Examining emotional responses to written feedback and the role emotions play on second language writing performance

dc.contributor.authorMalec, Alesia
dc.contributor.supervisorHuang, Li-Shih
dc.date.accessioned2013-08-16T22:35:10Z
dc.date.available2013-08-16T22:35:10Z
dc.date.copyright2013en_US
dc.date.issued2013-08-16
dc.degree.departmentDept. of Linguisticsen_US
dc.degree.levelMaster of Arts M.A.en_US
dc.description.abstractThe influence of affective factors on learning has been studied by researchers in a range of disciplines, including within SLA research, where tests measuring anxiety specific to second language writing have been developed (Cheng, 2004). Recent studies on instructor perceptions show increasing numbers of second language learners (SLL) enrolled in mainstream university courses with instructors providing varying types of feedback to these learners. The current study investigates how the writing anxiety of second language learners in a mainstream context may relate to writing performance and how feedback anxiety resulting from one written assignment may be connected to writing performance on a subsequent assignment. Using modified writing anxiety survey instruments, 16 SLLs enrolled in two mainstream university English composition courses (taught by two instructors) completed two surveys, an informal interview, and an online questionnaire about feedback on two writing assignments prepared for their course; feedback and a grade from one assignment and a grade from a second assignment were also collected. Mainstream instructors were found to balance feedback provided to learners between content and organization feedback and grammatical feedback, similar to findings on feedback practices for second language instructors (Evans et al., 2010). Statistical analyses between survey results and grades revealed negative (non-statistically significant) correlations between anxiety scores (from surveys) and grades. Participants expressed 16 different emotions in response to feedback through qualitative data collection methods (open-ended survey questions, interviews, and online questionnaire); hope, acceptance, and anxiety were the three most commonly emotions reported. The number and complexity of emotional responses reported indicate that anxiety is only one of numerous responses to feedback and research on the effects of affective factors on learning may benefit from investigations of other emotions, including pleasant or positive emotions. Two data collection methods converged in reporting that nearly all participants made use of feedback through one or more forms of follow up action. Continued research into the complex emotions inspired by writing feedback may provide a deeper understanding of how SLLs may moderate their own emotional responses and provide instructors insight into additional factors that may affect learners’ writing performance.en_US
dc.description.proquestcode0290en_US
dc.description.proquestemailamalec@uvic.caen_US
dc.description.scholarlevelGraduateen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1828/4751
dc.languageEnglisheng
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.rights.tempAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.subjectacademic emotionsen_US
dc.subjectsecond language acquisitionen_US
dc.subjectsecond language writingen_US
dc.subjectwritten corrective feedbacken_US
dc.subjectanxietyen_US
dc.subjectfeedbacken_US
dc.subjectsecond language anxietyen_US
dc.subjectSLAen_US
dc.subjectWCFen_US
dc.subjectfeedback perceptionsen_US
dc.titleExamining emotional responses to written feedback and the role emotions play on second language writing performanceen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Malec_Alesia_MA_2013.pdf
Size:
1.47 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.74 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: