This study evaluates student attitudes about the use of portfolios in an English composition course. During the course of a semester, students in an English 101 course at Central Arizona College compile a portfolio of their compositions. Included in the portfolio is a rewrite of the first assigned paper (P-1). The P-1 paper was due the second week…

Describes the effects that institutionalization of peer tutoring is having on the teaching-learning relationship. (MM)

Reviews the research literature on the teaching of writing. Lists practices and procedures that the research shows to be either helpful or of dubious value. (AEA)

Recounts the year-long interaction between teachers and teacher consultants during efforts to evaluate student writing, to survey teacher practices, and to survey student attitudes toward writing. (RL)

Examines the writing of five administrators and six caseworkers in a county social services agency to determine their sensitivity to rhetorical issues and writing style. (HOD)

Papers from the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement examine the theoretical considerations and cognitive processes of written composition, writing curriculum analysis, school writing domain specifications, the interrelationships of writing task specifications, and scoring of compositions. An analysis of writing…

Scores on a multiple-choice language test involving recognition of language errors were related to those on writing samples, scored atomistically for the same language errors and holistically for communicative effectiveness and correctness. Results suggest the need for clear limits in generalizing from one assessment to others. (Author/GK)

Investigated the utility of a hierarchical moral development model, derived from Piaget and Kohlberg, for analyzing moral attitudes expressed in the persuasive writing of 30 children, ages 7-13. Concluded that a cumulative stage theory of moral development is more appropriate than a discrete stage theory for analyzing children's writing.…

Suggests adapting teacher-written responses on children's compositions to their individual differences as an effective way to promote educational progress. Written comments can take the form of reaction to the child's ideas, encouragement, correction, or evaluation/instruction. (AEA)

The "6+1" model of writing assessment identifies the traits of good writing as ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation. Examples of the model's nationwide spread include Arizona preservice teachers who tutor middle school students to familiarize themselves with the model, and a former…

A series of studies on 474 Colorado students (ages 7-18) with hearing impairments investigated the use of inference and elaboration, sequencing, and story-grammar strategies. The use of eight types of sequence/connection/cohesion strategies was examined. Results found that different strategies predominate depending on participants' age and degree…

Focuses on testing writing in the English-as-a-Foreign-Language classroom. Describes a study comparing students' expectations of grades with their actual grades earned for essays assigned in freshman English classes at the Lebanese American University. (Author/VWL)

Examines the perceptions of grades three and six teachers on gender equity in the assessment of student writing. Reports the results of two recent studies on gender equity in writing assessments. Finds notable inconsistencies in the scores teachers gave to students' writing. Proposes that a possible solution to gender inequity is the discussion of…

Investigates self- and peer evaluation of writing in the English-as-a-Second-Language classroom. The investigation is examined in two parts: (1) adapting and implementing an appropriate evaluation scale, and (2) studying the various end-of-term effects use of the scale had on students. (17 references) (GLR)

Discusses the use of the WORDS computer program in scoring writing assignments. Explains that computerized analysis has identified factors in experienced writers' essays that graders favor but has failed to distinguish clearly between basic and average writers' works. Concludes that holistic scoring can work effectively for student placement, but…