Thirteen-Year-Olds’ Writing Achievements: A Secondary Analysis of the Fourth National Assessment of Writing

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a secondary analysis of the data on 13-year-olds from the Fourth National Assessment of Educational Progress in Writing. Multiple regression analyses modeled according to a theory of educational productivity indicate that early adolescents’ interest in writing is alterable in educational settings. Further, the findings suggest that interest in writing is significantly associated (p > .05) with the productivity factors of subjects’ peer group, gender, and quantity and quality of instruction. In addition, essay writing performance appears to be associated significantly with a student’s ability and peer group and a component of quality of instruction. The findings suggest that there may be a benefit to exploring the influence of peer groups, as well as to continuing to explore the factors traditionally considered alterable in educational settings, namely, the quality and quantity of instruction.