A study investigated the effect of writing on reading comprehension, vocabulary, and attitude of college freshmen enrolled in a reading course. Thirty-eight students were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. Reading instruction varied only in the use of a writing component for the experimental group. Instruments used in the study were the Nelson-Denny Reading Test and the Estes Attitude Scales. An analysis of covariance on reading test scores resulted in significant differences between groups on vocabulary and comprehension. No significant differences were found between the groups on the reading portion of the attitude scales. Although results indicated that writing has a positive influence on reading, they leave unanswered a number of questions about the long-term effects of the instruction. (FL)