Re: basic writers/software

["Dr. Patricia N. McLaughlin" <3yunsan@cmuvm.csv.cmich.edu>]

Kevin

"Are there other aspects of word processors that might actually contribute
to student writer difficulties, process or product?  Anyone out there
noticed anything like this going on in your WC?"  Good questions, and ones
that I will now keep in mind as I continue to investigate the composing
processes of basic writers.  Speaking of research, both Sondra Perl (1980)
and Sharon Pianko (1980) have conducted studies in this area.  Thanks for
your insights on the subject.

Pat  


At 12:22 PM 1/28/97 -0600, you wrote:
>Here's something I noticed this morning, that has me wondering.
>
>I remember reading a research study (Perl's maybe?)  that basic writers tend to
>use unsmooth writing processes.  For example, they stop often and try to
correct
>their writing, favoring immediate surface correctness over fluency or cohesion.
>This process, the study suggested, was a major reason why the people were
pegged
>as basic writers.
>
>Well, I recently upgraded my home pc and have advanced to the newest form of
>Word Perfect which runs a constant spell checker by default.  If I type in a
>misspelled word, the error is underlined in red right then.  And I discovered
>that I couldn't ignore that red line.  That whenever it popped up, I stopped
>right where I was and went to fix the word.  (Yes, eventually I disabled this
>spell-as-you-go feature).  As I noticed myself doing this, I thought, "My gosh,
>this thing's turning me into a basic writer."
>
>It kind of looks like this one aspect of Word Perfect could actually contribute
>to the stilted writing processes which research has shown are instrumental
parts
>of why basic writers are basic writers.  This would seem to suggest that a
basic
>writer using a feature like this spell-as-you-go would maintain this
>countrerproductive process and never show process change.
>
>So now I'm wondering.  Has anyone researched any of this?  Are there other
>aspects of word processors that might actually contribute to student writer
>difficulties, process or product?  Anyone out there noticed anything like this
>going on in your WC?
>
>kevin
>