[Daigon poem and Fluegelman and Hewes book review at top of this page]

Hi, what is your name?

Sandi Mackey

Any ideas on what to write?
Y or N.

Yes, I want to write about soap operas and why so many people get hooked on them.

Okay. Now give me a one-to-five word title for your topic. Here are some examples: Feeling Blue, Are Schoolyards Safe?, Flying Saucers. What's your title?

Hooked on Soaps.

What made you choose "Hooked on Soaps" to write about?

Because every afternoon the Student Center is filled with busy people watching General Hospital. And that includes me--even if I have a midterm and paper due the next day. Why do I do it? What's the lure? . . . .

PREWRITE, running on the Apple Computer, is designed to help writers find and focus ideas for writing without the usual "What should I write about?" worry. After completing the interactive question-and-answer program (20-40 minutes), writers receive a printout of their thoughts, which can then be used as notes for developing a draft.

The program has worked well with writers of all ages--from fifth graders with learning disabilities to graduate students beginning a dissertation. Writers choose from two options: Option A encourages autobiographical and imaginative writing; Option B is geared more for exposition, including term papers. As no computer experience--not even a manual--is needed to use PREWRITE, it has also proven to be an excellent way to begin writers on a computer--before introducing word processing.

PREWRITE can also be customized for individual teaching needs. A Teacher Menu Option makes it possible to adjust the length and content of the program to course material and student interest and ability. Files can be monitored, questions can be added and deleted, examples changed and restored--all with a few simple commands.

During field testing, five ways in which PREWRITE proved to be most successful were:

to overcome the blank page syndrome

to avoid undeveloped essays--one of the key problems of inexperienced writers

to promote collaborative learning experiences

to relax users before introducing word processing

to make computer writing fun

Equipment: The program works on the Apple II series (II+, IIe, IIc) with 64K.

Cost: The initial cost of $79.95 includes two disks, a user's guide, and a copy of Writing for Many Roles, the companion text of this software (Boynton/Cook Publishers). Additional disks are $24.95 each. Include $4.00 handling charge.

Ordering: Make checks payable to Mimi Schwartz and send orders to PREWRITE, 4 Evelyn Place, Princeton, NJ 08540-- or to Boynton/Cook Publishers. Prepaid orders only.