Overconfident Students, Dubious Employers- Inside Higher Ed

Article discusses a survey that identifies the gaps between graduates' views of their skills, including writing, and the views of those who hire them. Link suggested by Emily Wierszewski, Associate Professor, English & Composition, Director of Undergraduate Writing Programs.

The Nation’s Report Card: Writing 2011- National Assessment of Educational Progress

Assessment showed that over 70% of twelfth-grade students’ writing skills fell at the Basic or Below Basic level; less than 30% were rated as Proficient or Advanced. Read the full report.

12 Troubling Signs There’s a Writing Crisis in America- BestCollegesOnline.com

These points cite a number of reports about how students are lacking writing skills, how students don’t value or practice writing, and how employers and schools are affected by the decrease in writing abilities.

Writing: A Ticket to Work…Or a Ticket Out: A Survey of Business Leaders- National Commission on Writing

The results of this survey of major American corporations confirm the necessity of quality writing skills in the workplace, both for hiring and promotion decisions.

Making Writing Instruction a Priority in America’s Middle and HighSchool- Policy Brief from the Alliance for Excellent Education

Note the sidebar on the actual brief that presents information about the inadequacy of writing skills in high school and college graduates. Download the PDF from this site.

New research on business writing (infographic and report) - Josh Bernoff