Presents findings of a study comparing compositions by beginning writing and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students at a two-year college. Reports similarities in the groups' topic choices, topic sentence use, and expository development. Reveals that ESL students tended to write shorter papers containing more sentence level errors. Discusses…

Describes a five-year study at University College, University of Cincinnati, comparing the writing of basic writing students who (1) did not use computers; (2) used a computer and word processing program; and (3) used a supplementary program guiding students through the writing process. Reports no significant differences in writing quality. (DMM)

States that after a qualitative survey of participating instructors suggested the success of an in-class tutoring program at the open-admissions Kingsborough Community College, a quantitative survey compared the writing performance of students served by the program and those who were not. Indicates the program's success--more of those tutored…

Describes a study conducted to investigate whether text-interactive instruction improved reading comprehension and writing performance of community college students enrolled in developmental reading courses. Students were taught to predict, infer, analyze, and evaluate while reading and to use their experiences and embedded textual cues to give…

A study was undertaken at Willmar Community College (WCC), in Minnesota, to assess the effectiveness of the developmental writing program and to identify which demographic and educational characteristics predicted final grades in college-level English courses. The study sample included all students who enrolled at WCC during the 1992-93 academic…

A study investigated whether exercises that teach and alert students to nonverbal communication aided them, particularly those students who needed more support in achieving academic success in written expression. Subjects were students in two classes of a basic composition course required in an electronic technician program. One class was given…

Research has found evidence for the validity of remedial and developmental English courses in preparing students to pass freshman-level English courses. To determine whether similar validity could be demonstrated for remedial and developmental English courses at Tennessee's Walters State Community College, the percentage of former remedial and…

A study was undertaken at Illinois' Moraine Valley Community College (MVCC) to gather information on the course taking patterns, course completion rates, and retention rates between summer 1990 and spring 1993 for students who successfully completed one of eight remedial classes. Students in the sample began in one of three levels of remedial…

In spring 1992, a mid-term assessment of English 10 students was conducted at Golden West College, in California, in order to compare four course placement methods. English 10, "Writing Essentials," is a nontransferrable course which focuses on paragraph writing and grammar review in order to prepare students for entry into English 100.…

A study was conducted in spring 1991, spring 1993, and summer 1993 to determine the effect on the writing process of various types of word processing software used by developmental and second-level composition students. Analyses were conducted of developmental students (novice writers) and of composition students (above novice writers) at a Texas…

Upon entry to New River Community College (NRCC), placement tests are administered to students enrolling in curricula and to students enrolling in English and mathematics classes. Based on preestablished cutoff scores on the placement tests, students are advised by counselors to take appropriate courses. In 1990, NRCC tracked students from…

In an effort to determine the impact of entry-level writing tests and subsequent remedial writing programs on various student ethnic populations at California's Oxnard College (OC), a study was conducted of 812 first-time students in fall 1989 who were administered the Assessment and Placement Services Exam for Community Colleges (APSECC). Of…