This article proposes that two processes are involved in the generation of content during writing: (a) an active, knowledge-constituting process in which content is synthesized by constraints within semantic memory representing the implicit structure of the writer's understanding, and (b) a reflective, knowledge-transforming process in which…

In Higher Education (HE), writers need to regulate their writing processes in order to achieve their communicative goals. Although critical for academic success and knowledge construction, writing regulation processes have been mainly researched in compulsory education rather than in HE, with no systematic review focused on this context. The…

Writing is a crucial means of communicating with others and thus vital to success and survival in modern society. This article provides an overview of recent research and key findings about writing, including the roles of cognitive and social processes during writing, and educational research on how to improve writing proficiency. Writing…

Keystroke logging has become instrumental in identifying writing strategies and understanding cognitive processes. Recent technological advances have refined logging efficiency and analytical outputs. While keystroke logging allows for ecological data collection, it is often difficult to connect the fine grain of logging data to the underlying…

Presents an interview with Linda Flower, discussing her research on the cognitive processes of student writers and on collaborative planning, and the place of composition research in the university. (SR)

This collection of materials, a summary of a workshop, is divided into five sections, framed by introductory and concluding remarks. The sections are: (1) a panel on "What Is the Domain Beyond?"--panelists discussed their particular interests in areas that could not be traditionally classified as "cognitive" and related those…

Examines how two different writing tasks of writing from sources influence students' thinking in reading and writing. Finds that students interpreted the two tasks differently but showed no differences in the proportion of prior knowledge included, nor in learning. (SR)

Reviews cognitive research on writing, focusing on differences between expert and novice writers. Discusses a study of verbal comments made during writing by four developmental and four college-level writers. Indicates that college-level writers expressed more context-based knowledge and more positive self-evaluations than developmental writers.…

Examines both the complex writing performance of three students in a 2nd-3rd grade class and the instructional strategies of their teacher, focusing on the interplay between the children's strategy use and the teacher's instruction. Contributes to theories of writing development by recasting children's writing as performance within the differing…

Presents a study in which children considered alternative continuations of a text through a computer program. Reports that subjects were to monitor text production and correct coherence problems. Discusses reason levels: (1) implicit, local reasoning; (2) attention to global text characteristics; and (3) considerations on the function of…