The Effects of Corrective Feedback on Chinese Learners’ Writing Accuracy: A Quantitative Analysis in an EFL Context

Abstract

Scholars debate whether corrective feedback contributes to improving L2 learners’ grammatical accuracy in writingperformance. Some researchers take a stance on the ineffectiveness of corrective feedback based on theimpracticality of providing detailed corrective feedback for all L2 learners and detached grammar instruction inlanguage classrooms. On the other hand, many researchers promote the efficacy and significance of the role playedby corrective feedback in the process of L2 writing. This research employs a quasi-experimental design andexamines two major issues: (1) the extent to which CF facilitates or improves students’ writing accuracy; (2) students’expectations and preferences for CF. The research consists of 105 college level EFL learners from three intact classesin an Eastern Chinese University. One class was assigned to the control group which only received comments oncontent of their writing. The other two classes were then assigned to each of the two experimental groups whichreceived indirect or direct CF. Data collection includes student text/error analysis, treatments (i.e., provision ofcorrective feedback), examination of tests (i.e., pretest, posttest and delayed posttest), and questionnaires. Within aresearch period of ten weeks, this study did not reveal statistically significant group differences between the two CFgroups and the control group on overall error reduction. However, students believed CF was important and beneficial,although there is contradiction between what the students believed and their teachers’ actual practices in theclassroom. Pedagogical recommendations for EFL teachers are also discussed.