Compares students' writing in a computer classroom and in a conventional pen-and-paper classroom. Finds that students in the conventional classroom responded readily to the same pedagogical approaches without the aid of computers. Suggests that it is nearly impossible to account for the results without weighing the roles played by pedagogy,…

Investigates the historical nature of hypertext research on reading and writing. Examines selected literature published between 1987 and 1994, showing that this literature does not move beyond asserting "opportunity" and "potential" when describing the use of hypertext in the writing classroom. Proposes a theoretical and pedagogical agenda for…

Reviews findings of an investigation in which four European-American teachers assessed fifth- and sixth-grade students' written texts. Replicates the study using African-American teachers assessing the same texts. Finds that the teachers held consistently different views about assessment. Presents the voices of the African-American teachers, who…

Investigates differences among student writers at three grade levels (6, 8, 10) and between expert writers and students in terms of the uses and complexity of arguments presented in persuasive texts. Develops a model that could account for structural variations across a range of writing to analyze argument. Reveals that argument was the…

Analyzes the effects of culture-referenced essay prompts/topics on the writing quality of 11th- and 12th-grade students who participated in a collaborative project between Temple University's Writing Program and four Philadelphia public high schools. Scores 711 essays holistically. Suggests that the culture-referenced topics elicited better…

Proposes a change in the way creativity is taught in journalism design classes. Suggests pedagogical strategies that incorporate creativity research into the journalism design curriculum. Proposes a curriculum that is empirically based rather than anecdotal, and one that demystifies creativity and offers students specific techniques and practice…

Investigates effects of a structured procedure for collaborative writing (in 2 formats) on the quality of creative writing and attitudes to writing in 8-year-old children. Finds that both formats of collaborative creative writing could be effective; however, ensuring short term gains for the more able helpers in cross-ability pairs could be…

Shares interviews with elementary and middle school teachers that offer insight into how they respond to potentially controversial writing topics in an effort to understand their perspectives and beliefs about writing topics within their classrooms. Suggests that teachers need to ask challenging questions, acknowledge their biases, and get ready…

Explores how issues of power and identity are embedded within the cultures of a first-grade writing classroom. Explores the ways in which children's instructional stances--their responses to the ways they are positioned as writers in the classroom--affect their literacy learning. Presents the theoretical and research contexts in which educator's…

Conducts case studies of proficient undergraduate writers from working-class backgrounds in the context of a course preparing sophomore and junior students to be tutors for first-year basic writers. Finds that students explained their experiences suggesting a greater degree of agency, an awareness of themselves as writers in a "contact zone," and…

Reviews writing research that implicates writing-speaking relationships by constructing contrasting positions for organizing the research and understanding the relationships: (1) that writing differs from speaking; and (2) that writing is similar to speaking. Research issues regarding integrating these positions are raised, and a guideline is…

Analyzes two students' responses to a self-diagnostic writing prompt. Finds that the essays are effective in allowing the reader to perform an accurate "diagnosis" and in allowing students the opportunity to articulate their own interests and concerns about their writing. (RS)

States that participants in a qualitative case study of nonacademic R&D authors thought their reports were more informative than persuasive. Describes how three definitions of "persuasion" emerged. Concludes that most of the participants felt they owed a greater debt to their subject matter rather than the audience; some participants…

Examines the extent to which asking 20 entry-level and 19 basic-level college writing students to articulate their initial intentions for writing facilitated the identification of 3 kinds of instructional problems students face in moving from intentions to texts. Suggests that students with useful initial intentions write more effective texts than…

Asks what English teachers must do to improve their quest for fostering vivid, dynamic, original, and thoughtful writers. Argues that conceptual shifts must occur, more people must be educated about writing and learning to write, research from the past must fuel future research, a unified conceptual writing curriculum must be implemented, and…