4. English Onboard Enhancing Writing English Onboard Enhancing Writing Research tells us that writing is a social activity – communication always has a purpose, a context and an intended audience – thus students need to engage in a variety of relevant writing experiences which draw on, analyze, and investigate different purposes and readers. Why do students need to engage in a variety of writing experiences? * To learn more about research on writing, watch the one-hour panel discussion held by Charles Bazeman, Peter Elbow, and George Hillocks: 50 years of research on writing: What have we learned? at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrcq3dzt0Uk