The relationship among writing assessment strategies which may be applicable to competency based testing was examined in a study involving 128 high school students in six English classes in grades 11 and 12. Each student wrote two essays of at least 200 words on topics designed to test expository, or explanatory writing, and completed an objective test of writing-related competencies. Two grading methods were used for the essay tests: holistic scoring; and analytic scoring based on essay focus, development, organization, supporting statements, paragraph construction, and mechanics. Results showed moderately positive relationships between scores on the objective test and scores derived from the two methods of rating the essays. There was a strong relationship across all analytic subscales used to rate essays. High correlations between analytic and holistic scores were found. Holistic rating scores may have been indirectly influenced by the uniformity of the structural characteristics of the essays, as indicated by the emergence of the mechanics and supporting statements subscales as predictors of holistic ratings. Sample essay topics, evaluation criteria, and instructions for raters are appended. (MH)