The National Study of Writing Instruction - University at Albany

Below is a list of reasons that teachers give for asking students to write (in the broad
sense of the activities listed above). How important are the following reasons
for asking students to write in this class? (Circle one response in each row.)
To connect personal experience to the
topic being studied.
To provide practice in spelling,
punctuation, and other aspects of
correct usage.
To draw on relevant background
knowledge in approaching new
learnings.
Not
important
96
Somewhat
important
96
Important Very
important
0 1 2 3
0 1 2 3
0 1 2 3
To consolidate new understandings. 0 1 2 3
To reformulate and extend learning. 0 1 2 3
To assess what students have learned. 0 1 2 3
Will this course have a final exam? ___Yes ___No
If there is a final exam, approximately what percent of the exam
grade will be based on responses of at least paragraph length?
_____%
Do you assign writing of more than a paragraph to students in
this class? ___Yes ___Noypes of extended writing