Employers of computing graduates have high expectations of graduates in terms of soft skills, the most desirable of these being communication skills. Not only must the graduates exhibit writing skills, but they are expected to be highly proficient therein. The consequence of this expectation is not only performance pressure exerted on the…

Cites survey and interview results indicating that college students do a large amount of self-sponsored writing, including letter and journal writing, to come to terms with others' ideas and their own feelings. Suggests that teachers need to make their students' own intentions the focus and starting point for for classroom writing. (MM)