Investigated the relationships between cognitive activities and text quality using think-aloud protocols. Found that some cognitive activities appeared to be relatively restricted to the first part of the writing process, whereas others dominated at later stages. The relationships between text quality and cognitive activities seemed to depend on…

Analyzes the Analytical Writing Assessment's (AWA) contribution as a performance assessment. Critiques its potential usefulness as a diagnostic tool for management education. Concludes that the AWA does not meet the expectations of GMAT-user schools who endorsed the test as a diagnostic instrument for identifying student deficiencies. States that…

Identifies the many different groups of scholars, teachers, administrators, and other professionals who lay claim to the field of writing assessment. Describes the various positions, and outlines the major beliefs and assumptions about what is important and valuable. Examines an intolerance for other positions within each position, and identifies…

Research on the context and process of essay writing demonstrates its utility in developing reflection and self-appraisal. Essay writing teaches students to be evaluative in their writing and in their learning. (SK)

Describes a self-study in which a group of part-time composition instructors examined their practices for commenting on students' papers. Concludes that their commenting pedagogies had more to do with ubiquitous political ramifications of being marginalized part-timers or temporary appointees than they would have liked to admit. (RS)

Reviews three texts (published in 1991 or 1992) dealing with portfolio assessment in the reading and writing classroom. Notes that portfolios are powerful agents of change and need to be approached cautiously. (RS)

Evaluates external and diagnostic validity of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf Writing Test. Supports its external validity but does not support the diagnostic validity of this and other writing tests of the same basic design. (SR)

Discusses how to respond to student writing. Offers two assignments that encourage a dialogue between the teacher and student. Relays actual student comments and the process of helping these students. (PRA)

Discusses one attempt to find innovative answers for questions regarding advanced English-as-a-Second-Language writing-placement testing. (MG)

Reveals freshman composition students' stated desire for greater peer review. Describes an assignment in which writing classes construct their own peer review procedures. Identifies review methods selected by students. Argues that the technique allows teachers to locate a midpoint between abandoning and dominating composition students. (SG)

Suggests that awkwardness in writing (like good writing) is an interactive nexus of writer, text, and reader and is a matter of subjective judgment. Argues that awkwardness in student writing is a positive sign of a writer's grappling with language complexity. Concludes that awkwardness is rhetorically motivated and therefore complex but…

Describes an objective, reliable method for functionally measuring cursive handwriting. Researchers assessed the sensitivity of a functional response-class definition to differentiate easy-to-read from difficult-to-read cursive handwriting. Results showed no overlap between the categories. There was small sample-to-sample variability with the…

Challenges several myths about writing assessment held by educators. Argues for the validity of assessments developed within particular environments for particular purposes agreed to by those teaching within those environments. Celebrates the lack of conformity in grading as a sign of a rich and nurturing environment for the development of writing…

Explores the relationship between holistic rating and scoring compositions for cohesive features. Compositions written by English-as-a-Foreign Language learners of varying proficiency were analyzed for cohesive ties and types and for writing quality. Results revealed that evaluation of compositions by cohesive elements is feasible with writings of…

Addresses the issues of whether students derive satisfaction from writing and whether they consider their writing tasks to be purposeful. Discusses teacher responses to student writing, and asserts that most responses indicate an almost exclusive emphasis on secretarial shortcomings. Suggests that teachers draw attention to clarity, honesty,…