This study investigated the development of syntactic complexity in second language (L2) learner essays, focusing on how key syntactic features evolve as L2 learners practice writing through the use of an automated written corrective feedback (AWCF) tool. Using a corpus of essays written across three writing sessions, five indices of syntactic…

Writing is closely related to contextual experiences about the topics. However, in traditional EFL writing classes, learners' lack of in-depth experience in learning contexts may be the leading cause rendering students' poor writing performance. To address this problem, a quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the impacts of a…

Broadly defined, academic language (AL) is a set of lexical-grammatical norms and registers commonly used in educational and academic discourse. Mastery of academic language in writing is an important aspect of writing instruction and assessment. The purpose of this study was to use Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools to examine the extent to…

This study explored the relationship between task complexity, textual emotionality, and linguistic complexity in second language (L2) writing. Fifty-eight L2 English learners performed simple and complex versions of an argumentative writing task manipulated along with resource-­directing variables. The essays were first analysed for textual…

To test the predictive power of the SSARC (stabilize, simplify, automatize, reconstruct, and complexify) model of pedagogic task sequencing in second language (L2) writing development, the present study explores the performance of written decision-making tasks with varied levels of cognitive complexity in a simple-to-complex sequence in comparison…