Intended for the reluctant writer who finds writing difficult or is unable to put ideas on paper, this guide examines the characteristics of the reluctant writer and suggests strategies for teachers to use when dealing with these characteristics. It also reviews the writing process, categorizes the reluctant writer according to grade level, and…

The contributions made by Donald Graves to research on written composition are examined. Particular attention is given to his case studies of the writing processes of young children. The results of these studies and their implications for instruction are analyzed and discussed. (Author/FL)

Recent studies and theoretical constructs pertaining to textual revision (the process of editing and reformulating written discourse) are discussed. The relative effectiveness of various revision strategies is examined, with particular attention given to different strategies employed by skilled and unskilled writers. Implications for researchers…

Information derived from an informal study of the processes through which students go as they complete papers assigned for class shows that most freshman students spend little time preparing for their writing and use a simple drafting technique in composition. This paper offers a model of the student composing process which is generalized from the…

Writing is not the result of thinking but rather a way of thinking, and it is distinct from editing, which involves making one's writing conform to agreed upon rules. (DD)

Discusses the prewriting process in terms of forces that affect prewriting, prewriting as rehearsal, and eight signals that tell writers that a piece of writing is near. (DD)

Describes method in which students write a draft requiring some writing skill before learning about that skill. Concludes that predrafting (1) enforces first-drafting; (2) shows students their natural writing abilities; (3) emphasizes discovery of substance first, rules and form second; (4) promotes an active student role; (5) arranges learning in…

Argues that empiricism has a role as a complement to humanistic methodologies in composition research. Humanistic methodologies yield the stuff of hypotheses; empirically proven hypotheses provide further ground for humanistic interpretation. (MS)

Points out that the future of technical writing can be sustained only if teachers persist in setting for technical writing the same standards they apply to other sophisticated modes of writing, and if they require refinement in style as well as accuracy in content. (MS)

Presents a model of visual coding for analyzing how visual elements affect the readability and rhetoric of business documents. Asserts that this type of systematic approach is needed for visual language to take a functional, rhetorical role in the communication process. (MM)

A research paper can be seen as a reasonable goal by students if the teacher focuses on the process of writing as much as on the final product. The steps involved are explained and a reproducible progress chart is included. (MT)

Discusses how film offers a vehicle for observation and imitation, providing writers with a more accurate image of how they perform. Refers to three films: "Before the First Word", "Telling an Old Story", and "Pieces of a Puzzle" that have become the basis for insightful and fruitful discussions about writing. (JK)

The winner of the 1986 Boston Globe-Horn Book award for nonfiction discusses her work. (FL)

The author reviews traditional and emerging writing models and theory and discusses the implications of recent research on composing and writing instruction in middle and junior high schools. (MT)

Explains structure and its relevance for both the practice and teaching of screenwriting. (PD)