The National Writing Project has conducted and sponsored numerous studies of students’ writing improvement of students’ writing as a result of instructional strategies teachers learned. The most recent, in 2021, showed highly significant improvement of students’ argument writing. Similar results can be expected from workshops provided by the Illinois Writing Project. View the reports and summaries at https://www.nwp.org/our-impact/our-results .

“Writing Project Professional Development Continues to Yield Gains in Student Writing Achievement,” National Writing Project, 2010. Summarizes 16 studies demonstrating that professional development programs designed and delivered by NWP sites have a positive effect on the writing achievement of students across grade levels, schools, and contexts.

“Writing to Read: Evidence of How Writing Can Improve Reading.” Carnegie Corp., 2010. This report reviews studies showing that effective use of writing improves students’ reading. Strategies include writing personal and analytical responses to reading, note-taking, and teaching writing processes.

“Writing Next: Effective Strategies to Improve Writing of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools.” Carnegie Corp., 2007. This report reviews studies that confirm 11 instructional strategies that are effective for improving students’ achievement in writing. These include students working collaboratively, focusing on processes for writing, and using writing to learn in content areas.