Student annotations: What NNS and NS university students say about their own writing

doi:10.1016/S1060-3743(97)90014-X

Journal of Second Language Writing

Volume 6, Issue 3, September 1997, Pages 245-264

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(97)90014-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Although teacher feedback has long been considered an integral part of developing students' writing, seeking student perceptions of their own writing is equally important. The articulation of such perceptions assists students to be independent learners and also guides teacher feedback. One way to gain insights into student perceptions is to invite them to make annotations on their own work before submission. Although this is not a new pedagogic technique, there is a lack of research on many aspects of student annotation behavior, particularly of second language writers. In this project, student annotations were analyzed for the areas of writing about which students annotate and for the distribution of positive annotations and expressions of concern. Annotations were made by NNSs and NSs on their own research papers. There were some differences between the two groups of students in the categories and sub-categories of their annotations. The value for both students and writing instructors of encouraging L2 writers to annotate their work is discussed, and areas for further research are noted.

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Cited by (14)

Annotation an effective device for student feedback: A critical review of the literature
2010, Nurse Education in Practice
The paper examines hand-written annotation, its many features, difficulties and strengths as a feedback tool. It extends and clarifies what modest evidence is in the public domain and offers an evaluation of how to use annotation effectively in the support of student feedback [Marshall, C.M., 1998a. The Future of Annotation in a Digital (paper) World. Presented at the 35th Annual GLSLIS Clinic: Successes and Failures of Digital Libraries, June 20–24, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, March 24, pp. 1–20; Marshall, C.M., 1998b. Toward an ecology of hypertext annotation. Hypertext. In: Proceedings of the Ninth ACM Conference on Hypertext and Hypermedia, June 20–24, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, US, pp. 40–49; Wolfe, J.L., Nuewirth, C.M., 2001. From the margins to the centre: the future of annotation. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 15(3), 333–371; Diyanni, R., 2002. One Hundred Great Essays. Addison-Wesley, New York; Wolfe, J.L., 2002. Marginal pedagogy: how annotated texts affect writing-from-source texts. Written Communication, 19(2), 297–333; Liu, K., 2006. Annotation as an index to critical writing. Urban Education, 41, 192–207; Feito, A., Donahue, P., 2008. Minding the gap annotation as preparation for discussion. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 7(3), 295–307; Ball, E., 2009. A participatory action research study on handwritten annotation feedback and its impact on staff and students. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 22(2), 111–124; Ball, E., Franks, H., McGrath, M., Leigh, J., 2009. Annotation is a valuable tool to enhance learning and assessment in student essays. Nurse Education Today, 29(3), 284–291]. Although a significant number of studies examine annotation, this is largely related to on-line tools and computer mediated communication and not hand-written annotation as comment, phrase or sign written on the student essay to provide critique. Little systematic research has been conducted to consider how this latter form of annotation influences student learning and assessment or, indeed, helps tutors to employ better annotative practices [Juwah, C., Macfarlane-Dick, D., Matthew, B., Nicol, D., Ross, D., Smith, B., 2004. Enhancing student learning through effective formative feedback. The Higher Education Academy, 1–40; Jewitt, C., Kress, G., 2005. English in classrooms: only write down what you need to know: annotation for what? English in Education, 39(1), 5–18]. There is little evidence on ways to heighten students’ self-awareness when their essays are returned with annotated feedback [Storch, N., Tapper, J., 1997. Student annotations: what NNS and NS university students say about their own writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 6(3), 245–265]. The literature review clarifies forms of annotation as feedback practice and offers a summary of the challenges and usefulness of annotation.
The impact of an EAP course on postgraduate writing
2009, Journal of English for Academic Purposes
Citation Excerpt :
For each major assessment task students write a first draft for review by the instructor, after which the final version is submitted. The first draft is annotated by the students (see Storch & Tapper, 1997) which enables the students to articulate their concerns. Feedback is given mainly on structure and language.
This study assessed the impact of completing an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course on the writing of postgraduate¹ learners. We begin this paper by describing a course offered for credit to postgraduate international students at a university in Australia, and then report on a large-scale study (n = 69) which investigated the improvement (if any) in the writing of students enrolled in this course. The students undertook the course at the beginning of their postgraduate studies at the university and concurrently with their degree programs. Two cohorts were identified: students with an IELTS score on entry to the University of 6.0 (or equivalent) and those with a score of 6.5. Data for the study were the in-class writing produced by the students at the beginning and at the end of semester, and a short questionnaire. The students' texts were analysed using a range of measures for fluency, linguistic accuracy and use of academic vocabulary. Texts were also analysed for overall structure, cohesion and coherence. The study found improvements for the entire group and for the two cohorts mainly in terms of accuracy, use of academic vocabulary, and structure. We discuss these findings in relation to key pedagogical features of the course.
Annotation is a valuable tool to enhance learning and assessment in student essays
2009, Nurse Education Today
As a United Kingdom (UK) wide organisation, the Quality Assurance Agencies ensure that best standards in higher education are reached. Following an institutional audit within a UK University, it was recommended that annotation be introduced to promote good practice in the management and implementation of giving feedback to students on assessed work. Annotation is a handwritten comment or mark written directly onto the page of the students’ script.
A review of current literature, policy and practice in relation to annotation. Random sample of student scripts analysed for versions of annotation such as content, difference, length, approach and clarity. Questionnaires distributed to staff (n = 74) and students n = 249), analysed using SPSS and thematic analysis.
For both staff and students, interpretations of annotation in terms of transparency of style and legibility were an issue. Both respondents agreed or strongly agreed that annotation enhances a student-centered approach to learning. For the student sample, there was an agreement or strong agreement that annotation helped inform the next assignment (82.2%). There was a recognition that annotation can convey a tone and the student survey indicated that the tone of some annotation undermines confidence. Findings show annotation is considered important by students but is different from other forms of feedback. Because annotation is written on the page it requires greater sensitivity towards students’ work. Recommendations disseminate findings to develop health professional education.
The annotator’s presence can influence the student’s interaction with their script causing them to evaluate their original writing differently. Ramage and Bean [Ramage, J.D., Bean, J.C., 1995. Writing Arguments, third ed. Allyn and Bacon, Needham Heights, MA.], use two different annotated versions of the same essay to model and contrast ‘‘reading as a believer” and ‘‘reading as a doubter” (cited in Wolfe [Wolfe, J.L., 2002. Marginal pedagogy: how annotated texts affects writing-from-source text. Written Communication 19 (2), 297–333.]). Multiple readings can be made of one text, but how the essay is read by the lecturer has the greater impact on the student. Annotation defies any stable definition precisely because it can be practiced in so many ways. It is vital that annotation is used and received appropriately so that negative effects of annotation are minimised and the positive effects emphasised. There are a number of ways of improving annotation, and good practice guidelines are offered in the conclusion to this paper.
The Implementation of Self-Monitoring in Writing: Analyzing the Form and Content of EFL Learners’ Annotations
2022, Language Related Research
Self-Monitoring and Teacher's Response as a Pedagogical Technique to Promote EFL Learners' Perceptions and Writing Performance
2022, Mextesol Journal
Writing for Journal Publications: A Case Study of Eight Computer Scientists in Algeria
2020, SSRN

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Student annotations: What NNS and NS university students say about their own writing

Abstract

Journal of Second Language Writing

System

System

Self-evaluation in holistic assessment

ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. 303 809

Don't create—reformulate

ELT Documents

Responding to problems in written English using a student selfmonitoring technique

ELT Journal

Second language classroom research on teaching and learning

Student processing of feedback in their compositions

Student response to feedback strategies in an English for Academic Purposes Program

Australian Review of Applied Linguistics

Assessing writers' knowledge and processes of composing

Teacher response to student writing: Focus on form versus content

Student reactions to teacher responses in multiple-draft composition classrooms

TESOL Quarterly

Response to student writing

Voices in response: A postmodern reading of teacher response

College Composition and Communication

Comments on Joy Reid's “Responding to ESL students' texts: The myths of appropriation”

TESOL Quarterly

Teaching writing in the ESL context