To mimic as closely as possible successful classroom procedures, NCTE convention speakers should be assigned topics one hour before their sessions, with only the rhetorical form specified. The audience should shout evaluative comments during presentation and the recorder should interrupt at each spelling and punctuation error. A final grade should…

Native and nonnative (Indians) English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers' evaluations of certain errors in the written English of ESL college students were compared. Results indicated that native and nonnative perceptions of error gravity were not alike, although both groups saw verb-related error categories like tense, agreement, and question…

A significant amount of introspective evaluation of the dissertation process and product has taken place over the last five years. Technological advances, quality concerns, and increased student involvement in the preparation have been recognized and incorporated into new dissertation requirements. (Author/MLW)

Reviews the development of writing paradigms from Aristotle's emphasis on invention, to eighteenth-century emphasis on induction and style, to the recent process approach, and the current expressive and cognitive approaches to writing instruction. Notes problems left unresolved by process theory and recommends the socio-contextual approach which…

The article describes components of writing competence for instructors of basic writers (e.g., remedial, disadvantaged, language/learning disabled) emphasizing fluency, clarity, and appropriateness. Implications of research for the teaching of writing (such as the significance of errors) and assessment of writing competence are noted. (DB)

Describes a number system of commenting on technical writing assignments, where students must look up the comment number on a photocopied key. Provides a sample of the comment numbers and their translations, which cover both general grammatical errors and specific style, information content, and specific assignment difficulties. (SKC)

Proposes that error-oriented grading, because it is discouraging and debilitating for students, should be replaced by grading in which the writing teacher comments only on elements considered praiseworthy. Argues that teachers should spend the most time grading the best students, those most able to understand and act on written evaluations of…

Describes ways in which two second-grade writers used questions and comments made primarily by their teacher during teacher-student conferences to guide revision of their texts. Evidence indicates students typically chose to modify aspects of their texts that were identified as unclear. (RJC)

Summarizes and critiques a dissertation that assessed the relationship between job satisfaction of music performance faculty in doctoral degree granting institutions and their perceptions of their work; departmental chairperson, and peers. Weerts criticizes the dissertation's title, grammar, writing style, and recommendations, characterizing it as…

Describes Phase Four (contextualized literacy assessment) in the evolution of writing assessment, which would replace accountability approaches to assessment with an ecological model focusing on good instruction. Itemizes specific changes which could accompany movement into Phase Four by established assessment communities. (MM)

Argues that effective responses to students' papers must have a clear sense of audience, must be sensitive to the writer's subject and rhetorical aims, and must consider the effect of the context on the writer. (MS)

Responding to Dennis Johnston's criticism of his review of Horning's dissertation, the author discusses the inappropriate tone and focus of Johnston's remarks. States that, in reviewing dissertations, both technical presentation and scholarship are important. Argues that good scholarship, as the ultimate goal, should not be down-graded because of…

Offers an argument against increased emphasis on testing, claiming that reading and writing can never be tested because the conception of reading and writing inherent in tests is faulty. Suggests alternatives that are congruent with a more adequate conception of reading and writing. (SR)

Notes that marking student papers is a rhetorical act requiring audience awareness. Describes how thinking of paper-marking as a conversation can make the task both more enjoyable and more effective. (HTH)

Examines reasons for using essay tests in the direct assessment of writing ability. Reviews the steps in developing a large-scale testing program; e.g., creating a pool of topics or prompts; developing scoring procedures; training raters; field-testing the system; scoring writing samples; assessing reliability; and assessing validity. (DMM)