The+effect+of+error+correction+on+written+accuracy

The following argument has been constructed using parts of :

Truscott, J. (2007). The effect of error correction on learners' ability to write accurately. Journal of Second Language Writing, 16, 255-272. doi:10.1016/j.jslw.2007.06.003

In the last decade discussions on the value of correction in writing classes have been common. This has allowed participants to form a detailed picture of the challenges and limitations in correcting students’ writing. However, it has also seen significant __disagreement__ on the value of correction of students’ writing. Some writers have __argued__ that correction has a positive effect on students’ ability to write accurately, while others have shown this is not the case. More recently this discussion seems to have become one sided with many articles being published arguing in __favor__ of correction on students’ writing. It may __seem__, therefore, that this discussion has been settled.

Lalande’s (1982) findings, for example, __appear__ to point to important improvements in students’ accuracy in writing following correction. This was a detailed study exploring no less than 12 error categories, 11 grammatical types and 1 orthographical (spelling) type. Furthermore, Ferris (2003, 2004) interprets Kepner’s (1991) study as arguing for the positive effects of correction. These are only two __examples__ of research supporting the use of correction, but there are many more.

While studies such as the two __mentioned__ above appear to __argue__ that correction has positive __effects__ on students’ ability to write accurately, we need to analyze them more closely. For example, when we __look__ at Lalande’s (1982) study involving the 12 different types of correction, it becomes __clear__ that we can interpret them differently. As __stated__ above, of the 12 groups 11 were related to grammatical categories, with the other relating to spelling. A closer __analysis__ of Lalande’s data reveals that 83% of the gains were related to spelling, not grammatical errors. This study has been used to __argue__ for the use of correction to improve accuracy, however, different errors clearly appear easier to change than others, with spelling being one of these. When seen in this light, it appears that Lalande’s study does not __support__ the idea that correction of errors has much effect on grammatical accuracy at all.

The issue of interpreting data is an important one and applies to the Kepner (1991) study mentioned above. For example, Ferris (2003, 2004) uses this study to argue that correction has a positive __effect__ on accuracy. Strictly speaking students who received correction did make fewer errors in this study. However, it turns out this was statistically not important, and could therefore be used to __argue__ against the value of correction. The failure of error correction to increase students’ accuracy has further been __supported__ by numerous longitudinal studies focusing specifically on real writing classes (Semke, 1980,1984; Polio etal., 1998; Fazio, 2001; Rob, Ross & Shortreed, 1986).

To conclude, when analyzing research, care needs to be taken before coming to conclusions. Without careful analysis of the research into the role correction plays in written accuracy, it is easy to mistakenly __conclude__ that the effects are positive. It is __clear__ that much existing research into this area clearly points to the fact that correction does not play a role in helping students write accurately.


 * Bibliography **
 * 1) Fazio, L. L. (2001). The effect of corrections and commentaries on the journal writing accuracy of minority- and majority language students. //Journal of Second Language Writing//, 10, 235–249.
 * 2) Ferris, D. R. (2003). //Response to student writing: Implications for second language students.// Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
 * 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ferris, D. (2004). The ‘‘grammar correction’’ debate in L2 writing: Where are we, and where do we go from here? (and what do we do in the meantime?). //Journal of Second Language Writing//, 13, 49–62.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Lalande, J. F., II (1982). Reducing composition errors: An experiment. //Modern Language Journal//, 66, 140–149.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Polio, C., Fleck, C., & Leder, N. (1998). ‘‘If I only had more time:’’ ESL learners’ changes in linguistic accuracy on essay revisions. //Journal of Second Language Writing//, 7, 43–68.
 * 6) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Robb, T., Ross, S., & Shortreed, I. (1986). Salience of feedback on error and its effect on EFL writing quality. //TESOL Quarterly//, 20, 83–95.
 * 7) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Semke, H.M. (1980). //The comparative effects of four methods of treating free-writing assignments on the second language skills and attitudes of students in college level first year German//. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. University of Minnesota.
 * 8) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Semke, H. D. (1984). Effects of the red pen. //Foreign Language Annals//, 17, 195–202.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">1. Some people say correcting students’ writing helps them while other people say correcting students writing doesn’t help them. (para. 1) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">2. Students improve their accuracy in writing a lot when the teacher corrects their writing. (para. 2) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">3. If we look more carefully at .. (para. 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">4. If you correct errors it doesn’t have any effect on accuracy. (para. 3) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">5. People disagree about how to interpret information. (para. 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">6. The teacher corrected some students work. (para. 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">7. The teacher corrected students work but this didn’t help them write more accurately. (para. 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">8. Many researches have studied this. These studies were done over longer periods of time. These studies were done in real writing classes. (para. 4) <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">9. We need to be careful when we use research to understand how correction can effect students writing more accurately. (para. 5)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 16pt;">Read the article again and find noun phrases which mean the following. **

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