This report provides information drawn from a study that compared two components of the freshman English program at the University of Texas at Austin. The first chapter of the report contains background material and describes the two course components--the analytic option, which emphasizes writing skills in the context of complete pieces of…

Indicates through regression analyses that (1) the Ziller, Martell, and Morrison self-differentiation measure and (2) Crockett's Role Category Questionnaire are significantly related and significant predictors of the criterion variables. Found Bieri et al.'s measure to be virtually unrelated to any of the study variables. (JD)

Presents a poem, "Henry and Edith in Casper," and discusses the composing processes that led to its creation. (SRT)

Concludes that handwriting instruction improves writing ability because students who have mastered the basic skills of handwriting are able to concentrate on the process of composition rather than transcription. (SRT)

Uses evidence of common writings found in the Rosenthal Collection of North Italian Documents at the University of Chicago to determine that the type of hand written script most popular in sixteenth century Verona was not the "cancellaresca" found in most copy books, but rather the italic and mercantilist scripts. (SKC)

Analyzes research on the behavior of writers and applies it to the development of writing curriculum. Includes an outline of an example of goals and objectives for teaching writing based on such an analysis. (MD)

Examines the oral interactions between four different undergraduate writers and four different graduate student tutors. Results indicate that the interactions have characteristics of peer and classroom interaction, that they are less clearly oriented than teacher-student conferences, and that they cannot really be considered peer group talk. (RS)

Draws on a research project involving argumentative writing to contend that some student writing problems result not from a lack of familiarity with the academic discourse community but from certain audience postures that were positively correlated with the levels of socio-cognitive development as assessed by the Perry scheme. (RS)

Supports outlining as an invaluable tool for teaching students how to prepare to write on subjects of a logical nature and for analysis of writing of like kind. (RAE)

Reviews specific examples of cliched anecdotes from recent publications intended for student use, warning that these reflect poorly on the field. Calls for more qualitative research to validate the principles espoused in business communication literature. (RAE)

Investigates the effect of the environment on kindergarten children's development of the seven functions of writing (as described by M. A. K. Halliday). Concludes that children in an environment that emphasizes the functions of writing gain better knowledge of writing functions than do children whose environment lacks such emphasis. (ARH)

Defends the use of verbal reports, or protocol analysis, as a valid means of understanding cognitive processes and writing processes. (SRT)

Examines research work done on how writers think as they compose in nonacademic settings and relates their findings to reading instruction. (HOD)

This article discusses how ethnographic research can provide valuable insights into the nature and function of writing which can, in turn, be used to improve writing instruction in schools. (MT)

Suggests that the information processing model of writing developed by cognitive psychologists provides a construct for researchers to work with but has little to contribute to classroom pedagogy. (MM)