The article reports the development of the Structural Analysis of Written Language (SAWL), an instrument designed for use by classroom teachers in objectively documenting the ability of children to write in English. The SAWL allows teachers to use T-unit analysis to quantitatively assess language improvement regardless of whether the student…

Current concerns about academic plagiarism in student writing assume qualitative and quantitative differences in the writing of students for whom English is a first language (EL1) and English is a second language (EL2), but lack precision in measuring those differences. I examined the citation practices of EL1 and EL2 students in a timed writing…

Electronic mail (e-mail) messages were examined in terms of the relationship of texts to features of the communicative event itself. A tentative look was taken at how one particular component of the communicative event could explain differences and similarities in different text types as well as within the same type. The assumption was that texts…

This guide outlines the writing procedures for English Composition Pupil Performance Objective (PPO) assessments and tests. Procedures for both students and teachers are included for the prewriting, first draft writing, and revising/rewriting sessions. A brief guide to evaluation procedures and intervention strategies is also provided. (MM)

Developed to assist teachers in Ottawa County, Ohio schools in monitoring students' pupil performance objectives in grades 4-12, this writing evaluation form is the primary record keeping tool in the Competency Based Education Program. The form consists of: (1) the evaluation checklist; (2) the intervention code; and (3) record keeping…

An alternative to the traditional surface measures of text complexity is put forward. The background to the study is an attempt to provide a useful analysis of educational courses being prepared on a text-processor system. The analysis is primarily concerned with one aspect of cohesion in text, the use of rhetorical connectives or items of…

This monograph is intended to assist educators faced with the task of selecting and developing sound writing assessment procedures. Provided are: (1) practical background information on direct writing assessment procedures, alternative approaches, time requirements, advantages and disadvantages of each assessment approach, and (2) identification…

Compares two methods for evaluating syntactic complexity and maturity: (1) the T-unit method of W. K. Hunt and (2) the sentence weight method of P. DiStephano and S. Howie. Concludes that sentence weight is no more accurate than T-units, and more difficult to compute. (JG)

Describes the changes basic writers made to an impromptu in-class essay when the essays were taken home and revised. Suggests that some basic writers have sophisticated revising skills, and that assessment which allows time for revision can give these students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills. (RAE)

Discusses the importance of maintaining a dialog between teachers and students about each writing assignment. Explores ways of keeping the dialog going, even after an assignment has been graded. (JAD)

Describes how having students evaluate their teacher's writing can develop the teacher's sensitivity when responding to student compositions. Suggests ways which help clarify teacher responses to student writing. (MM)

An anthropologist is urging development of better-defined standards for the evaluation of the writing of ethnographies. (MSE)

Claims that newswriting practice contributes to the development of advertising writing skills and that it is particularly relevant given the increasing enrollment in advertising programs. Describes five factors common to both news and advertising writing: audience, distillation, freshness, substance, and easy access. Provides examples of each…

The author argues that Fagley's and Miller's criticisms of his Contexts Pyramid Model of Classroom Writing Competence (TM 510 548) reflect a misunderstanding of the purposes and the assumptions underlying the model. (BS)

Proposes that in-depth assessment of student writing is the best and most effective way of grading papers and determining student needs. Includes a sample assessment scale. (CRH)