Discusses how contract grading promotes quality writing as well as a larger quantity of writing. Considers how teachers can use contract grading to support and promote the behaviors, thinking skills, and writing skills they believe will help students create quality writing. Notes that contract grading leads students to write more, to have fewer…

Contends that different ethical issues arise according to how the construct of writing is defined for assessment purposes. Explains that most formal assessments assume a pragmatic, functional definition of second-language writing in which an examinee's text production is judged normatively in respect to conventions. Discusses efforts to develop…

Of 208 Welsh nursing/midwifery lecturers, large numbers corrected referencing, grammar, spelling, and sentence structure in students' written work; many felt this was less appropriate at higher levels. There was a discrepancy between opinions about and actual frequency of meetings with supervisees. Many commented on students' academic ability as a…

Investigates the effects of word processing on student's compositions to untangle the seemingly contradictory findings of earlier research. Finds that students are increasing their fluidity and fluency while simultaneously failing to organize and focus their increased verbiage. (RS)

Focuses on the language of civil engineering as manifested in the professional journal "Civil Engineering ASCE." Articles are analyzed, both syntactically and lexically, in terms of three major rhetorical functions: description, prescription, and persuasion. (17 references) (GLR)

Compares writing errors made by college freshmen and professional writers. Explains that 20 student essays were compared to 20 essays from the students' textbook, "Short Takes: Model Essays for Composition." Notes that students and professionals were almost equally prone to commit errors. Offers suggestions for improving student writing.…

Describes a class activity in which students analyze an annual report in terms of audiences and purposes of various sections of the report and the classifications, content, and physical attributes of the report. Notes that students report experiencing less anxiety when examining materials containing statistical and financial data after completing…

An experiment compared three approaches to error correction in college-level written composition and found that the ideal approach would be to combine, in a simple and realistic formula, the best features of the three models. (Author/MSE)

Suggests 17 strategies for avoiding teacher burnout in evaluating business communication assignments (since grading appears to be one of the most overwhelming and frustrating aspects of teaching business communications). (SR)

Describes an introductory creative writing lesson in which students gave low grades to passages they later learned were written by William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway. Reports that the students graded mainly on mechanics and grammar (and very little on content). Notes that students began to learn to manipulate the various aspects of writing. (RS)

Analyzes the persuasive essays of high school juniors and seniors to determine the specific rhetorical and linguistic features that contributed to raters' holistic judgments about the overall quality of the essays. Reports that use of logical appeals, five-paragraph structure, coherence, and number of words were strongly correlated with overall…

Describes and evaluates the Test of Early Written Language (TEWL), an instrument resulting in percentile or standard scores that reflect children's writing development at ages three to seven. Warns that it fails to tap important concepts at the lower age ranges, and violates several principles of children's authentic writing experiences. (MM)

Outlines a plan for evaluating written work in business communication, rating three aspects of writing: tone and logic, mechanics, and program (the appropriate approach for a particular assignment). Notes that this plan is an effective and objective way to evaluate students' writing projects. (MM)

Argues that evaluating electronic versions of students' writing saves time and makes grading easier. Explains how the author uses custom-designed macros to provide comments and guidance to students with more elaboration than is possible by writing comments on the margins of the papers. (PA)

Comments on the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), a new component of the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). Examines the AWA's historical significance and addresses questions regarding the relevance of the writing test for management education. Finds that the AWA is of limited value as a writing assessment and will meet only some of…