Utility of focused/comprehensive written corrective feedback research for authentic L2 writing classrooms

Abstract

The debate on written corrective feedback (WCF) sparked by Truscott (1996) has spawned a growing literature on focused/comprehensive WCF (i.e. feedback scope) in L2 writing. Such research, being largely experimental/quasi-experimental, has generated findings that are tangentially relevant to authentic classrooms. This article attempts to problematize existing feedback scope research by examining three key issues – ambiguity of pertinent terms, laboratory-like classroom conditions, and narrow scope of research. The article also provides suggestions on how these problems may be addressed so that feedback scope research could be made more relevant to authentic classroom contexts.