Green Squiggly Lines:

Opening Sequence

Have the changes in composing environments corresponded with changes in the way writing teachers read, respond to, and evaluate student work?

Yes and no.

From 1982 through 2001, writing instruction in American higher education underwent its share of changes beyond the technological: process approaches to writing were contextualized within local, social concerns; holistically-scored, one-shot exams yielded-at least in theory-to portfolio assessment. Still the image of the writing teacher hunched over a stack of papers-often pictured with a cup of coffee rather than Barthelme's glass of whiskey-remains with us. During December and May, this is what we do-we grade.