Effects of web-based pre-writing activities on college EFL students’ writing performance and their writing apprehension

Abstract

This study assesses whether multimedia-based concept-mapping and online reading before writing affected the quality of students’ compositions and their writing apprehension. The study made use of the Dally and Miller (1975) scale as a measure of writing apprehension and the TOEFL Writing Test Scoring Guidelines as a tool for assessing writing quality. The experimental method of research was utilized, with an experimental design of pre-test–post-test, control group, consisting of two experimental groups and a control group, each of which comprised of 36 students equated on socio-economic and educational status, as well as on language achievement level. Each student wrote three drafts of opinion essays under conditions of multimedia-based concept-mapping, utilizing Blackboard facilities, online reading before writing, and no treatment in the control group. Besides, a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to address the questions raised in the study regarding the effect of the treatment conditions on the dependent variables, with a Schefé test as a follow-up test for post-comparisons to identify the directionality of significant differences. Results showed no statistically significant differences overall in the writing under the three conditions. However, students were found to write longer and richer drafts in the conditions of online concept-mapping and online reading before writing, yet poorer, shorter drafts after teacher-led talk in the traditional, no treatment group. The results also revealed that both treatments had significant effects on improving the students’ writing quality; however, they increased the students’ writing apprehension. The study finally bore out recommendations, suggestions and implications for curricular and pedagogical applications.