Higher levels of critical analysis writing require students to think across texts and authors. Often this practice requires an ability to put aside author style momentarily in order to get to the bottom of how an author has developed a character. … More Cross-textual Character Analysis

…super writers are masters of language… … More A Theory on Super Writers

There’s a story in there, somewhere. We all have ideas, quips, and vignettes stored so that we have something fun to say at the next party we attend. These aren’t just news stories about which you can argue the facts presented by the media. These are stories of our experiences.

For some learners, writing is not just work. It’s hard work. … More The Work of Writing

Research: How much is too much? Writing authentically is a challenge when a setting is unfamiliar to the author. Understanding setting and circumstance is necessary to maintain credibility with readers. The wrong application of science, for instance, can wreak havoc for an author. So, as most authors would agree, research is a task that cannot … More Avoiding Research Pitfalls

Sample assessment items related to Common Core writing that are now available put students in a difficult position. If you are an expert writer, you understand the difficulty presented by a task that requires cross-textual analysis. You understand the potential pitfalls of guessing exactly what is to be examined in the multiple texts and how … More The Rigor of Common Core Writing

Do you remember what it was like to write an essay that was intended to demonstrate to a teacher everything you knew about one topic? Do you recall what it was like to write that paper? Did you struggle at all to meet the requirements of that assignment?