Prospective methodological considerations in L2 written feedback research

Abstract

The current study draws on the findings in L2 written feedback research to propose some key empirical and methodological issues which can be considered in new feedback studies. It delineates the characteristics of feedback literate L2 writers to underline the pivotal role of student feedback literacy within a writing-to-learn framework, within which it then calls for empirical tolerance toward attaining L2 development. Rejecting a rigorous prescription for selecting a focused, semi-focused or unfocused WCF scope for a wide range of writing contexts, it introduces a proportional WCF scope arguing that the selection of target structures for feedback processing is a dynamic and context-specific decision-making process mediated by learner-specific and contextual affordances and constraints. In the same vein, it argues against the inclusion of a no-WCF group in future quantitative studies as research findings to date suggest little contribution for practice effect alone unless the inclusion is empirically justified for specific purposes. The study also calls for conducting equal-weight mixed-methods studies in L2 written feedback research and for employing well-defined interview protocols and open-ended questionnaires to gain clearer perspectives about the learners' writing experience and to better substantiate quantitative findings.