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Research Methods in the Study of L2 Writing Processes
Edited by Rosa M. Manchón and Julio Roca de Larios
[Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 5] 2023
► pp. 337–363

Chapter 16
Analysing L2 writers’ processing of written corrective feedback via written languaging and think-aloud protocols

Methodological considerations

| University of Murcia
| University of Murcia

This chapter provides a reflection on the methodological decisions taken in a study that investigated the affordances of diverse data collection procedures for inspecting depth of processing of written corrective feedback, namely think-aloud protocols, written languaging, and a combination of both. We will start by formulating the overall aims and the specific questions guiding the study and by providing a synthetic account of the rationale behind our aims and methods. In the main part of the chapter, we will report (i) the main challenges and problems experienced when analysing the data as well as the solutions adopted; and (ii) the kind of data on feedback processing provided by the three data collection procedures used in the study. We will close with methodological conclusions for future studies intended to shed light on depth of processing of written corrective feedback.

Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Overview of the global research program and of the study: Rationale, aims, and methods
    • Rationale
    • Research questions
    • Methods
      • Participants and context
    • Tasks and procedures
    • The writing task
  • Data coding considerations: Challenges faced and decisions taken when developing a coding scheme for DoP of feedback
    • Operationalizing DoP
    • Setting up a coding scheme of DoP
      • Data and unit of analysis
      • Analysis of the think-aloud protocols
      • Analysis of the written languaging tables
    • Setting up a coding scheme for the global data
  • Nature of the data provided in different processing conditions and  affordances for inspecting DoP
  • Relevant methodological conclusions and implications for future studies
  • References
  • Appendix
Published online: 23 October 2023
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/rmal.5.16mcb
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