This 112-page highly detailed report presents a statistical profile of how full time students at 4-year colleges in the United States view their need for instruction in spelling, grammar and general writing skills, and how they evaluation the instruction that they have received. The report helps its readers to answer questions such as: which students are receiving writing instruction and which are not? Which are seeking out courses that require writing and research skills and which students are avoiding such courses? How many and which students have received specialized tutoring in writing instruction? In which areas do students feel that they need additional help? How do they evaluation the quality of instruction that they have received thus far and what do they need that they are not getting?
Data in the report is based on a survey of 1,140 college students from 4-year colleges in the United States. Data is presented in the aggregate and also broken out for 17 variables including college grades, ACT/SAT scores, race/ethnicity, gender, college major or intended major, college Carnegie class and public/private status, regional origins, income level, political affiliation and other useful criteria.
Just a few of the report’s many finding are that:
- Students at doctoral level colleges with the highest level of research activity were the most likely to ever have written a 10-page paper for a college class; 74,26% of their students had done so.
- College seniors were significantly more likely than college freshmen to believe that they needed further instruction in writing skills.
- Students over age 30 were the most likely among students of all age groups to rate their writing instruction as excellent
- Broken out by subject area, students studying business, finance and economics had the highest self-perceived need for writing instruction.
- Nearly 32% of students in the C grade range have had specialized tutoring sessions in writing skills.
Table of Contents
THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Characteristics of the Sample
SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS
Percentage of College Students Who Have Written a 10-Page Paper as a Course Requirement
Self-Perceived Need for Instruction in Spelling and Grammar
Self-Perceived Need for Instruction in General Writing Skills
Percentage of Students Who Have Formal Instruction in Language Skills
Student Perception of Quality of Formal Instruction in Writing Skills
Percentage of Students Who Have Taken Tutoring Sessions Devoted to Writing Skills
Table 1.2 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by Carnegie class
Table 1.3 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by age of survey participant
Table 1.4 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out for survey participants from rural, suburban and urban areas of origin
Table 1.5 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out regional origins of the survey participant
Table 1.6 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by college year class standing
Table 1.7 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by approximate student family annual income
Table 1.8 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by degree of religiosity of the survey participant
Table 1.9 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by type of political beliefs of the survey participant
Table 1.10 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by college grades of the survey participant
Table 1.11 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by current or likely college major of the survey participant
Table 1.12 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by gender of the survey participant
Table 1.13 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out for students in public or private colleges
Table 1.14 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by type of domestic housing arrangement of the survey participant
Table 1.15 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by employment circumstance of the survey participant
Table 1.16 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by sexual orientation of the survey participant
Table 1.17 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by ACT or SAT scores of the survey participant
Table 1.18 Have you ever been required to turn in a paper exceeding approximately 10 double spaced typed pages in length for any of your classes? Broken out by racial or ethnic identity of the survey participant
Table 2 Rate Your Need for Instruction in the Following Areas:
Table 2.1.1 Rate Your Need for Instruction in Spelling and Grammar
Table 2.1.2 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by Carnegie class
Table 2.1.3 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by age of survey participant
Table 2.1.4 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out for survey participants from rural, suburban and urban areas of origin
Table 2.1.5 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out regional origins of the survey participant
Table 2.1.6 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by college year class standing
Table 2.1.7 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by approximate student family annual income
Table 2.1.8 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by degree of religiosity of the survey participant
Table 2.1.9 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by type of political beliefs of the survey participant
Table 2.1.10 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by college grades of the survey participant
Table 2.1.11 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by current or likely college major of the survey participant
Table 2.1.12 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by gender of the survey participant
Table 2.1.13 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out for students in public or private colleges
Table 2.1.14 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by type of domestic housing arrangement of the survey participant
Table 2.1.15 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by employment circumstance of the survey participant
Table 2.1.16 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by sexual orientation of the survey participant
Table 2.1.17 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by ACT or SAT scores of the survey participant
Table 2.1.18 Rate your need for instruction in spelling and grammar broken out by racial or ethnic identity of the survey participant
Table 2.2.1 Rate Your Need for Instruction in General Writing Skills
Table 2.2.2 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by Carnegie class
Table 2.2.3 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by age of survey participant
Table 2.2.4 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out for survey participants from rural, suburban and urban areas of origin
Table 2.2.5 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out regional origins of the survey participant
Table 2.2.6 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by college year class standing
Table 2.2.7 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by approximate student family annual income
Table 2.2.8 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by degree of religiosity of the survey participant
Table 2.2.9 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by type of political beliefs of the survey participant
Table 2.2.10 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by college grades of the survey participant
Table 2.2.11 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by current or likely college major of the survey participant
Table 2.2.12 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by gender of the survey participant
Table 2.2.13 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out for students in public or private colleges
Table 2.2.14 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by type of domestic housing arrangement of the survey participant
Table 2.2.15 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by employment circumstance of the survey participant
Table 2.2.16 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by sexual orientation of the survey participant
Table 2.2.17 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by ACT or SAT scores of the survey participant
Table 2.2.18 Rate your need for instruction in general writing skills broken out by racial or ethnic identity of the survey participant
Table 3.1 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution?
Table 3.2 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by Carnegie class
Table 3.3 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by age of survey participant
Table 3.4 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out for survey participants from rural, suburban and urban areas of origin
Table 3.5 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out regional origins of the survey participant
Table 3.6 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by college year class standing
Table 3.7 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by approximate student family annual income
Table 3.8 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by degree of religiosity of the survey participant
Table 3.9 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by type of political beliefs of the survey participant
Table 3.10 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by college grades of the survey participant
Table 3.11 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by current or likely college major of the survey participant
Table 3.12 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by gender of the survey participant
Table 3.13 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out for students in public or private colleges
Table 3.14 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by type of domestic housing arrangement of the survey participant
Table 3.15 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by employment circumstance of the survey participant
Table 3.16 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by sexual orientation of the survey participant
Table 3.17 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by ACT or SAT scores of the survey participant
Table 3.18 Have you taken a course or received other formal instruction in language skills at your current institution? Broken out by racial or ethnic identity of the survey participant
Table 4.1 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction?
Table 4.2 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by Carnegie class
Table 4.3 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by age of survey participant
Table 4.4 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out for survey participants from rural, suburban and urban areas of origin
Table 4.5 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out regional origins of the survey participant
Table 4.6 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by college year class standing
Table 4.7 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by approximate student family annual income
Table 4.8 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by degree of religiosity of the survey participant
Table 4.9 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by type of political beliefs of the survey participant
Table 4.10 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by college grades of the survey participant
Table 4.11 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by current or likely college major of the survey participant
Table 4.12 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by gender of the survey participant
Table 4.13 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out for students in public or private colleges
Table 4.14 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by type of domestic housing arrangement of the survey participant
Table 4.15 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by employment circumstance of the survey participant
Table 4.16 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by sexual orientation of the survey participant
Table 4.17 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by ACT or SAT scores of the survey participant
Table 4.18 If you have taken a course or had other formal instruction in writing skills at your institution how would you rate the quality of instruction? Broken out by racial or ethnic identity of the survey participant
Table 5.1 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills?
Table 5.2 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by Carnegie class
Table 5.3 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by age of survey participant
Table 5.4 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out for survey participants from rural, suburban and urban areas of origin
Table 5.5 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out regional origins of the survey participant
Table 5.6 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by college year class standing
Table 5.7 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by approximate student family annual income
Table 5.8 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by degree of religiosity of the survey participant
Table 5.9 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by type of political beliefs of the survey participant
Table 5.10 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by college grades of the survey participant
Table 5.11 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by current or likely college major of the survey participant
Table 5.12 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by gender of the survey participant
Table 5.13 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out for students in public or private colleges
Table 5.14 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by type of domestic housing arrangement of the survey participant
Table 5.15 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by employment circumstance of the survey participant
Table 5.16 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by sexual orientation of the survey participant
Table 5.17 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by ACT or SAT scores of the survey participant
Table 5.18 Have you ever had a tutoring session at your institution devoted largely to writing skills? Broken out by racial or ethnic identity of the survey participant
What areas of research and writing would you like to improve in and what could your institution do to help you or otherwise improve its teaching of writing skills? Broken out by students in public or private colleges
Samples
LOADING...
Methodology
LOADING...
