Arts · Facts & sources
6 sourced facts about writing, each with the context behind the number. 4 more are in today's round and appear here after it closes.
Answer80%
It was NAEP's first computer-based writing assessment; 24,100 eighth-graders composed their responses on computer.
Source: NCES, The Nation's Report Card: Writing 2011 (2011) nces.ed.gov
AnswerGirls, by 19 points
Female students scored 19 points higher on average than male students on the 0–300 scale.
Source: NCES, The Nation's Report Card: Writing 2011 (2011) nces.ed.gov
Answer$76,910
That works out to about $36.98 an hour; many writers and authors are self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025) bls.gov
Answer$10,000
Adding other author-related income brought their median total to $20,000.
Source: The Authors Guild, 2023 Author Income Survey (2022) authorsguild.org
Answer140,300
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for the occupation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025) bls.gov
Answer74%
Students could also use a thesaurus tool; those who used it more often scored higher on average.
Source: NCES, The Nation's Report Card: Writing 2011 (2011) nces.ed.gov