Demonstrates that students who attempt graphically to represent their own writing process increase their involvement and self-awareness while validating their new writing behaviors and come to understand their role in managing the unique complexities of their own composing process. (SR)

Studies whether students who reread their drafts aloud as they revise compose essays that are stylistically superior to those of students who do not. Finds this makes a difference for students with adequate to proficient reading skills but not for poor readers. Suggests basic writing courses should focus on reading and style, besides principles of…

Studies how formerly weak writers manage to write adequately for their jobs. Concludes that the rhetorical, psychological, and social environment of the workplace fosters better writing in basic writers than the academic environment. Recommends writing across the curriculum for duplicating the workplace-writing content in college writing classes.…

Explains how faculty at Quinnipiac College reconceptualized developmental English and designed a new program that provides additional instructional time within the regular freshman English course. Finds that developmental students are better motivated and achieve growth in reading and writing commensurate with students who had a prior semester of…

Advocates a basic writing approach that assesses potential language competence as it develops both in speech and writing, and redefines the notion of "error." Presents a pilot project in which the use of speech is found to assist basic writers in producing writing that is improved in its length, fluency, involvement, concrete detail, and…

Explores developmental students' attitudes toward writing as a reflection of their writing performance. Finds that the skills of students with positive attitudes toward writing improved significantly more than did those of students with neutral or negative attitudes. Includes a student writing attitude questionnaire and a questionnaire analysis…

Uses a case study to illustrate the multitude of cultural and idiosyncratic factors which may influence the feelings and behaviors of basic writers at risk of failure. Suggests that rather than continually defining the basic writer, educators should begin to redefine and reexamine their roles and attitudes as teachers of basic writers. (MG)

Presents a longitudinal study of six basic reading and writing students at the University of Florida that traces student progress. Demonstrates that several students experienced progress over a more than three-year span, although improvement was neither linear nor extensive. Identifies growth of metacognitive awareness among students. (HB)