College Student Perceptions of Writing Errors, Text Quality, and Author Characteristics
Johnson, A. C., Wilson, J., & Roscoe, R. D. (2017). College student perceptions of writing errors, text quality, and author characteristics. Assessing Writing, 34, 72-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2017.10.002
This within-subjects study examined how lower-level and higher-level writing errors influenced college students' judgments of text quality and author characteristics. Students detected both types of errors, but they were much more sensitive to lower-level errors such as spelling and grammar than to higher-level issues such as organization and argument quality.
Key takeaways
- College students' judgments of writing quality and of authors showed nearly identical sensitivity patterns.
- Lower-level writing errors had a stronger effect on judgments than higher-level errors.
- More-skilled readers were especially sensitive to lower-level errors, revealing possible biases in peer assessment.
Why it matters
This article broadens Dr. Wilson's assessment scholarship by showing how reader perceptions and bias shape evaluations of writing quality and writers themselves.
Coauthors
Adam C. Johnson, Joshua Wilson, Rod D. Roscoe
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