The writing assignment: The impact teachers' assignments and instruction have on students' preferences, perceptions and class procedures

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students' perceptions of their teachers' writing assignments and instructions had an impact on writing preferences and procedures within the English and/or writing classes of high school and community college students. Using a mixed-method design approach, the researcher collected data using a self-designed student questionnaire given to high school (N = 119) and community college students (N = 105). The researcher sought connections between a number of variables: students' prior composition course grade (college), students' score on a state writing assessment (high school), students' perception of their overall writing ability, students' assessment of their teachers' instructions that accompany writing assignments, students' values regarding writing courses and whether they would freely participate in writing courses. The researcher discovered a number of key findings in response to the following research questions: (1) What were students' perceptions of their writing teacher's assignments and instruction; (2) What were students' preferences for writing assignments and instruction; and (3) What were students' self-perceptions of their writing ability and the importance of writing?...