Abstract

This article presents the results of a study into revision skills of 32 elementary students in Grades 5-6 (van Gelderen & Blok, 1989). Their task consisted of improving an expository text, experimentally composed on the basis of several texts written by students of the same age as the subjects. The subjects were asked to think aloud and to give explicit evaluations, diagnoses, and suggestions for improvement of the text. Quantitative data are supplemented with a qualitative analysis of the revision activities. Reformulations and verbalizations during the process are analyzed. The analysis aims at the students' potentials for revision on the level of communicative content. Explanations based on a model of the revision process by Bereiter and Scardamalia (1987) are explored. This model specifies the most important cognitive steps in revision: compare, diagnose, and operate (CDO). Quantitative analysis of revision behavior showed that the subjects did possess the necessary skills to carry out each of the steps under experimental conditions designed to facilitate the revision process. The qualitative analysis, however, showed that many difficulties had yet to be overcome. The study concludes that it would be worthwhile to direct more explicit attention to further development of revision skills of primary students than is the case in current writing instruction at schools.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
1997-07-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088397014003003
Open Access
Closed
Topics

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Computers and Composition
  2. Written Communication
  3. Written Communication

Cites in this index (3)

  1. Written Communication
  2. Research in the Teaching of English
  3. Research in the Teaching of English
Also cites 12 works outside this index ↓
  1. 10.2307/1131063
  2. The psychology of written composition
  3. 10.2307/356602
  4. 10.3102/00346543057004481
  5. 10.1207/s1532690xci0401_1
  6. 10.2307/357381
  7. 10.3102/00346543060004517
  8. 10.1037/0022-0663.86.1.65
  9. 10.1086/443789
  10. 10.2307/1128929
  11. 10.1515/text.1.1982.2.1-3.113
  12. Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes
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