This article is based on results of a quasi-experimental study in which the efficacy of the strategies approach for reviewing grammar and punctuation concepts was assessed in a business communication course. The control group studied rules-based review materials; the treatment group studied strategies-based review materials. On the three sets of…

Students in higher learning institutions need to write lots of reports based on the projects done. Since they are at the tertiary level of education, they are required to use English in their reports. This is to ensure that they are able to function well in English later at the workplace. Writing requires students to apply rules regarding sentence…

Special issue devoted to the topic of standard spoken usage. (VM)

In a study of advanced shorthand students, the following were the most frequent transcription errors: punctuation errors, substitutions, spelling or English usage errors, poor corrections, omission in notes, and incorrectly written figures. Constant reviewing, testing, and drills in these areas were recommended. (CT)

Some oral reading errors were found to be more significant than others in evaluating a pupil's performance in reading at six comprehension levels. The percentage of seven kinds of errors (pronunciation, mispronunciation, omission, substitution, addition, repetition, and punctuation) was computed to the levels of reading comprehension for good,…

Offers sufficient responses to 60 of the most frequently made errors in German grammar, plus 13 punctuation rules, and proposes that the instructor hand out this list to the students and henceforth "tag" language errors by the corresponding number, then have the student correct them and resubmit the assignment for a better grade. (GLR)

Writing samples of 97 students in remedial writing classes were analyzed to determine error patterns in writing mechanics and the predominance of specific errors. Students were grouped according to individual student profiles and error patterns which indicated additional similarities and differences among individuals. Analysis indicated that most…

Presents the results of a study of graduate-level library school students to determine the types of errors that appeared on original cataloging copy by entry-level catalogers. Records were analyzed for any errors affecting access, including description, headings, encoding of MARC format, capitalization, and punctuation. Types and percentages of…

This article used a writing sample that contained 27 sentence-level errors of the type found by corporate America to be annoying and bothersome. Five categories of errors were included in the sample: grammar, punctuation, spelling, writing style, and business communication concepts. Students in a written business communication course were asked…

Discusses the collected research on free modifiers and "minor sentences," or "formal fragments." Asks English teachers for less concentration on initial placement of modifiers, less rigidity concerning fragments, and more practice with punctuating final free modifiers. (RL)

A survey of 101 faculty in a variety of disciplines found that most do not give much attention to the composition of electronic mail messages and are not bothered much when receiving messages containing mechanical or composition errors. Results suggest faculty should be cautious about relaxing the rules of grammar, punctuation, and good writing in…

Error pattern analysis is a teaching technique that emphasizes identifying, classifying, and keeping a frequency count on only those errors actually occurring in students' writing. Application of error pattern analysis in a workshop format requires three steps: preparing an error pattern analysis, teaching from this analysis, and integrating it…

Examines the use of computers for error detection in natural language texts. Focuses on a computer program designed to teach students to edit their papers for errors using pattern matching in error detection. Describes a "pedagogy for editing" and speculates on ways to improve computer detection of errors in natural language texts. (AEM)

Inexperienced writers, including both basic writers and learning disabled, commit errors that often follow a discernible pattern due to applying erroneous or incomplete rules. Techniques for teaching editing skills are described, including textual analyses of students' writing, interviews with students, structuring the editing task, and providing…

A study examined patterns of English usage in 52 Japanese university freshmen's written compositions, particularly in the use of the subordinating conjunction "because." It was found that students often fragmented sentences when "because" was involved, or used a comma to separate a trailing dependent "because" clause…