Development and validation of an inventory to assess processes in college composition

A series of studies was conducted to design and validate a self‐report instrument to assess patterns of strategy use in college composition — composing styles. Factor analysis of items derived from models of student learning yielded five scales: Elaborationist, Low Self‐efficacy, Reflective‐Revisionist, Spontaneous‐Impulsive and Procedural. The Elaborationist scale was marked by personalisation in writing and a dynamic conception of the composing process. Similarly, the Reflective‐Revisionist orientation focused on meaning as an emergent process involving the active reworking of written discourse. The Low‐self‐efficacy style was characterised by little confidence in writing abilities and an overriding concern for surface aspects of composition, grammar and punctuation. The Spontaneous‐Impulsive style represented an ‘off the cuff, impromptu orientation, and the procedural profile described a methodological orientation aimed at satisfying a requirement. The scales were found to be independent of a measure of learning styles. Low self‐efficacy and Reflective‐Revisionist were predictive of grade in freshman composition. Implications for teaching are discussed.