Temporal Management of the Writing Process

Abstract

We investigated changes across grades in the cognitive demands associated with the organizing subprocess of writing. A total of 85 fifth (age M = 10.8), 88 seventh (age M = 12.9), and 79 ninth (age M = 14.6) graders composed either a procedural text or an expository description on a digital tablet, on the basis of a “scrambled ideas” paradigm. The demands of organizing were measured in terms of time management (the time spent pausing and transcribing during text production). Our results suggest a developmental change in the on-line management of the organizing subprocess. Findings indicate that only pupils from ninth grade onward adapt their writing behavior to match the task demands. Results are discussed in light of Berninger and Swanson’s developmental model of writing.