A study examined how 8 writers, both successful and less successful (4 of each), constructed their interpretations of teachers' written comments and what factors influenced their readings of teachers' comments. Subjects, 8 students enrolled in the first semester writing course at Olivet Nazarene University, a small private liberal arts institution, were selected based on Advanced College Test (ACT) English scores (above 25 and below 10), an initial writing sample, and recommendations of 2 participating professors. Among the results indicated were: (1) that 76% of both groups of students interpreted the written comments as the teacher intended; (2) that rhetorical jargon was confusing to the successful writers; (3) that when students read teachers' comments, they were more concerned about meeting the teachers' agenda than communicating for their own purposes; (4) an influence that affected students' responses to teachers' comments was conflicting ideologies; and (5) students' end products did not necessarily represent what they had learned about writing. Findings suggest that dialogue through written response is still an ideal to be realized. (Contains 14 references.) (CR)