Describes a small-scale experiment in which five professional writers were asked to revise brochure fragments based on the feedback from readers. Discusses the type of feedback collected from readers and how the experiment focused on the revision phase following formative text evaluation. (SG)

Assesses the capabilities and limitations of a collaborative writing software program used in a French foreign language writing course. Discusses the value of collaborative writing in foreign language writing; provides an introduction to collaborative writing software; and offers practical classroom activities. (SR)

Finds that, overall, a group of the lowest-achieving Year 7 boys benefited from using computers, and that this benefit derived from the support it provided them in their writing and its motivating appeal. Finds also that being in "the computer literacy class" also helped to overcome some of the stigma associated with being in the lowest…

Assesses the influence of two self-regulated learning strategies (organizing/transforming and task-information seeking) and two other variables (reading ability and self-efficacy for writing) on undergraduate students' compare/contrast essays. Finds that essay quality was correlated with each of the variables, but only reading ability and…

Examines four first-graders' messages to family members in their "family message journals," as students were learning to "do science." Finds that they consistently composed texts in which they appropriated the linguistic conventions of science and that they seemed able to use these conventions flexibly, recontextualizing the…

Examines gender features in eighth-grade students' writing in terms of the relationships among characters and the use of violence, comparing the analyses to perspectives offered by the students in small group conversations. Finds evidence of competitive relationships within sports and romance stories, as well as elements of violence and metaphors…

Investigates effectiveness of a first-grade formal spelling program (with explicit spelling instruction and weekly spelling tests). Shows that most children knew a majority of the spelling words before being given explicit instruction, and they transferred few of their spelling words to their journals. Notes the classroom reading/writing workshop…

Focuses on disciplinarity and underlying pedagogical goals in technical writing classrooms by describing a search engine assignment sequence which promotes literate practices in three short reports: (1) a preview/instruction report; (2) an analysis/evaluation report; and (3) a narrative review of a research activity. Concludes with implications…

Lexical access and retrieval are essential processes in fluent and efficient second language (L2) oral and written productive uses of language. In the case of L2 writing, attention to vocabulary is of paramount importance, although the retrieval of relevant lexis while composing in an L2 frequently entails different degrees of problem-solving…

A study sought to promote improved work among six at-risk students in a third-grade writing workshop in a central Virginia school by varying the standard workshop format: mini lesson followed by free writing. The approach was to replace mini-lessons with multi-sensory, hands-on experiences followed by brainstorming activities and evaluate how the…

A study examined the effectiveness of incorporating writing as a tool to master the concepts of physics. Subjects were students in the three traditional physics classes and one non-math or conceptual physics class at East High School in Rockford, Illinois. The instructor tried a variety of methods--students wrote criticisms of Carl Sagan videos,…

A series of three studies looked at argument across significant contexts to understand what students must learn to "argue" in these contexts and carry out their practices. Study 1 involved 19 pre-college minority writers who were asked to take a "rival hypothesis" stance to their source texts that discuss issues in minority…

A semi-annual refereed publication of research and instructional practices in English/language arts and allied fields, preschool through adult levels, this volume of "Maryland English Journal" presents articles on a variety of subjects and showcases the work of young writers. Articles in volume 28, number 1 focus on ethnographic studies…

A series of five studies examined factors that influence how students respond to questions on a writing apprehension test. In the first study, the Daly-Miller Writing Apprehension Test was administered 4 times to 34 students in 2 freshman composition classes. Conventional scoring of test results were inconclusive--the total score for all students…

A study examined the changing conceptions about the writing instruction of three teachers who participated in the Teachers College Writing Project. Three New York City elementary school teachers were selected from a larger sample of 10 teachers who participated in a larger study of the same project. The teachers were selected because they had…