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Discourse synthesis in integrated second language writing assessment

The University of Iowa, USA, lia-plakans{at}uiowa.edu

As integrated tasks become more common in assessing writing for academic purposes, it is necessary to investigate how test takers approach these tasks. The present study explores the processes of test takers undertaking reading-to-write tasks developed for a university English placement exam. Think-aloud protocols and interviews of university-level non-native writers of English were collected to capture the writers’ composing processes. These data were analysed to determine if the tasks elicited an academic writing process of discourse synthesis and to identify what language issues were present. The results revealed some writers use discourse synthesis subprocesses in composing responses to the reading-to-write tasks, with apparent d ifferences across writers. Language difficulties that emerged for writers were vocabulary knowledge and use, as well as stylistic concerns. The implications of the study suggest that reading-to-write tasks may elicit a discourse synthesis process that could be used for validity evidence in some contexts and lead to more appropriate placement into academic writing courses.

Key Words: academic writing • discourse synthesis • integrated tasks • language testing • writing assessment

Language Testing, Vol. 26, No. 4, 561-587 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0265532209340192


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