A follow-up study to determine the use made of personal typewriting by graduates of St. Bede Academy, Peru, Illinois, 1964-1967

Includes bibliographical references (pages [62]-66)The ability to type is almost required, of the college-bound student, no matter where he intends to enroll to further his educa­tion. Since more than 85 per cent of its graduates continue on in college, it is the aim of St. Bede Academy to include courses in its curriculum which will meet the needs of its students. The purpose of this study was to determine which specific skills and knowledges in typewriting should receive definite instruction and emphasis, and to determine whether the instruction the students received adequately prepared them for the practical application of typewriting in college. The normative-survey research method was used to obtain the information needed to conduct the study. The questionnaire was de­signed to determine the uses made of typewriting skills and/or tech­niques and the adequacies of, or deficiencies in, instruction. Questionnaires were sent to graduates of the classes of 1964, 1965, 1966, and 1967 who had been enrolled for a one-semester or a two-semester course in typewriting. Of the 260 questionnaires mailed, 170 were completed and returned. The data from the questionnaires were organized and recorded in table form, and the resulting tables analyzed. The conclusions of greatest importance were: (1) For the college-bound student, whether or not he pursued his college education, the course in personal-use typewriting apparently was useful to him. (2) The emphasis in such a course, if offered for one semester, should be given to learning typewriting skills and techniques involving: mar­gin settings; term papers, manuscripts; use of the tabulator bar; eras­ing, correcting errors; centering; footnotes; proofreading; bibli­ographies; essays, themes, compositions; removing paper and alignments. Some instruction should be given in word division; table setups— column typing; envelopes, postal cards; outlines; justifying margins; personal business letters; numbered material; and use of carbon paper. (3) As noted from the responses of the graduates, a one-semester course in typewriting might exclude the following: typing from dictation; poetry; legal arrangements; announcements, notices; dittos, stencils; class notes; and scripts. (4) if the typewriting course is to be offered for two semesters, a major portion of the instruction should be directed to the following areas: erasing, correcting errors; proofreading; mar­gin settings; term papers, manuscripts; use of tabulator bar; essays, themes, compositions; footnotes; centering; bibliographies; and remov­ing paper and alignments. Some instruction should be given in the areas of word division; justifying margins; crowding and spreading letters; envelopes, postal cards; personal business letters; typing from cor­rected copy; form letters; numbered material; and table setups—column typing. (5) A course offered for two semesters for the college-bound student may exclude typing from dictation; poetry; scripts; legal arrangements; club reports, programs; non-printed forms; class notes; and display typing.M.S. Ed. (Master of Education