In view of research findings that unskilled writers are rule-based rather than context-based in revision of their written work, a study was conducted of the stage between writing a rough draft and the teacher conference to determine how inexperienced writers would articulate their performance and evaluate their strategies for revision. An open-ended preconference form was designed and was completed by students in regular and remedial college composition classes. Questions on the form included the following: (1) What do you like best about your essay? (2) What is your goal in this paper? (3) What do you want the reader to do or think in each paragraph? (4a) List the specific strategies you used and relate them to what you wish the reader to do or think; and (4b) list the questions or problems that you have in each paragraph. Results indicated that better writers could use and articulate more strategies than could poorer writers; on 4a, poorer writers were unable to articulate the hierarchy or order of their ideas; and better writers performed better on 4b. This form has since proved very effective as a teaching tool, since it models the attitudes and behaviors expected of good writers. (DF)