Written Communication Jul 2000

Documenting Improvement in College Writing

RICHARD H. HASWELL

Abstract

This investigation sought normative longitudinal change in student writing during college. It used a random sample of students (N= 64), each of whom had produced essays at two points in their undergraduate careers, matriculation and junior year. Measures were writing features showing undergraduate change toward competent, working-world performance. From a principal-components factoring of variables used in a previous study, nine measures were selected as good representatives of nine factors—factors of independent and bound ideas, idea elaboration and substantiation, local cohesion, establishment of logical boundaries, free modification, fluency, and vocabulary. When applied to the 1st-year and junior-year writing, eight of the nine measures, including a holistic rating, recorded statistically significant change, all in the direction of workplace performance. Directions for further research are discussed.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
2000-07-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088300017003001
Open Access
Closed
Topics
quantitative research

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (11)

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  3. Crossley et al. (2011)
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  4. Rice (2011)
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  5. Warnock (2009)
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  6. Donahue (2008)
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Cites in this index (17)

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    Written Communication
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  3. STERNGLASS (1993)
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    Written Communication
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CrossRef global citation count: 60 View in citation network →

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