AnnoBib -- Psychology of Written Composition

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Bereiter, Carl and Marlene Scardamalia. The Psychology of Written Composition. Hillsdale NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., Pub., 1987. Print.
Explores the notion that various writing strategies involve different kinds of thinking, which ultimately affect the written product. Five parts: first part presents concepts central to the writing process, including two models, an integrative schema for studying the process, and a discussion of the transition from conversation to composition. The second section addresses the basic cognitive factors in composition, including the role of production factors in writing ability, the information processing load of composition, and how children cope with the processing demands of coordinating ideas in writing. The third section presents perspectives on the composing strategies of immature writers, including knowledge telling and the problem of "inert knowledge," the development of planning in writing, and links between composing and comprehending strategies. Fourth part discusses factors involved in promoting the development of mature composing strategies, including fostering (1) self-regulation; (2) evaluative, diagnostic, and remedial capabilities; (3) reflective processes; and (4) children's insight into their own cognitive processes.
Supported with Canadian government funding, the text balances research and discussion. Part two is useful for mid-1980s understand and predictions of cognitive rhetoric as it explains the researchers' positions on the role of production, memory, and inference.

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