Does Using an Internet Based Program for Improving Student Performance in Grammar and Punctuation Really Work in a College Composition Course?

This study investigated the impact of an Internet based program designed to improve basic writing skills on grammar and punctuation scores on an English Competency Test. Three groups in a small Midwestern university's freshmen composition class were tested: a control group (Test Group 1), which did not use the program; and two treatment groups: treatment group 1 (Test Group 2), which used the program on its own, and treatment group 2 (Test Group 3), which used the program in conjunction with correcting rough drafts of assigned papers. Results did not indicate a statistically significant difference among the groups; however, because Test Group 3 had higher scores than the other two groups and because students surveyed believed that the program had improved their skills, more research on the effect of these types of programs is warranted.