Finds that both experienced scientists and college students found it difficult to carry out intellectual teamwork involving collaboratively authored documents without the interactivity and expressiveness permitted by face-to-face communication. (SR)

Describes a process for evaluating technical writing students who are working in groups. Discusses task sheets, progress reports, evaluation forms, and the final individual evaluation. (PRA)

Describes how recent research in industry and academia on collaborative writing has redefined authorship, documented writing experiences, developed models, and established guidelines for successful collaboration that include attention to both writing processes and group processes. (SR)

Reports results of a research study of how student groups organize a collaborative writing task. Finds that students use two patterns like those of the workplace (dividing and allocating the tasks or drafting together), produce better documents using a variety of organizing patterns, and do not perceive equal performance on the basis of…

Offers research-based advice on how to promote effective collaboration in writing projects: (1) delaying consensus; (2) engaging in substantive conflict while avoiding affective and procedural conflict; and (3) operating in a cooperative rather than competitive climate. Notes three strategies for students and professionals to delay consensus:…

Cites research showing that many technical writing courses do not give students an accurate conception of the workplace. Notes the importance of communication skills, inadequacies of writers in the workplace, and the need for practice and instruction in collaborative writing. Outlines a one-term course containing a collaborative writing project…