Effects of Within-task Planning Conditions on Korean EFL Test-takers' Performance on Argumentative Writing Assessment Tasks

Abstract

Planning has been considered an essential component of cognitive processes in writing as writers generate and organize ideas, and set goals. Following this reasoning, a number of studies attempted to investigate effects of planning and ended up reporting mixed results. A great deal of testing literature discusses how the task that is involved and the way the task implemented influence test-taker performance on tasks. In this regard, task conditions under which tasks are conducted should be significant consideration. However, there have been relatively few studies conducted on effects of planning conditions on writing in a testing context. This study aimed to examine the effects of within-task planning conditions on Korean EFL test-takers performance on argumentative writing assessment tasks. Within-task planning refers to on-line planning activities writers engage in while they are performing a writing task. Twenty-eight Korean university students were divided into two major proficiency groups (i.e., advanced and intermediate) and were asked to perform two argumentative writing assessment tasks under three different planning conditions: no planning

pressured within-task planning

and unpressured within-task planning. A series of repeated measure analyses of variance (ANOVA) and analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were conducted. First of all, the analyses of variance examined the statistical significance of differences in writing scores among three different planning conditions using analytic scores and composite scores (i.e., aggregated scores of the six analytic criteria, namely, development of ideas, organization, vocabulary, sentence variety and construction, grammar and usage, and mechanics). Second, the analyses of covariance examined whether test-takers proficiency was a factor that mediated effects of planning conditions on writing scores. Pre-test scores were used as covariate. Finally, planning patterns and behaviors of Korean EFL test-takers were examined through a pre-test questionnaire, a post-test questionnaire, and interviews. Test-takers planning sheets were also examined. The analysis of results indicated that within-task planning conditions had no significant effects on the composite scores as well as analytic writing scores of Korean EFL test-takers. Furthermore, the test-takers proficiency levels turned out to have no mediating influence on effects of planning conditions on writing scores. In terms of planning behavior, seventy-five percent of the participants responded that planning is important and helpful in organizing key concepts and ideas. Also, it was shown that advanced writers spend more time on planning than intermediate writers. Based on the findings of this study, one major implication is the assignment of within-task planning time. Since there were no significant effects of three experimental conditions, the present study provided empirical evidence in support of the current writing test format which limits time incorporating all process of writing instead of giving no within-task planning time separately.