Advanced composition is difficult to define because of the complexities implied by each of the two terms, "advanced" and "composition." The word "advanced" is loaded with positive connotations that generally suggest progress. However, the progress expected of a class of students at one institution may not agree with…

As part of an evaluation of its scientific and technical information program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted a review and analysis of structural, language, and presentation components of its technical report form. The investigation involved comparing and contrasting NASA's publications standards for technical…

A study tested the hypothesis that essay examination topics specifying full rhetorical contexts are superior to less information-laden versions of the same topics. Subjects were 360 college students who were given 45 minutes to write essays on 6 topics phrased at 3 information (or specificity of rhetorical context) levels--high, low, and moderate.…

A study was conducted to determine how much practice in sentence combining was necessary for black college students to reach a peak in syntactic growth. Thirty-three freshman composition students, the majority of whom had verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test scores ranging from 300 to 350, participated in the study. In addition to the regular…

Both student and adult writers need to learn how to imagine clear and full contexts for their writing. These contexts include awareness of audience, knowledge of purpose, and creation of the proper voice befitting the purpose and audience. The critical necessity of these three elements in writing can be taught and learned most effectively through…

This booklet contains ideas and prewriting exercises designed to motivate reluctant writers. The first section of the booklet provides suggestions for helping students become better acquainted so that they will be more receptive to peer evaluation of their work. The second section offers prewriting teaching techniques while the third section…

The heavy concentration of time and funds to measure writing performance is the major reason other areas deserving scrutiny are so often neglected by evaluators. Three failings typical of the field of writing assessment as it is conducted for the purpose of program evaluation are: (1) a failure to view writing as a multiple construct; (2) a…

A study investigated the role of writing apprehension in the writing competency and performance of college students. Specifically, the study examined whether high writing apprehensives would perform differently than low apprehensives on standardized tests of writing-related skills and on two different types of essays. Based on the results of a…

When the literature and the research results on sentence combining are analyzed, they seem to provide an expanded meaning of sentence combining and reasons for its effects on the writing of some students. Gains in syntactic maturity alone do not explain why sentence combining affects positively the writing of some students, nor does the fact that…

This manual was designed for students with a research assignment who do not know how to begin. Students are required to read each chapter completely and follow the instructions it contains before going on to the next chapter. First, a checklist of necessary materials and supplies is provided. Then, Chapter I helps the student clarify the purposes…

Since too many technical students do not get enough experience in problem definition, technical writing teachers can improve the training they provide by introducing their students to principles of tagmemic rhetoric, a problem-solving rhetoric that emphasizes the early stages of the inquiry process. According to tagmemic rhetoric, an adequate…

One way to improve composition skills and to raise the level of interest in composition is by incorporating language philosophy into the composition process. That is, a teacher might use language games as a way of teaching writing. Such games include giving orders, describing an object, reporting an event, telling a joke, asking, thanking,…

Certain testing procedures will overcome some of the problems associated with the use of essay tests. Essay tests may not validly indicate achievement because the questions included in the test may not fairly represent instructional content. Reliability may be a problem because of variations in examinee response in different situations, in test…

Eliminating errors is neither as simple nor as important as back-to-basics critics believe; however, correctness does need to be considered in composition instruction. Error affects a reader's judgment of writing quality and interferes with the communication between reader and writer. It may also hinder the composing process of some writers. Major…

This booklet, designed to promote the letter writing habit, provides information about writing letters in a variety of situations. It is divided into several short sections with illustrations. Reasons to write letters and postcards are offered by several authors and celebrites including Stevie Wonder, Darryl Stingley, and "Dear Abby." Addresses…