Investigating the problem-solving strategies of revisers through triangulation

Abstract

This article reports on an exploratory follow-up study on the use of problem-solving strategies of professional revisers, and in particular the use of ‘rereading,’ ‘reflection-reformulation,’ and ‘search’ problem-solving strategies. The study focuses on the frequency of these strategies, on the effect of the revision procedure on the use of these strategies, and on the relationship between the use of these strategies and revision quality and duration. Results based on Think Aloud Protocols (TAPs) and keystroke logging data show that the reflection-reformulation and the search strategies are the most frequent. It seems that the more revisers use the reflection-reformulation strategy, whether alone or in combination with another strategy, the better they revise, but the longer they work. Results also show that the type of revision procedure employed does not seem to have any effect on the use of problem-solving strategies.