Neatness counts: Effects of direct instruction and self-monitoring on the transfer of neat-paper skills to nontraining settings

Abstract

A multiple-baseline design across behaviors was used to evaluate the extent to which direct instruction alone and direct instruction plus a self-monitoring checklist are effective in promoting the transfer of “neat-paper” skills to written assignments produced in nontraining settings. Direct instruction on nine skills necessary to produce a neat paper was provided to 15 resource-room students over a period of six weeks. Results indicate that direct instruction alone was generally insufficient to promote the transfer of acquired neat-paper skills to students' written assignments in other academic periods of the day. Introduction of a self-monitoring checklist, however, facilitated this transfer, resulting in pronounced improvement in the neatness of students' papers.