Topic: Research Abstracts

10-second review: Basic writers; different audiences; basic writers’ identification of other students ‘ problems in writing; writing process.

Title: “Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.” RL Larson and AL Saks. Research in the Teaching of English (May 1993), 200-214.

Summaries: Basic writers with unpromising grade histories have performed adequately in work place writing tasks because the writing required was short and routine, they were not given immediate grades, knew the subject matter, had clear purposes in writing and knew their audiences. E Agnew, 1992, 212. ………. Different audiences. Fifth-grade students wrote differently for third-graders and adults, though they wrote more effectively for the third-graders than they did for the adults. L Frank, 1992, 213……….. Basic writers’ identification of other students’ problems in writing. Students were able to identify other students’ problems, including semantic problems, problems of meaning over the whole text, problems of coherence, problems of clarity and problems with inadequate development of ideas. They did not do as well in recognizing their own problems, however. B Greene, 1992, 214. ………. Writing process. Planning, production of text and revisions take place simultaneously so it is unwise to isolate components of the act of writing. P. Schall, 1992, 214.

Comment: The processes might be simultaneous, but in order to teach them, they must be isolated. RayS.