To identify some of the specific cognitive correlates of high-quality, audience-adapted writing, 35 college freshmen wrote a typical academic essay and also a persuasive appeal directed toward a specific readership. Results showed that social cognition played a more significant role in writing a persuasive message. (HOD)

Suggests that mode of discourse, experiential demand, and gender are significant predictors of writing quality. Finds that narrative writing tasks elicit higher ratings than descriptive or expository; writing tasks requiring personal response (rather than impersonal or outside knowledge) received higher ratings; and quality of writing was more…