ERIC Number: ED214195
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1982-Mar
Pages: 10
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
What's Wrong with Architecture?
Gorrell, Donna
A study examined factors related to the high failure rate of architectural students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on an essay writing task designed to show proficiency in writing before gaining junior standing. Students become eligible to write the essay by getting a score of 65 or better on the Wisconsin English Placement Test (WEPT) or a B minus or better in a composition course. The essays by the architectural students were reread, using Diederich's analytic scale, which is based on the following criteria: idea and organization, flavor, usage, punctuation, and handwriting. Results showed that some of the students could not organize their thoughts well, but that more of them tried to express their ideas without adequate support or coherence or just didn't know what to say, while the largest number of students lacked control of the language. Failure rate was also attributed to (1) ineligibility (based on the WEPT scores), (2) failure in or lack of writing courses, (3) a nonnative language background, (4) sex, and (5) cognitive style. (HOD)
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A