EFL Student Reactions to Instructor Feedback on Multiple-Draft Composition Writing

Abstract

A number of L1 and L2 studies examined students'
reactions to their instructors' comments in single-draft
contexts as opposed to multiple-draft settings. However, a few
studies were undertaken in multiple-draft L2 composition
classrooms. No such studies have been carried out in EFL
situations. Thirty-six EFL English-majors participated in this
study. The findings revealed that students reread more of their
instructor's feedback on the first drafts of their essays than on
the second and they did so more on the second than on the
final ones; that they received more comments on word choice,
grammar, and mechanics in the first drafts than in the second
and they did so more in the second than in the final ones; that
they became more self-dependent in responding to their
instructor's comments by utilizing more the strategy of
correcting their writing mistakes by themselves in the final
drafts than in the second, and they did so more in the second
than in the first drafts; and that they appreciated receiving
feedback and considered it positive, and that they found this
feedback useful in improving their writing performance.
Results also showed that students faced problems in
understanding their instructor's comments and corrections.