Study in writing processes, as presented in this paper, is based on the assumption that in order to write effectively, writers must be able not only to present ideas and feelings, but also to engage in the cognitive processes that will help them discover what they wish to say about a given idea, attitude, or set of data. These basic cognitive…

This paper cites descriptions, by professional writers, of two stages in the composing process that appear to correspond with the two modes of mental activity separately controlled by the hemispheres of the brain. The stage of writing a first draft involves unconscious, personal, irrational, intuitive writing which may be called "writing for…

Sentence combining (SC) has proved to be valuable in increasing the syntactic maturity of students. However, teachers have felt uncomfortable with the arhetorical nature of SC. Little research has been done on the relation of cognitive processes and SC. SC might be more useful if account is taken of the fact that syntax is an abode for cognitive…

Proposes that college teachers in most of the academic disciplines teach students to write essays in their given subject matter area. Bloom's "Taxonomy of Educational Objectives" is offered as a guide to organizing instruction and student learning around the demands of well-constructed essay questions. Sample questions and classroom…

This curriculum guide is designed to aid in the planning and execution of a writing course for verbally gifted elementary school students. The course is designed for students ranging in age from 8-11 years whose verbal reasoning skills are at least 3 years above grade level. The course instructs students in the fundamentals of communication…

A study of four unusually competent high school writers was undertaken to determine the reasons for varying durations of pause in writing. It was believed that a writer pauses during transcribing to rehearse, plan, and reformulate and to make a number of crucial decisions about syntax, semantics, and discourse. Each student spent a total of 12…

The study examined 41 students (24 male, 17 female) in a beginning writing course for adults. Data were collected by (1) taping four workshop sessions in which all students participated in small groups, (2) interviewing all the students, and (3) observing four students writing in the classroom. The adult writers composed in two models: the…

Focusing on writing as a complex process, this packet was prepared to assist teachers in planning daily writing activities which combine thinking processes, mechanical skills, and composition skills. Following an introduction which contains suggestions for ways teachers can help students to write, the first section of the publication provides…

A study focused on how the writer's knowledge of the language and use of a prewriting strategy for planning ideas affect the quality and efficiency of the writing. Three hypotheses were developed about how knowledge and strategy might influence writing performance: (1) independence (predicts that knowledge and strategy will independently improve…

To determine how writing, as compared to other learning activities, affects both good and poor writers' ability to remember factual information and transfer learning, a study (1) investigated the effectiveness of a writing activity requiring students to develop compositions by synthesizing information read, and (2) explored the correspondences…

Presents a writing method which allows students to reflect upon issues and ideas and thus encourage understanding and retention of social studies content. Divides the writing process into prewriting, composing, and postwriting, and offers techniques for each element. Includes methods for evaluating student efforts. (LS)