Gains in Achievement with Access to Three Types of Scripted Activities on Elaboration in a Freshman Composition Class

Abstract

This study investigated associations between pair and group scripted revision activities and the outcome variables of holistic scores and elaboration criterion scores on a high-stakes community college writing exam. The research was designed as a quasi-experimental study using students in five freshman composition classes during one semester. The purpose of the study was to explore whether access to peer review through scripted revision activities before and then during a high-stakes writing exam may be a valuable pedagogical method. Data were collected from pretests and posttests, student observations, whole class observations, and debriefing questions. Across the 110 students in the five classes that participated in the study, two of the classes participated in pair scripted peer revision activities; two of the classes participated in group scripted peer revision activities; and one of the classes conducted only self-review scripted activities. All scripts were designed to focus on increasing the presence of indicators of elaboration within participant essays through problem-solving prompted by the script. Statistical data demonstrated that no significant differences were present among the scores of the groups. However, a correlation did exist between the rate of specific talk about writing and holistic and elaboration scores, and the majority of participants responded favorably to scripted revision activities.