way is a strong predictor of holistic quality ratings, and that higher rated papers tend to be written by students with higher verbal abilities and more extensive topic knowledge. Demonstrates the complexity of the choices writers must make in…

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of formulaic writing such as the five-paragraph theme (FPT) or essay for the purpose of earning high scores on high-stakes writing assessments. This qualitative descriptive study analyzed more than 1000 essays from Delaware Grade 8 and 10 writers, written for a statewide…

Notes that while there are some similarities in secondary school teachers' and students' perceptions about the kinds of written work usually done in class, there are also very marked differences in perceptions, particularly regarding essays, short answers, and poetic writing. (HOD)

Examines how students interact during peer response groups, a key instructional activity designed specifically to encourage talk about writing. Finds that the frequency of response groups relative to other kinds of groups varied across classrooms, as did the relative amount of response that occurred in the group context. (MG)

Investigates the effects an assigned audience has on undergraduates' attitudes, composing strategies, and persuasive writing. Finds that while assigning an audience had a limited effect on essay scores, it increased students' interest, effort, use of audience-based strategies, and ability to persuade. (SR)

Using electromyography, an investigation was made of the interaction between covert language behavior, rhetorical modes, and the reading and writing processes. (HOD)

Concludes that remedial writers' writing processes are shorter and of poorer quality than those of traditional writers, and that what separates the groups is the ability to reflect on what is being written. (DD)

Presents a study examining the effects of using pen and paper and word processing on planning processes. Results show that writers using word processing alone: (1) planned less overall; (2) planned less before beginning to write; (3) did less conceptual planning; and (4) did more sequential or local planning. (RAE)

Offers an interpretive frame for viewing children's growth as creators of imaginative worlds. Suggests that writing development depends not only on children's discovery of cognitive and linguistic strategies but on children's discovery that writing can help authors create coherence in their worlds beyond texts. (MS)

Reports on a study that explored, first, how metadiscourse can enhance college students' awareness of readers' needs and, second, how the use of metadiscourse is related to the quality of the texts that students produced. Suggests that metadiscourse produces better student writing. (TB)