In commenting on our students' writing, however, we have an additional
pedagogical purpose. As teachers,'we know that most students find it difficult
to imagine a reader's response in advance, and to use such responses as a
guide in composing. Thus, we comment on student writing to dramatize the
presence of a reader, to help our students to become that questioning reader
themselves, because, ultimately, we believe that becoming such a reader will
help them to evaluate what they have written and develop control over their