Two Articles

Abstract

1. Feedback on Feedback: Exploring Student Responses to Teachers' Written Commentary. 

How students respond to teacher-written commentary has been an under-researched topic, and the existing literature in L2 studies is contradictory. The present study analyzes the critical and positive commentary, mitigated and unmitigated, written by two community-college, first-year composition teachers on two drafts of two writing assignments done by 14 L1 and L2 students and addresses the students' reactions to these comments. Qualitative data was collected through interviews with the two teachers and their 14 student participants. Students indicated that they equally understand and revise following mitigated and directive comments. However, they found most helpful the commentary that provided some acknowledgment of their writing, offered specific suggestions, and gave them choices. In addition, many of the students felt discouraged by directives that didn't convey trust in their abilities to revise. The findings are compared with those of similar studies, and conclusions are drawn about implications for instructors of first-year composition classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] 

2. Integrating Reading and Writing: A Response to the Basic Writing "Crisis". 

This article describes a FIPSE-funded integrated reading/writing program developed at San Francisco State University in response to the latest basic writing "crisis." After noting the theoretical and practical necessity for integrating reading and writing, the authors provide a detailed account of the program and report on its first year of implementation. They conclude by offering some valuable lessons learned from this experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

 Works Cited 

Goen, Sugie, and Helen Gillotte-Tropp.. "Integrating Reading and Writing: A Response to the Basic Writing "Crisis"." Journal of Basic Writing 22.2 (Fall2003 2003): 90-113. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 26 Jan. 2009 .

Treglia, Maria Ornella. "Feedback on Feedback: Exploring Student Responses to Teachers' Written Commentary." Journal of Basic Writing 27.1 (Spring2008 2008): 105-137. Communication & Mass Media Complete. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 25 Jan. 2009 .

The relationship between reading and writing has been my interest since one of my writing teachers told me that reading was the key to writing. I know that reading is important, but I’m not sure how reading can really improve writing. This is the why I want to study this topic.

The other article deals with a different issue, feedback. I’ve read some articles on feedback for the other classes, and I noticed that there was no agreement on this topic. This article includes a case study of ESL/EFL writers, and I think this can give more insights on giving effective feedback to help students become a better writer.