States that students in writing response groups have to work through conflicting sets of role expectations, one connected to response to writing in general, the other created by the unequal power relations in classrooms. Discusses how students manage to juggle the demands of conflicting roles and how teachers can guide them to do so productively.…

A method to describe the relationship between coherence and writing quality through topical structure analysis was developed and applied to short compositions in English as a foreign language (EFL) by 24 Finnish high school students. Results indicate that topical development in such compositions can be one index of quality. (SLD)

Describes how an English teacher used journal writing and how it improved the quality of the other writing his students did. Discusses specific journal writing assignments and details ways to help students maintain their journal writing. (RS)

Examines basic writers' analyses of essay examination questions. Reveals a number of preference patterns that may be weighed both against general teaching and assessment theory and against the particular constraints of specific contexts. Concludes that basic writers have much to contribute to the writing of essay examination questions and the…

Defines portfolios in terms of their uses in university writing courses. Summarizes teachers' experiences in implementing portfolios in departments that have not adopted portfolios. Reviews common complaints and questions writing teachers have about portfolios. Describes and gives examples of student portfolios. (RS)

Presents an evaluation method for written assignments in which students develop an evaluation checklist. (SR)

Examines the way mainstream language instructors evaluate second-language learners' writings. The research illustrates the continued importance of the mechanics of grammar as a major criterion in the evaluation of second-language learners' composition. (16 references)

Describes a dual grading process for business writing assignments, initiated to expose students to collaborative evaluation and to verify instructor evaluation. Maintains that receiving feedback from both teacher and students reinforce students' confidence in the evaluation process while teaching them about audience expectations. (SR)

Presents a method that uses computers for writing placement exams, a "structured decision system." Argues that it is more economical and efficient than the process that uses real people as readers. (SR)

Offers a brief history of an attempt to establish predictive test validity with holistic scoring of writing tests. Asserts that holistically scored writing samples may be practical for some local purposes, but they must be used judiciously. Suggests monitoring the validity of local tests with statistical packages and using teacher ratings as…

Explores a way for writing teachers to provide feedback, assess growth, and monitor personal story narrative writing from a positive, supportive and holistic perspective. Lists and explains five dimensions of personal story narrative writing, discusses development, and provides examples of student writing. (PRA)

This article reports on the process of developing a proficiency-oriented writing contest, as well as a system of assessment of that writing based on a set of rubrics for each level of writing. (Contains six references.) (VWL)

Sixty-two quantitative, lexical, and syntactic features in a corpus of 160 English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) texts were identified and counted, producing 28 text variables that were compared with ESL proficiency levels of the writers. Results suggest pedagogical implications for ESL composition instructors. (Contains 12 references.) (LB)

Describes various teaching tips used by a practicing English teacher to enhance writing instruction assessment in the classroom. Focuses on the ways a skills review might be more fun for students. (HB)

Describes a conferenced writing program in a suburban St. Louis high school. Asserts that this kind of instruction is not merely the utopian ideal of writing teachers but a method that can and should be implemented in all schools. (PRA)