Research on the composing process conducted from 1946 until the present is summarized in this paper. Concentratinq on research dealing with the process of writing, the paper does not include studies of written products, language development, or the effects of instruction. The research is arranged in chronological order from the earliest to the most current, concluding with three recent studies focusing only on one element of the process--revision. The paper concludes with an overview of the findings of the research efforts. (FL)