For more than 30 years, different opinions about whether written corrective feedback (CF) is a worthwhile pedagogical practice for L2 learning and acquisition have been voiced. Despite the arguments for and against its potential to help L2 learners acquire the target language and the inconclusive findings across studies that have sought answers to…

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, 1994 through March 31, 1995. The categories used represent an attempt to aid readers, not to…

Draws on sociohistoric theory to argue that voice in writing is simultaneously personal and social, because discourse is understood as fundamentally historical, situated, and indexical. Explores voice as a typification linked to social identities, as the reinvoicing of others' words in texts through processes of repetition and presupposition, and…

Provides reflections on articles contained in this special issue of the journal. Substantial comments are included for each of the four articles contained in the issue. (Author/VWL)

Using data from a large second-language (L2) text analysis (160 texts, 62 variables) in which automatic analysis was not used, it is demonstrated that a computer program designed for first-language texts is not accurate enough to capture completely the structures used by L2 writers. Suggestions are offered for an L2 text analysis program. (17…

Uses case studies to address the tendency of second language (L2) writing instruction and research to overlook the voices or identities already possessed by L2 writers. Examines the role voice can play as a means for investigating and understanding the voice-related issues mature writers encounter in L2 contexts. (Author/VWL)

Much of L2 teacher feedback research is conducted with advanced students in process-oriented classrooms in the United States. There is less published research about how school teachers in EFL contexts respond to student writing. Specifically little is known about why teachers respond to writing in the ways they do, and if discrepancies exist…

Analyzes written discourse that explores the actual structuring of text via some consistent framework. Highlights efforts to find the structures and linguistic patterns in texts that contribute to how they are understood, interpreted, and used. (Author/VWL)

Explores possibilities for the study of divergent aspects of discursive practices by focusing on the notion of voice and considers implications for second language writing research and instruction. Examines recent critiques of the notion of voice that emphasize its strong association with the ideology of individualism. Presents evidence of voice…

After a discussion of the limitations of early contrastive rhetoric theory and the need for a richer view that considers different cultures, this article reports on a survey of Japanese and Arabic English-as-a-Second-Language students to examine how writing is taught in different cultures. Differing emphases on expressive and transactional…

Examines interaction and feedback in mixed peer response groups by inspecting participants' turn-taking behaviors, language functions performed during peer response, and written feedback on each other's writing. Data were collected from three mixed peer response groups, each with a nonnative speaker and two or three native speakers. (Author/VWL)

Analyzes the metadiscourse in persuasive essays written by university students studying English as a Second Language at a midwestern university. Results indicate that skilled writers are aware of their readers' needs and control the strategies for making their texts accessible to the reader, whereas poor writers cannot generate considerate texts.…

A study of 170 first-year and 41 third-year Chinese university science majors suggests that first-year students had little familiarity with the Western notion of plagiarism, poor ability to recognize it, and less concern with the rights of the original writer. Third-year students had greater concern for the issue of honesty. The questionnaire is…

Examines hypotheses concerning the appeal of three types of feedback in the second-language writing process: teacher-, peer-, and self-directed feedback. Results show that students overwhelmingly prefer teacher feedback to peer feedback. (Author/CK)

Offers a detailed text analysis of written feedback given by two teachers of English-as-a-Second-Language students. Considers this feedback in terms of it functions as praise, criticism, and suggestions. Explores the motivations for these through teacher interviews and think-aloud protocols and examines cases where students failed to understand…