Frequency of Errors in Essays by College Freshmen and by Professional Writers

Abstract

Although systematic instruction in grammar, usage, mechanics, and punctuation is on the wane in freshman composition courses, students are nevertheless commonly expected to avoid various types of errors. Usage handbooks remain among the most popular resources available to instructors of freshman English. While the authors of such handbooks generally eschew a sternly prescriptivistic attitude, they create the impression that good writers steer clear of the kinds of errors defined and illustrated in the handbooks. These errors