- Email: [email protected]
Selected bibliography of recent scholarship in second language writing
JOURNAL OF SECOND LANGUAGE
WRITING,
7 (3), 347-359
(1998)
Selected Bibliography of Recent Scholarship in Second Language Writing TONY SILVA PAUL KEI MATSUDA Purdue University This bibliography cites and summarizes theoretically grounded reports of research and discussions of central issues in second and foreign language writing and writing instruction that have become available to its compilers during the period of December 1,1997 through March 3 1,1998. .
Amores, M.J. (1997). A new perspective Annals, 30(4), 5 13-522.
on peer-editing.
Foreign Language
This qualitative study of eight undergraduate students in a third-year Spanish composition and grammar review course showed that students tended to define peerediting processes in social and emotional terms. However, the researcher found no evidence supporting the effects of audience awareness and response on students’ writing or students’ attitudes toward writing.
.
Asiri, I.M. (1997). University EFL teachers’ written feedback on compositions and students’ reactions. Dissertation Abstracts International, 59(l), 6C. The researcher investigated 11 Arabic EFX teachers’ feedback on texts written by university students in Saudi Arabia as well as the perceptions of 40 teachers and 96 students. The results showed that teachers focused mainly on features such as grammar, vocabulary and mechanics. The analysis of student perceptions indicated that students were satisfied with the feedback they received from their teachers.
.
Bello, T. (1997). Improving 409746.
ESL learners’
writing skills. ERIC Document
Contending that learning to write in English provides ESL learners with a voice in their new culture and enhances language acquisition, the author discusses approaches to teaching writing and argues that teachers should give learners opportunities to write about meaningful topics, to participate in varied writing activities, and to feel that their writing is valuable.
347
348
.
SILVA AND MATSUDA
Benz, C. (1996). Entering an academic discourse community: A case study of the coping strategies of eleven English as a second language students. Dissertution Abstracts International, 57(8), 336SA. This study examined how 1I ESL students adapted to the demands of 3 content courses at a community college. The results showed that students drew on their LI educational background. which sometimes interfered with successful adaptation; that content courses demanded well developed spoken and written communication skills as well as higher level cognitive skills: and that affective factors played an important role.
.
Berg. C.E. (1997). The effects of trained peer response on writing. Dissrrtation Abstracts International, 58(7), 263 1A. To examine the effect of peer response training on writing outcomes, revision strategies, and peer talk about ESL student texts, two groups of students-one with peer response training and one without-were compared. The researcher found that peer response training had positive effects on all three factors.
.
Bhebe, C.L. (1996). Helping secondary ESOL students writing skills through process writing and publication. 409720.
to develop basic ERIC Document
The author reports an attempt to improve writing skills and self-esteem of ESL secondary school students by having them produce a student newsletter. Evaluation materials, weekly activities, pre- and post-instruction writing samples, individual writing samples, and a sample of the student newsletter are also presented.
.
Black, E.M. (1997). A text analysis of the argumentative writing in English by Spanish and English bilingual college students and by English monolingual students in the southwest United States. Dissertation Abstracts Internutionul, H(8), 3112A. This study examined how syntactic and rhetorical features of texts written by NES and English-Spanish bilingual students are related to holistic quality and the writer’s language background. The researcher identified different sets of predictors for writing quality and for writer’s language background, suggesting that. in a complex bilingual environment. writing quality cannot be seen merely as the result of student’s language background.
.
Blanton, L.L. (1998). Varied voices: On lun~uuge Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
and literacy
learning.
In this ethnographic study of an American school in Morocco, the author explores how children learn language and literacy in a linguistically and culturally diverse environment.
SELECTED
.
349
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Caissie, R.A. (1997). English verb phrase grammar prototypes for speakers of other languages: A cognitive approach to facilitate second language English composition. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(8), 3112A. Based on the assumption that a linguistic system is a product of cognitive processes whose structure can be cognitively accessed, the author demonstrates cognitively based analyses of the English verb phrase and suggests how their application through grammatical consciousness-raising can facilitate adult L2 learners’ acquisition of verb forms.
.
Chen, X.H. (1997). Contrastive analysis of textual coherence of American and Chinese college students’ written expositions. Dissertation Abstracts International, 57( 12), 5085A. The researcher examined 10 Chinese and 30 English texts written by four groups of students-English Ll, Chinese ESL, Chinese EFL, and Chinese Ll-for their top structure (method of organization) and lower level structures (elaboration and cohesion). Chinese and American students tended to prefer different methods of organization. Similarities in lower level structures were found between Chinese Ll and English Ll students and between Chinese ESL and EFL students.
.
Clark, W.F. (1997). Investigating transfer of writing sophistication in expository writings of American and Mexican students in their first and foreign languages. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(2), 442A. To investigate whether the transfer of writing sophistication from Ll to L2 writing occurs, the researcher studied Ll and L2 texts written by college students from the United States and Mexico. For both groups, significant correlations were found between Ll and L2 texts. The researcher concludes that the transfer of writing sophistication takes place and that writers make attempts to conform to the norms of their L2.
.
Currie, P. (1998). Staying out of trouble: Apparent plagiarism survival. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(l), 1- 18.
and academic
To understand the complexity of textual borrowing by L2 writers in academic settings, the researcher examined a case of apparent plagiarism by one L2 writer in a university course. The student’s behavior is considered in light of the context of her course, the demands of her task, her developing English language skills, and her general learning processes.
SILVA AND MATSUDA
3.50
.
Dykstra, K.O. (1997). Analysis of writing structures used by incipient Spanish bilingual writers when composing in Spanish and English. Dissertation Abstracts International, .58(4), 1184A. Ll and L2 texts written by 15 incipient Spanish bilingual elementary school students were examined for their use of organizational structures. The only significant difference was found in the number of words used in Ll and L2 texts, indicating that there was no significant difference in the organizational structures used by incipient Spanish bilinguals when writing in Spanish and English.
.
Eckermann, development
C., & Kim, A.C. (1996). A comparison of oral and writing in a second language college student. ERIC Document 408824.
The researchers compared Russian ESL students’ oral and written discourse for errors and syntactic maturity over a two-year period. They found that errors in oral discourse decreased at a faster rate than in written discourse.
.
Englebert-Johnson, S.R. (1997). A comparison of English as a foreign language, learning disabled, and regular class pupils on curriculum based measures of reading and written expression and the pupil rating scale revised. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(5), 1579A. The researcher compared the performance of Belgian international school pupils with varying levels of English language proficiency on maze, oral reading and written expression tasks as well as teacher evaluations. The performance of the group with O-2 years experience in learning English was significantly lower than that of the other groups. No significant differences were found in growth rates between groups.
.
Faingold, E.D. (1997). The evaluation sition. ERIC Document 407834.
of linguistic
errors in Spanish compo-
The author reports on an inductive approach to error correction for L2 Spanish composition, which is intended to help students in future compositions and to support classroom discussion of errors. A profile of linguistic errors made by individual students and the majority of the class is also presented.
.
Feng, M. (1997). Metaphorical thinking across languages and cultures: Its implications for ESL/EFL writing. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(8), 3047A. This study examines the ways in which Ll Chinese writers express abstract concepts in Chinese and English, and whether they differ from Ll English writers in their use of metaphors. The author found that both languages are rich in metaphorical expressions although Ll Chinese writers tended to rely more heavily on metaphors than Ll English writers. The author also suggests that, while many metaphorical expressions
SELECTED
BIBLIOGRAPHY
351
are shared by both languages, certain ways of perceiving and conceptualizing are purely culture-specific. .
Gosden, H. (1998). An aspect of holistic modeling in academic writing: Propositional clusters as a heuristic for thematic control. Journd of Second Language Writing, 7(l), 19-41. As an approach to developing writing exercises for EAP courses that integrate attention to textual, cognitive and social aspects of academic writing, the author proposes using Propositional Clusters, a procedure which helps L2 writers obtain thematic control. The use of Propositional Clusters is demonstrated through a case study.
.
Henry, A., & Roseberry, R.L. (1998). An evaluation of a genre based approach to the teaching of EAPIESP writing. TESOL Quarterly, 32(l), 147156. This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of a genre-based pedagogy in teaching the writing of short tourist information texts to university students in Brunei. The pedagogy contributed significantly to the improvement in students’ ability to achieve communicative goals and to texture their writing, although there was no significant difference between the two groups in their ability to conform to obligatory move structures.
.
Huang, S. (1995). EPL university students’ perceptions in peer response sessions. ERIC Document 399766.
of their performance
Reflections on peer evaluation groups written by 45 Chinese students at a university in Taiwan were analyzed. The results indicated that students generally had a positive perception of how they and their peers performed and felt they benefitted from the activity. The researcher also found that students tended to focus on grammar, word usage, and mechanics.
.
Inoue, M. (1997). Japanese students’ writing skills and its relation to their academic lives in the United States. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(9), 3381A. Through interviews and surveys, this study examined Japanese students’ writing backgrounds and their academic experience in US higher education. Students in this study did not have extensive writing preparation in Japanese or English, believed that they had to write frequently in their current academic situation, and felt that their vocabulary and the ability to use articles were limited.
.
Ittzes, Z. (1997). Written conversation: Investigating communicative foreign language use in written form in computer conference writing and group journals. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(6), 2179A.
3.52
SILVA AND MATSUDA
The researcher compared the language output of intermediate students of German in the contexts of computer conferencing and traditional group journals. Although no differences were found in lexical diversity, computer conferencing resulted in a higher level of grammatical accuracy, richer lexicon, and improved comprehension by NS readers. Computer conferencing also resulted in a more positive attitude and more interactive use of discourse.
.
Izzo, J. (1997). Development of an English writing course. ERIC Docummt 402(827.
for specific purposes
technical
The author reports on the development of a two-term technical writing course and on writing handbooks for computer science majors at the University of Aizu, Japan.
.
Kasper, L.F. (1998). ESL writing and the principle of nonjudgmental awareness: Rationale and implementation. Teaching English in thr Two- Year College, 25(I), 58-66. The author advocates a process approach to ESL writing instruction which applies the principle of nonjudgmental awareness. In an informal, three-semester study. in which she moved from correcting all errors to simply indicating those errors, she found that the number of students who were able to pass the final writing examination increased over the three semesters.
.
Kim, J-Y. (1997). Design and evaluation of an intelligent program for analyzing writing errors: Korean EFL students in junior high school. Dissertation Abstracts Internutinnul, M(3), 832A. Based on the error analysis of 200 essays written by Korean 10th graders, the researcher developed a prototype error-analysis program, “Intelligent ComputerAssisted Writing Tool” (ICAnWRIT), which is equipped with a parser and a lexicon developed in the context of Korean English education. A comparison of the accuracy rate for error detection showed that ICAnWRlT was significantly more accurate than a commercial
.
program.
Kubota, R. ( 1997). A reevaluation of the uniqueness of Japanese written discourse: Implications for contrastive rhetoric. Written Communication, 14(4), 460-480. The author questions the claims made by contrastive rhetoric researchers about the uniqueness of Japanese expository prose by pointin g out the tendency to see language and culture as exotic and static and to overgeneralize the cultural characteristics from limited samples. She cautions writing teachers and researchers against stereotyping cultural conventions of writing.
SELECTED
.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
353
Kubota, R. (1998). An investigation of Ll-L2 transfer in writing among Japanese university students: Implications for contrastive rhetoric. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(l), 69- 100. To investigate whether the quality of ESL text is affected by the negative transfer of the L I textual structure, the structure and the quality of Ll and ESL texts written by Japanese students were examined. The author found that the quality of ESL essays was affected by a writer’s Ll writing ability, English proficiency, and composing experience in English.
.
Lee, P.W. (1997). Constructing social and linguistic identities: Exploring competence, social goals, and peer interactions within the writing curriculum of a 4th grade ESL classroom. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(S), 2970. This ethnographic study examined the literacy development of Asian American ESL fourth graders from a sociocultural perspective. The researcher found that competence was defined not only by Ll and L2 abilities but also by interpersonal skills, resourcefulness, and presentation of self, and that writing was used as a way of mediating childrens’ perceived level of competence.
.
Liu, H. (1997). Constructing and validating parallel forms of performancebased writing prompts in an academic setting. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(6), 2176A. Three new performance-based English Placement Test writing prompts were developed and the degree of prompt comparability was studied from multiple perspectives. The prompts were found to be highly comparable in terms of placement reproducibility and skill profile consistency, while slight differences were detected in “fit-to-specification.” The test results were also unaffected by examinees’ gender, academic status and field of study.
.
LoCastro, V., & Masuko, M. (1997). Plagiarism NNS learners. ERIC Document 409724.
and academic
writing
Japanese college students’ attitudes toward plagiarism were investigated. Researchers examined two senior theses written in English, two in Japanese, and 30 other student papers, and found a large number of unattributed quotations and paraphrases. Reasons for plagiarizing were explored through interviews and a questionnaire. Features of Japanese academic contexts that are problematic for English writing instruction are considered.
of
SILVA AND MATSUDA
354
.
Martinez-Gibson, mercials
E.A. (1998). A study on cultural awareness through Foreign Language Annals, 31(l), 115-139.
com-
and writing.
This study examined texts written by 43 fifth-semester L2 Spanish students to investigate the effect of culture discussion on writing quality as well as on students’ ability to recognize cultural differences represented in commercials. The results indicated positive effects on both writing quality and the recognition of cultural differences.
.
Master, P. (1997). Using models in EST. English Teaching 30-36.
Forum, 35(4),
The author considers the use of models, or examples of writing, in the context of English for Science and Technology. After discussing three types of models, including controlled, semi-controlled, and decontrolled, he makes a case for the use of models in EST and provides examples of pedagogical applications.
.
Matsuda, P.K. (1997). Developing praxis through critical reflections ESL writing classroom. ERIC Document 410564.
in the
The author reports on the use of critical reflection journals as a way of developing praxis-or situated theory grounded in practice. Unique characteristics of this project are described, and the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of the teachers involved are discussed.
.
Matsuda, P.K. (1998). Situating ESL writing in a cross-disciplinary Written Communication, I .5(1), 99- 12 1.
context.
To achieve interdisciplinary cooperation between composition studies and TESL, the author considers how the field of ESL writing has been positioned in relation to the two disciplines. Three metaphors characterizing the interdisciplinary relationship-division of labor, intersection, and symbiosis-are identified and their implications considered.
.
Matsumoto, D.G. (1997). The writing workshop: An interactive, languagerich context for teaching nonnative English speakers. Dissertation Abstracts International, S(5), 1691A. The researcher examined an EFL writing workshop for Japanese students. During the forty-hour writing workshop, the researcher observed evidence of active participation, lower level of anxiety, and adaptation to the new learning environment without distracting tensions. She also reports positive development in students’ writing abilities.
SELECTED
.
BIBLIOGRAF’HY
355
Musfarej, S.Z., & Abrahamsohn, M.A. (1997). Deconstruction struction as a way to better writing. ERIC Document 408849.
for recon-
The authors discuss deconstruction for reconstruction, a pedagogical technique designed to help intermediate and upper-intermediate students to develop natural expanded sentences that fit in a cohesive paragraph. Guidelines and examples of deconstruction/reconstruction exercises are presented. Student comments, teacher comments, and student writing samples are included.
.
Mukherjee, K. (1996). Perspectives from an intermediate ESOL classroom: A case study of a child acquiring second language writing skills. Dissertation Abstracts International, 57( lo), 4250A. This qualitative study investigated an L2 learner’s acquisition of writing skills in an ESL classroom over an eleven-month period. The author reports that the learner took fewer risks when the writing tasks were assigned by the teacher and more risks when the tasks were unassigned. The study also showed that the child’s writing skills evolved as she engaged in writing tasks.
.
Orleans, M. (1995). Language ment 404887.
specific composition
warm-ups.
ERIC Docu-
The author presents 26 short, structured exercises designed to encourage Japanesespeaking learners of English to begin the writing process in English rather than depending on translation from Japanese.
.
Orr, T. (1997). Writing ment 409703.
instruction
for the computer
sciences. ERIC Docu-
The author examines features of English discourse related to computer science and makes recommendations for the design and content of an ESL technical writing course for computer specialists. Background information on computer science education and on two professional associations related to computer science are also presented.
.
Polio, C., Fleck, C., & Leder, N. (1998). “If I only had more time”: ESL learners’ changes in linguistic accuracy of essay revisions. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(l), 43-68. This study examined whether ESL students edit for sentence-level errors during revision and whether additional editing instruction helps reduce errors in revised essays. They found that linguistic accuracy improved both between drafts and over the semester. However, additional editing instruction and feedback did not result in significant improvement.
SILVA AND MATSUDA
356
.
Porter, D., & O’Sullivan, B. (1994). Writing for a reader: Does the nature of the reader make a difference? ERIC Document 403780. The effect of the audience’s by Japanese college students nificantly with the perceived ers on both scales. Female NNS raters were similar.
.
age on the holistic and analytic rating of letters written were examined. Ratings varied systematically and sigage of the reader. Ratings were highest for older readraters tended to give higher scores; ratings of NS and
Pulliam, G.J. (1995). Acquisition of productive and evaluative competence by freshman composition students. Dissertation Ahstructs International, 57(9), 3859A. The researcher examined ESL and NES students’ acquisition of productive and evaluative competence by having them rank order and analyze three sets of texts, and then comparing the results to those of professional raters. The results indicated that students’ evaluative performance improved over time and that students’ grades on their own papers were predictive of their ability to evaluate essays written by others.
.
Ramanathan, V., & Kaplan, R.B. (1996). Some problematic “channels” in the teaching of critical thinking in current Ll composition textbooks: Implications for L2 student-writers. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 7(2), 225-249. The authors analyzed composition textbooks designed primarily for NES students and identified three common “channels” through which critical thinking skills are taught. This study problematizes these channels. discusses their implications for ESL writing classrooms, and proposes an alternative, discipline oriented approach to teaching writing especially for NNS writers.
.
Ramos Moreau, I.V. (1997). The effects of the total quality management (TQM) approach on the written English communicative competence and study skills habits of ESL college students. Dissertation Abstracts Internutional, M(9), 3407A. This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach for teaching writing on ESL college students’ writing competence and study skills habits. The results indicated that the TQM approach improved both writing competence and study skills significantly.
.
Ransdell, D.R. (1997). A cultural approach to ESL composition: Using popular culture to teach rhetorical conventions. Dissertation Abstracts Internationul, M(4), 1264A. The author discusses a rationale and strategies for developing ESL composition programs. To help ESL students understand and accommodate the expectations of the
SELECTED
BIBLIOGRAPHY
357
US academic audience, she argues for a pedagogical approach based on the analysis of popular culture texts-such as ads, formula fictions, and news articles.
.
Reichelt,
M.J.
(1996).
An investigation
of first language
and second
guage (English) composition theory and pedagogy at the secondary Germany. Dissertation Abstracts International, 57( 1 l), 4726A.
lan-
level in
This study investigated German-language and English-language writing theory and pedagogy at the Gymnasium level in Germany. Over a nine-month period, the researcher examined the institutional context; writing pedagogy; assumptions about writing and writing instruction held by teachers, students, and teacher trainers; and some of the perceived differences between Ll and L2 writing and writing instruction.
.
Reynolds,
D.W. (1997).
Abstracts International,
Repetition
in second
language
writing.
Dissertation
57(12), 5134A.
Factors affecting repetition in placement-type essays written by 134 NNS and 57 NES writers were examined. Topic, cultural background, and language proficiency were found to have significant effects. The only variable that was not significant was the native/nonnative distinction. The effects of repetition on cohesion and text effectiveness are also discussed.
.
Riazi,
A. (1995).
A social-cognitive graduate
Socialization analysis
students
into academic
writing
of text production
Dissertation
of education.
in a second
and learning
Abstracts
language:
among
Iranian
International,
57(8),
3432A. In this naturalistic study, the researcher investigated how 4 Iranian doctoral students of education acquired domain-specific literacy. The analysis suggested that achieving disciplinary literacy in an L2 is fundamentally an interactive social cognitive process. Based on the findings of this study, a tentative model of writing development in academic contexts is proposed.
.
Rominski,
C., & Vazquez,
of mainstreamed
M. (1997).
ESL students.
Improving
reading
and writing
skills
ERIC Document 411697.
The author describes a support program for eighth-grade ESL students in mainstream literature and composition classes. The ESL and classroom teachers discussed students’ reading and writing skills, class participation, and assignments. Peer tutoring and classroom teacher assistance were provided. Assessment after 15 weeks showed significant improvement in students’ writing processes, confidence in class discussion, and listening and recall skills.
.
Ryu,
H. (1997).
writing:
Effect
Threshold
level
on the interaction
of English-language between
proficiency
English-language
for EFL
proficiency
and
358 writing skills on Korean college students’ Abstract International, 58(7), 2502A.
EFL
writing.
Dissertu~ions
This correlational study of Korean EBL writers investigated the relationship between L2 proficiency and the transfer of writing skills from Ll to L2. The results indicated that the transfer of writing skills from Ll to L2 occurs when the writer’s Ll proficiency reaches a certain point.
.
Sengupta, S. (1998). Peer evaluation: 52(l), 19-27.
‘I am not the teacher.’ ELT Journal,
This exploratory study of a secondary school writing class in Hong Kong investigated how six ESL students’ perceptions of peer evaluation were affected by the broader educational context. Based on the findings, the author questions the viability of the notion of collaborative construction of knowledge within an examinationdriven, accuracy-oriented L2 curriculum.
.
Simmons, M.B. (1995). Personal writing and the ESL student. ERIC Document 402612. The author makes a case for the use of personal writing in academic settings by discussing the cases of three international students who experienced some positive results in a writing lab at the University of Iowa.
.
Song, M. (1997). The effect of dialogue journal writing on overall writing quality, reading comprehension, and writing apprehension of EFL college freshmen in Korea. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(3), 78 1A. The effect of dialogue journal writing on the writing quality, reading comprehension, and writing apprehension of EBL college students in Korea was investigated through an experimental study. The results showed that dialogue journals were effective in improving writing quality. The effects on reading comprehension and writing apprehension were not statistically significant.
.
Song, M. (1997). The effect of dialogue journal writing on writing quality, reading comprehension, and writing apprehension of EFL college students. ERIC Document 410766. The effect of dialogue journal writing on the writing quality, reading comprehension, and writing apprehension of EBL college students in Korea was investigated through an experimental study. The results indicated that dialogue journals contributed to improvements in all three areas, although the effects on reading comprehension and writing apprehension were not statistically significant.
SELECTED
.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
359
Spescha-Carroll, J.B. (1997). The portfolio selection experiences of five non-native speakers. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(l), 107A. This qualitative study investigated five ESL community college students’ processes of selecting their best pieces of writing for their portfolio in an advanced ESL course. The author discusses issues such as the teacher’s influence as well as students’ prior experience with the topic and the anticipation of audience response.
.
Vines, J.E. (1997). An assessment of the effects of computer-based writing instruction upon the teaching of English as a second language. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(2), 2626A. The effects of personal computer use on ESL students and their writing were investigated. Quantitative analysis indicated significant improvement in overall essay length and complexity, although the error rate did not change significantly. However, qualitative analysis suggested that the improvements were marginal.
WRITING,
7 (3), 347-359
(1998)
Selected Bibliography of Recent Scholarship in Second Language Writing TONY SILVA PAUL KEI MATSUDA Purdue University This bibliography cites and summarizes theoretically grounded reports of research and discussions of central issues in second and foreign language writing and writing instruction that have become available to its compilers during the period of December 1,1997 through March 3 1,1998. .
Amores, M.J. (1997). A new perspective Annals, 30(4), 5 13-522.
on peer-editing.
Foreign Language
This qualitative study of eight undergraduate students in a third-year Spanish composition and grammar review course showed that students tended to define peerediting processes in social and emotional terms. However, the researcher found no evidence supporting the effects of audience awareness and response on students’ writing or students’ attitudes toward writing.
.
Asiri, I.M. (1997). University EFL teachers’ written feedback on compositions and students’ reactions. Dissertation Abstracts International, 59(l), 6C. The researcher investigated 11 Arabic EFX teachers’ feedback on texts written by university students in Saudi Arabia as well as the perceptions of 40 teachers and 96 students. The results showed that teachers focused mainly on features such as grammar, vocabulary and mechanics. The analysis of student perceptions indicated that students were satisfied with the feedback they received from their teachers.
.
Bello, T. (1997). Improving 409746.
ESL learners’
writing skills. ERIC Document
Contending that learning to write in English provides ESL learners with a voice in their new culture and enhances language acquisition, the author discusses approaches to teaching writing and argues that teachers should give learners opportunities to write about meaningful topics, to participate in varied writing activities, and to feel that their writing is valuable.
347
348
.
SILVA AND MATSUDA
Benz, C. (1996). Entering an academic discourse community: A case study of the coping strategies of eleven English as a second language students. Dissertution Abstracts International, 57(8), 336SA. This study examined how 1I ESL students adapted to the demands of 3 content courses at a community college. The results showed that students drew on their LI educational background. which sometimes interfered with successful adaptation; that content courses demanded well developed spoken and written communication skills as well as higher level cognitive skills: and that affective factors played an important role.
.
Berg. C.E. (1997). The effects of trained peer response on writing. Dissrrtation Abstracts International, 58(7), 263 1A. To examine the effect of peer response training on writing outcomes, revision strategies, and peer talk about ESL student texts, two groups of students-one with peer response training and one without-were compared. The researcher found that peer response training had positive effects on all three factors.
.
Bhebe, C.L. (1996). Helping secondary ESOL students writing skills through process writing and publication. 409720.
to develop basic ERIC Document
The author reports an attempt to improve writing skills and self-esteem of ESL secondary school students by having them produce a student newsletter. Evaluation materials, weekly activities, pre- and post-instruction writing samples, individual writing samples, and a sample of the student newsletter are also presented.
.
Black, E.M. (1997). A text analysis of the argumentative writing in English by Spanish and English bilingual college students and by English monolingual students in the southwest United States. Dissertation Abstracts Internutionul, H(8), 3112A. This study examined how syntactic and rhetorical features of texts written by NES and English-Spanish bilingual students are related to holistic quality and the writer’s language background. The researcher identified different sets of predictors for writing quality and for writer’s language background, suggesting that. in a complex bilingual environment. writing quality cannot be seen merely as the result of student’s language background.
.
Blanton, L.L. (1998). Varied voices: On lun~uuge Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle.
and literacy
learning.
In this ethnographic study of an American school in Morocco, the author explores how children learn language and literacy in a linguistically and culturally diverse environment.
SELECTED
.
349
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Caissie, R.A. (1997). English verb phrase grammar prototypes for speakers of other languages: A cognitive approach to facilitate second language English composition. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(8), 3112A. Based on the assumption that a linguistic system is a product of cognitive processes whose structure can be cognitively accessed, the author demonstrates cognitively based analyses of the English verb phrase and suggests how their application through grammatical consciousness-raising can facilitate adult L2 learners’ acquisition of verb forms.
.
Chen, X.H. (1997). Contrastive analysis of textual coherence of American and Chinese college students’ written expositions. Dissertation Abstracts International, 57( 12), 5085A. The researcher examined 10 Chinese and 30 English texts written by four groups of students-English Ll, Chinese ESL, Chinese EFL, and Chinese Ll-for their top structure (method of organization) and lower level structures (elaboration and cohesion). Chinese and American students tended to prefer different methods of organization. Similarities in lower level structures were found between Chinese Ll and English Ll students and between Chinese ESL and EFL students.
.
Clark, W.F. (1997). Investigating transfer of writing sophistication in expository writings of American and Mexican students in their first and foreign languages. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(2), 442A. To investigate whether the transfer of writing sophistication from Ll to L2 writing occurs, the researcher studied Ll and L2 texts written by college students from the United States and Mexico. For both groups, significant correlations were found between Ll and L2 texts. The researcher concludes that the transfer of writing sophistication takes place and that writers make attempts to conform to the norms of their L2.
.
Currie, P. (1998). Staying out of trouble: Apparent plagiarism survival. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(l), 1- 18.
and academic
To understand the complexity of textual borrowing by L2 writers in academic settings, the researcher examined a case of apparent plagiarism by one L2 writer in a university course. The student’s behavior is considered in light of the context of her course, the demands of her task, her developing English language skills, and her general learning processes.
SILVA AND MATSUDA
3.50
.
Dykstra, K.O. (1997). Analysis of writing structures used by incipient Spanish bilingual writers when composing in Spanish and English. Dissertation Abstracts International, .58(4), 1184A. Ll and L2 texts written by 15 incipient Spanish bilingual elementary school students were examined for their use of organizational structures. The only significant difference was found in the number of words used in Ll and L2 texts, indicating that there was no significant difference in the organizational structures used by incipient Spanish bilinguals when writing in Spanish and English.
.
Eckermann, development
C., & Kim, A.C. (1996). A comparison of oral and writing in a second language college student. ERIC Document 408824.
The researchers compared Russian ESL students’ oral and written discourse for errors and syntactic maturity over a two-year period. They found that errors in oral discourse decreased at a faster rate than in written discourse.
.
Englebert-Johnson, S.R. (1997). A comparison of English as a foreign language, learning disabled, and regular class pupils on curriculum based measures of reading and written expression and the pupil rating scale revised. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(5), 1579A. The researcher compared the performance of Belgian international school pupils with varying levels of English language proficiency on maze, oral reading and written expression tasks as well as teacher evaluations. The performance of the group with O-2 years experience in learning English was significantly lower than that of the other groups. No significant differences were found in growth rates between groups.
.
Faingold, E.D. (1997). The evaluation sition. ERIC Document 407834.
of linguistic
errors in Spanish compo-
The author reports on an inductive approach to error correction for L2 Spanish composition, which is intended to help students in future compositions and to support classroom discussion of errors. A profile of linguistic errors made by individual students and the majority of the class is also presented.
.
Feng, M. (1997). Metaphorical thinking across languages and cultures: Its implications for ESL/EFL writing. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(8), 3047A. This study examines the ways in which Ll Chinese writers express abstract concepts in Chinese and English, and whether they differ from Ll English writers in their use of metaphors. The author found that both languages are rich in metaphorical expressions although Ll Chinese writers tended to rely more heavily on metaphors than Ll English writers. The author also suggests that, while many metaphorical expressions
SELECTED
BIBLIOGRAPHY
351
are shared by both languages, certain ways of perceiving and conceptualizing are purely culture-specific. .
Gosden, H. (1998). An aspect of holistic modeling in academic writing: Propositional clusters as a heuristic for thematic control. Journd of Second Language Writing, 7(l), 19-41. As an approach to developing writing exercises for EAP courses that integrate attention to textual, cognitive and social aspects of academic writing, the author proposes using Propositional Clusters, a procedure which helps L2 writers obtain thematic control. The use of Propositional Clusters is demonstrated through a case study.
.
Henry, A., & Roseberry, R.L. (1998). An evaluation of a genre based approach to the teaching of EAPIESP writing. TESOL Quarterly, 32(l), 147156. This quasi-experimental study examined the effectiveness of a genre-based pedagogy in teaching the writing of short tourist information texts to university students in Brunei. The pedagogy contributed significantly to the improvement in students’ ability to achieve communicative goals and to texture their writing, although there was no significant difference between the two groups in their ability to conform to obligatory move structures.
.
Huang, S. (1995). EPL university students’ perceptions in peer response sessions. ERIC Document 399766.
of their performance
Reflections on peer evaluation groups written by 45 Chinese students at a university in Taiwan were analyzed. The results indicated that students generally had a positive perception of how they and their peers performed and felt they benefitted from the activity. The researcher also found that students tended to focus on grammar, word usage, and mechanics.
.
Inoue, M. (1997). Japanese students’ writing skills and its relation to their academic lives in the United States. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(9), 3381A. Through interviews and surveys, this study examined Japanese students’ writing backgrounds and their academic experience in US higher education. Students in this study did not have extensive writing preparation in Japanese or English, believed that they had to write frequently in their current academic situation, and felt that their vocabulary and the ability to use articles were limited.
.
Ittzes, Z. (1997). Written conversation: Investigating communicative foreign language use in written form in computer conference writing and group journals. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(6), 2179A.
3.52
SILVA AND MATSUDA
The researcher compared the language output of intermediate students of German in the contexts of computer conferencing and traditional group journals. Although no differences were found in lexical diversity, computer conferencing resulted in a higher level of grammatical accuracy, richer lexicon, and improved comprehension by NS readers. Computer conferencing also resulted in a more positive attitude and more interactive use of discourse.
.
Izzo, J. (1997). Development of an English writing course. ERIC Docummt 402(827.
for specific purposes
technical
The author reports on the development of a two-term technical writing course and on writing handbooks for computer science majors at the University of Aizu, Japan.
.
Kasper, L.F. (1998). ESL writing and the principle of nonjudgmental awareness: Rationale and implementation. Teaching English in thr Two- Year College, 25(I), 58-66. The author advocates a process approach to ESL writing instruction which applies the principle of nonjudgmental awareness. In an informal, three-semester study. in which she moved from correcting all errors to simply indicating those errors, she found that the number of students who were able to pass the final writing examination increased over the three semesters.
.
Kim, J-Y. (1997). Design and evaluation of an intelligent program for analyzing writing errors: Korean EFL students in junior high school. Dissertation Abstracts Internutinnul, M(3), 832A. Based on the error analysis of 200 essays written by Korean 10th graders, the researcher developed a prototype error-analysis program, “Intelligent ComputerAssisted Writing Tool” (ICAnWRIT), which is equipped with a parser and a lexicon developed in the context of Korean English education. A comparison of the accuracy rate for error detection showed that ICAnWRlT was significantly more accurate than a commercial
.
program.
Kubota, R. ( 1997). A reevaluation of the uniqueness of Japanese written discourse: Implications for contrastive rhetoric. Written Communication, 14(4), 460-480. The author questions the claims made by contrastive rhetoric researchers about the uniqueness of Japanese expository prose by pointin g out the tendency to see language and culture as exotic and static and to overgeneralize the cultural characteristics from limited samples. She cautions writing teachers and researchers against stereotyping cultural conventions of writing.
SELECTED
.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
353
Kubota, R. (1998). An investigation of Ll-L2 transfer in writing among Japanese university students: Implications for contrastive rhetoric. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(l), 69- 100. To investigate whether the quality of ESL text is affected by the negative transfer of the L I textual structure, the structure and the quality of Ll and ESL texts written by Japanese students were examined. The author found that the quality of ESL essays was affected by a writer’s Ll writing ability, English proficiency, and composing experience in English.
.
Lee, P.W. (1997). Constructing social and linguistic identities: Exploring competence, social goals, and peer interactions within the writing curriculum of a 4th grade ESL classroom. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(S), 2970. This ethnographic study examined the literacy development of Asian American ESL fourth graders from a sociocultural perspective. The researcher found that competence was defined not only by Ll and L2 abilities but also by interpersonal skills, resourcefulness, and presentation of self, and that writing was used as a way of mediating childrens’ perceived level of competence.
.
Liu, H. (1997). Constructing and validating parallel forms of performancebased writing prompts in an academic setting. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(6), 2176A. Three new performance-based English Placement Test writing prompts were developed and the degree of prompt comparability was studied from multiple perspectives. The prompts were found to be highly comparable in terms of placement reproducibility and skill profile consistency, while slight differences were detected in “fit-to-specification.” The test results were also unaffected by examinees’ gender, academic status and field of study.
.
LoCastro, V., & Masuko, M. (1997). Plagiarism NNS learners. ERIC Document 409724.
and academic
writing
Japanese college students’ attitudes toward plagiarism were investigated. Researchers examined two senior theses written in English, two in Japanese, and 30 other student papers, and found a large number of unattributed quotations and paraphrases. Reasons for plagiarizing were explored through interviews and a questionnaire. Features of Japanese academic contexts that are problematic for English writing instruction are considered.
of
SILVA AND MATSUDA
354
.
Martinez-Gibson, mercials
E.A. (1998). A study on cultural awareness through Foreign Language Annals, 31(l), 115-139.
com-
and writing.
This study examined texts written by 43 fifth-semester L2 Spanish students to investigate the effect of culture discussion on writing quality as well as on students’ ability to recognize cultural differences represented in commercials. The results indicated positive effects on both writing quality and the recognition of cultural differences.
.
Master, P. (1997). Using models in EST. English Teaching 30-36.
Forum, 35(4),
The author considers the use of models, or examples of writing, in the context of English for Science and Technology. After discussing three types of models, including controlled, semi-controlled, and decontrolled, he makes a case for the use of models in EST and provides examples of pedagogical applications.
.
Matsuda, P.K. (1997). Developing praxis through critical reflections ESL writing classroom. ERIC Document 410564.
in the
The author reports on the use of critical reflection journals as a way of developing praxis-or situated theory grounded in practice. Unique characteristics of this project are described, and the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of the teachers involved are discussed.
.
Matsuda, P.K. (1998). Situating ESL writing in a cross-disciplinary Written Communication, I .5(1), 99- 12 1.
context.
To achieve interdisciplinary cooperation between composition studies and TESL, the author considers how the field of ESL writing has been positioned in relation to the two disciplines. Three metaphors characterizing the interdisciplinary relationship-division of labor, intersection, and symbiosis-are identified and their implications considered.
.
Matsumoto, D.G. (1997). The writing workshop: An interactive, languagerich context for teaching nonnative English speakers. Dissertation Abstracts International, S(5), 1691A. The researcher examined an EFL writing workshop for Japanese students. During the forty-hour writing workshop, the researcher observed evidence of active participation, lower level of anxiety, and adaptation to the new learning environment without distracting tensions. She also reports positive development in students’ writing abilities.
SELECTED
.
BIBLIOGRAF’HY
355
Musfarej, S.Z., & Abrahamsohn, M.A. (1997). Deconstruction struction as a way to better writing. ERIC Document 408849.
for recon-
The authors discuss deconstruction for reconstruction, a pedagogical technique designed to help intermediate and upper-intermediate students to develop natural expanded sentences that fit in a cohesive paragraph. Guidelines and examples of deconstruction/reconstruction exercises are presented. Student comments, teacher comments, and student writing samples are included.
.
Mukherjee, K. (1996). Perspectives from an intermediate ESOL classroom: A case study of a child acquiring second language writing skills. Dissertation Abstracts International, 57( lo), 4250A. This qualitative study investigated an L2 learner’s acquisition of writing skills in an ESL classroom over an eleven-month period. The author reports that the learner took fewer risks when the writing tasks were assigned by the teacher and more risks when the tasks were unassigned. The study also showed that the child’s writing skills evolved as she engaged in writing tasks.
.
Orleans, M. (1995). Language ment 404887.
specific composition
warm-ups.
ERIC Docu-
The author presents 26 short, structured exercises designed to encourage Japanesespeaking learners of English to begin the writing process in English rather than depending on translation from Japanese.
.
Orr, T. (1997). Writing ment 409703.
instruction
for the computer
sciences. ERIC Docu-
The author examines features of English discourse related to computer science and makes recommendations for the design and content of an ESL technical writing course for computer specialists. Background information on computer science education and on two professional associations related to computer science are also presented.
.
Polio, C., Fleck, C., & Leder, N. (1998). “If I only had more time”: ESL learners’ changes in linguistic accuracy of essay revisions. Journal of Second Language Writing, 7(l), 43-68. This study examined whether ESL students edit for sentence-level errors during revision and whether additional editing instruction helps reduce errors in revised essays. They found that linguistic accuracy improved both between drafts and over the semester. However, additional editing instruction and feedback did not result in significant improvement.
SILVA AND MATSUDA
356
.
Porter, D., & O’Sullivan, B. (1994). Writing for a reader: Does the nature of the reader make a difference? ERIC Document 403780. The effect of the audience’s by Japanese college students nificantly with the perceived ers on both scales. Female NNS raters were similar.
.
age on the holistic and analytic rating of letters written were examined. Ratings varied systematically and sigage of the reader. Ratings were highest for older readraters tended to give higher scores; ratings of NS and
Pulliam, G.J. (1995). Acquisition of productive and evaluative competence by freshman composition students. Dissertation Ahstructs International, 57(9), 3859A. The researcher examined ESL and NES students’ acquisition of productive and evaluative competence by having them rank order and analyze three sets of texts, and then comparing the results to those of professional raters. The results indicated that students’ evaluative performance improved over time and that students’ grades on their own papers were predictive of their ability to evaluate essays written by others.
.
Ramanathan, V., & Kaplan, R.B. (1996). Some problematic “channels” in the teaching of critical thinking in current Ll composition textbooks: Implications for L2 student-writers. Issues in Applied Linguistics, 7(2), 225-249. The authors analyzed composition textbooks designed primarily for NES students and identified three common “channels” through which critical thinking skills are taught. This study problematizes these channels. discusses their implications for ESL writing classrooms, and proposes an alternative, discipline oriented approach to teaching writing especially for NNS writers.
.
Ramos Moreau, I.V. (1997). The effects of the total quality management (TQM) approach on the written English communicative competence and study skills habits of ESL college students. Dissertation Abstracts Internutional, M(9), 3407A. This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of the Total Quality Management (TQM) approach for teaching writing on ESL college students’ writing competence and study skills habits. The results indicated that the TQM approach improved both writing competence and study skills significantly.
.
Ransdell, D.R. (1997). A cultural approach to ESL composition: Using popular culture to teach rhetorical conventions. Dissertation Abstracts Internationul, M(4), 1264A. The author discusses a rationale and strategies for developing ESL composition programs. To help ESL students understand and accommodate the expectations of the
SELECTED
BIBLIOGRAPHY
357
US academic audience, she argues for a pedagogical approach based on the analysis of popular culture texts-such as ads, formula fictions, and news articles.
.
Reichelt,
M.J.
(1996).
An investigation
of first language
and second
guage (English) composition theory and pedagogy at the secondary Germany. Dissertation Abstracts International, 57( 1 l), 4726A.
lan-
level in
This study investigated German-language and English-language writing theory and pedagogy at the Gymnasium level in Germany. Over a nine-month period, the researcher examined the institutional context; writing pedagogy; assumptions about writing and writing instruction held by teachers, students, and teacher trainers; and some of the perceived differences between Ll and L2 writing and writing instruction.
.
Reynolds,
D.W. (1997).
Abstracts International,
Repetition
in second
language
writing.
Dissertation
57(12), 5134A.
Factors affecting repetition in placement-type essays written by 134 NNS and 57 NES writers were examined. Topic, cultural background, and language proficiency were found to have significant effects. The only variable that was not significant was the native/nonnative distinction. The effects of repetition on cohesion and text effectiveness are also discussed.
.
Riazi,
A. (1995).
A social-cognitive graduate
Socialization analysis
students
into academic
writing
of text production
Dissertation
of education.
in a second
and learning
Abstracts
language:
among
Iranian
International,
57(8),
3432A. In this naturalistic study, the researcher investigated how 4 Iranian doctoral students of education acquired domain-specific literacy. The analysis suggested that achieving disciplinary literacy in an L2 is fundamentally an interactive social cognitive process. Based on the findings of this study, a tentative model of writing development in academic contexts is proposed.
.
Rominski,
C., & Vazquez,
of mainstreamed
M. (1997).
ESL students.
Improving
reading
and writing
skills
ERIC Document 411697.
The author describes a support program for eighth-grade ESL students in mainstream literature and composition classes. The ESL and classroom teachers discussed students’ reading and writing skills, class participation, and assignments. Peer tutoring and classroom teacher assistance were provided. Assessment after 15 weeks showed significant improvement in students’ writing processes, confidence in class discussion, and listening and recall skills.
.
Ryu,
H. (1997).
writing:
Effect
Threshold
level
on the interaction
of English-language between
proficiency
English-language
for EFL
proficiency
and
358 writing skills on Korean college students’ Abstract International, 58(7), 2502A.
EFL
writing.
Dissertu~ions
This correlational study of Korean EBL writers investigated the relationship between L2 proficiency and the transfer of writing skills from Ll to L2. The results indicated that the transfer of writing skills from Ll to L2 occurs when the writer’s Ll proficiency reaches a certain point.
.
Sengupta, S. (1998). Peer evaluation: 52(l), 19-27.
‘I am not the teacher.’ ELT Journal,
This exploratory study of a secondary school writing class in Hong Kong investigated how six ESL students’ perceptions of peer evaluation were affected by the broader educational context. Based on the findings, the author questions the viability of the notion of collaborative construction of knowledge within an examinationdriven, accuracy-oriented L2 curriculum.
.
Simmons, M.B. (1995). Personal writing and the ESL student. ERIC Document 402612. The author makes a case for the use of personal writing in academic settings by discussing the cases of three international students who experienced some positive results in a writing lab at the University of Iowa.
.
Song, M. (1997). The effect of dialogue journal writing on overall writing quality, reading comprehension, and writing apprehension of EFL college freshmen in Korea. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(3), 78 1A. The effect of dialogue journal writing on the writing quality, reading comprehension, and writing apprehension of EBL college students in Korea was investigated through an experimental study. The results showed that dialogue journals were effective in improving writing quality. The effects on reading comprehension and writing apprehension were not statistically significant.
.
Song, M. (1997). The effect of dialogue journal writing on writing quality, reading comprehension, and writing apprehension of EFL college students. ERIC Document 410766. The effect of dialogue journal writing on the writing quality, reading comprehension, and writing apprehension of EBL college students in Korea was investigated through an experimental study. The results indicated that dialogue journals contributed to improvements in all three areas, although the effects on reading comprehension and writing apprehension were not statistically significant.
SELECTED
.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
359
Spescha-Carroll, J.B. (1997). The portfolio selection experiences of five non-native speakers. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(l), 107A. This qualitative study investigated five ESL community college students’ processes of selecting their best pieces of writing for their portfolio in an advanced ESL course. The author discusses issues such as the teacher’s influence as well as students’ prior experience with the topic and the anticipation of audience response.
.
Vines, J.E. (1997). An assessment of the effects of computer-based writing instruction upon the teaching of English as a second language. Dissertation Abstracts International, 58(2), 2626A. The effects of personal computer use on ESL students and their writing were investigated. Quantitative analysis indicated significant improvement in overall essay length and complexity, although the error rate did not change significantly. However, qualitative analysis suggested that the improvements were marginal.