Révész, A, Kourtali, N-E and Mazgutova, D (2017) Effects of Task Complexity on L2 Writing Behaviors and Linguistic Complexity. Language Learning, 67 (1). pp. 208-241. ISSN 0023-8333
Abstract
This study investigated whether task complexity influences second language (L2) writers’ fluency, pausing, and revision behaviors and the cognitive processes underlying these behaviors; whether task complexity affects linguistic complexity of written output; and whether relationships between writing behaviors and linguistic complexity are moderated by task complexity. Participants were 73 advanced L2 writers, who completed simple or complex essay tasks. Task complexity was operationalized as the absence versus presence of content support. Participants’ writing behaviors were recorded via keystroke logging software. Four writers, drawn from groups performing simple and complex tasks, additionally engaged in stimulated recall. Content support was found to lead to less pausing, more revision, and increased linguistic complexity. When content support was absent, more frequent pauses and revisions were associated with less sophisticated lexis. These results, combined with stimulated recall comments, suggest that content support likely reduced processing burden on planning processes, facilitating attention to linguistic encoding.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016 Language Learning Research Club, University of Michigan. This is the post-peer reviewed version of the following article: Révész, A, Kourtali, N-E and Mazgutova, D (2017) Effects of Task Complexity on L2 Writing Behaviors and Linguistic Complexity. Language Learning, 67 (1). pp. 208-241, which has been published in final form at: https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12205. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. |
Keywords: | task complexity; second language writing; fluency; pausing; revision; linguistic complexity |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Education, Social Sciences and Law (Leeds) > School of Education (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 22 Jan 2019 11:35 |
Last Modified: | 07 Feb 2020 15:47 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/lang.12205 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:141172 |