Journal of Second Language Writing 19 (2010) 178–182

Literature
Selected bibliography of recent scholarship in second
language writing
Tony Silva *, Crissy McMartin-Miller
Purdue University, Dept. of English, 1356 Heavilon Hall, Wst Lafayette, IN 47907-1356, United States

This bibliography cites and summarizes essays and reports of research on second and foreign language writing and
writing instruction that have become available to its compilers during the period from April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2010.
Bilton, L., & Sivasubramaniam, S. (2009). An inquiry into expressive writing: A classroom-based study. Language
Teaching Research, 13(3), 301–320.
Response writing was found to contribute to increased language mastery and more sophisticated thinking in this
longitudinal case study of a university writing class.
Byrnes, H. (2009). Emergent L2 German writing ability in a curricular context: A longitudinal study of
grammatical metaphor. Linguistics and Education, 20(1), 50–66.
Using systemic-functional linguistics as its theoretical framework, this paper describes the results of a study that
examined the writing development of 14 students of college-level German.
Cheng, F.-W. (2009). Task representation and text construction in reading-to-write. Journal of the Pan-Pacific
Association of Applied Linguistics, 13(2), 1–21.
In this study of three college seniors, all participants were found to have differently interpreted a writing
assignment, and two did not understand the assignment requirements. The possible interference of first language
culture is discussed.
Cheng, L., Klinger, D. A., & Zheng, Y. (2009). Examining students’ after-school literacy activities and their literacy
performance on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test. Canadian Journal of Education, 32(1), 118–148.
This study compared the after-school literary activities of students who passed the Ontario Secondary School
Literacy Test and those who failed. Among the participants were English L1 and L2 students.
Cumming, A. (2009). Assessing academic writing in foreign and second languages. Language Teaching, 42(1),
95–107.
This article presents a timeline of the policies, rationales, and modes of inquiry that have influenced the
assessment of academic writing in foreign and second languages.
Damron, R. L. (2008). The life of a simulation: Programmatic promises and pitfalls. Simulation & Gaming, 39(1),
126–136.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 765 494 3769; fax: +1 765 494 3780.
E-mail address: tony@purdue.edu (T. Silva).

1060-3743/$ – see front matter

doi:10.1016/j.jslw.2010.06.001
 Literature / Journal of Second Language Writing 19 (2010) 178–182 179

Drawing from survey results, this article describes the current state of a simulation-based ESL writing
curriculum; implications for teacher training, program direction, and sustaining simulation use over time are
also addressed.
Dekhinet, R., Topping, K., Duran, D., & Blanch, S. (2008). Let me learn with my peers online!: Foreign language
learning through reciprocal peer tutoring. Innovate: Journal of Online Education, 4(3), 1–6. http://www.innovateonline.
info/pdf/vol4_issue3/Let_Me_Learn_with_My_Peers_Online!-__Foreign_Language_Learning_Through_
Reciprocal_Peer_Tutoring.pdf
This article describes a study wherein primary students in Spain engaged in online peer tutoring with learners of
Spanish at a Scottish primary school. Working in pairs, the children wrote texts in their target language and
corrected the texts of their partners in their native languages.
DelliCarpini, M., & Adams, S. R. (2009). Success with ELLs: Writing in the ESL classroom: Confessions of a
guilty teacher. English Journal, 98(3), 117–120.
This paper describes how the author transformed her ESL teaching process over time so that students could gain
confidence and be encouraged to write.
Englander, K. (2009). Transformation of the identities of nonnative English-speaking scientists as a consequence of
the social construction of revision. Journal of Language, Identity, and Education, 8(1), 35–53.
This study examines the impact of the revision process on the identity of Mexican scientists who have submitted
manuscripts to English-language journals. Six factors that consistently affect identity—some positively and
some negatively—are identified.
Fernsten, L. A. (2008). Writer identity and ESL learners. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(1), 44–52.
Using Critical Discourse Analysis, this study explores how the identity of a college ESL student was shaped by
embedded ideologies and power structures. Strategies for encouraging writers, including varying assignment
types, are included.
Ferris, D. R. (2009). Teaching college writing to diverse student populations. Ann Arbor, MI: The University of
Michigan Press.
This book addresses the rising immigrant population in U.S. post-secondary education and, focusing on writing,
how teachers and administrators can best meet these students’ needs.
Foz-Gil, C., & Gonzalez-Pueyo, I. (2009). Helping Spanish SMEs staff to develop their competence in writing
business letters. International Journal of English Studies, 9(1), 43–61.
This paper describes the development of a website tool designed to assist writers within Spanish small and
medium enterprises (SMEs). This tool, based on a corpus of English-language business correspondence, is said
to provide evidence of the potential effectiveness of a genre-based approach to ESP materials development.
Futagi, Y., Deane, P., Chodorow, M., & Tetreault, J. (2008). A computational approach to detecting collocation
errors in the writing of non-native speakers of English. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 21(4), 353–367.
The performance of a tool designed to automatically correct collocation errors in the texts of second language
writers is explored in this study; its potential uses are also addressed.
Kessler, G. (2009). Student-initiated attention to form in wiki-based collaborative writing. Language Learning &
Technology, 13(1), 79–95.
This study investigates the use of a wiki by NNS English teachers enrolled in an online course at a Mexican
university. Specific foci include the extent to which the teachers correct their own and others’ grammar and the
accuracy of their writing in general.
Larrotta, C. (2008). Written conversations with Hispanic adults developing English literacy. Adult Basic Education
and Literacy Journal, 2(1), 13–23.
180 Literature / Journal of Second Language Writing 19 (2010) 178–182

This article reports on the use of a dialogue journal between an instructor and 17 Hispanic adults developing
English literacy.
Larrotta, C. (2009). Journaling in an adult ESL literacy program. New Directions for Adult and Continuing
Education, 121, 35–44.
This paper describes potential benefits of dialogue journals, including being effective tools for enhancing
language fluency, building community, and motivating ESL students.
Lee, O., Mahotiere, M., Salinas, A., Penfield, R. D., & Maerten-Rivera, J. (2009). Science writing achievement
among English language learners: Results of a three-year intervention in urban elementary schools. Bilingual
Research Journal, 32(2), 153–167.
The expository science writing of third grade ELL students who received instruction on content and form was
found to have improved in this longitudinal study.
Lin, G. H. C., & Ho, M. M. S. (2009). An exploration into foreign language writing anxiety from Taiwanese
university students’ perspectives. 2009 NCUE Fourth Annual Conference on Language, Teaching, Literature,
Linguistics, Translations and Interpretation. (ERIC No. ED5066178).
Five major issues were found to contribute to writing anxiety in this qualitative study of 16 Taiwanese university
students.
Lotherington, H., & Eamer, A. (2008). Successful kids from immigrant families: An investigation of the complex
multilingual worlds of 10-year-old gifted writers in suburban Toronto. International Journal of Multilingualism, 5(2),
100–121.
This case study explores the factors that may have influenced the successful language acquisition and literacy
achievement of several gifted 10- and 11-year-old multilingual writers.
Nimmon, L., & Begoray, D. (2008). Creating participatory photonovels: A classroom guide. Adult Basic Education
and Literacy Journal, 2(3), 174–178.
A project wherein adult learners of English created photonovels is described in this paper.
Nino, A. (2008). Evaluating the use of machine translation post-editing in the foreign language class. Computer
Assisted Language Learning, 21(1), 29–49.
Computer-aided error analysis was applied to both translated texts and the output of machine translation in this
study, the purpose of which was to extract patterns of error and compare the difficulty of editing the two.
O’Connor, T. R., & Holmquist, G. P. (2009). Algorithm for writing a scientific manuscript. Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology Education, 37(6), 344–348.
This article describes an algorithm designed to assist nonnative English speaking scientists in the writing of the
initial draft of a manuscript.
Oscarson, A. D. (2009). Self-assessment of writing in learning English as a foreign language: A study at the upper
secondary school level. Göteborg Studies in Educational Sciences: Göteborgs Universitet. (ERIC No. ED505960).
EFL students were able to accurately assess their own writing with some individual variation in this study at a
Swedish upper secondary school.
Qian, J., & Krugly-Smolska, E. (2008). Chinese graduate students’ experience with writing a literature review.
TESL Canada Journal, 26(1), 68–86.
In this case study of four Chinese graduate students at a Canadian university, all participants struggled most with
linguistic issues when writing literature reviews in their field but employed different strategies to address them.
Radia, P., & Stapleton, P. (2008). Unconventional Internet genres and their impact on second language
undergraduate students’ writing process. Internet and Higher Education, 11(1), 9–17.
 Literature / Journal of Second Language Writing 19 (2010) 178–182 181

ESL students who used unconventional, opinion-based Web citations were unaware of the ideological agendas
of their sources in this study of 70 undergraduates.
Ranker, J. (2009). Student appropriation of writing lessons through hybrid composing practices: Direct,
diffuse, and indirect use of teacher-offered writing tools in an ESL classroom. Journal of Literacy Research,
41(4), 393–431.
In this case study of first grade English language learners, the author explored when and to what extent the
students used writing tools presented in teacher lessons.
Rimrott, A., & Heift, T. (2008). Evaluating automatic detection of misspellings in German. Language Learning &
Technology, 12(3), 73–92.
Using a corpus of 1,027 misspellings from English-speaking learners of German, this study found that the spell
checker corrected only 62% of the misspellings and, in general, was not able to correct multiple-edit
misspellings. Suggestions for enhancing spell checking in CALL are discussed.
Seliem, S., & Ahmed, A. (2009). Missing: Electronic feedback in Egyptian EFL essay writing classes. CDELT
Conference, Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, Egypt. (ERIC No. ED505841).
Electronic feedback was found to have many useful applications in this study of student teachers and lecturers of
English at an Egyptian university.
Shi, L. (2009). Chinese-Western ‘‘contact zone’’: Students’ resistance and teachers’ adaptation to local needs. TESL
Canada Journal, 27(1), 47–63.
This interview study of 12 Western English writing teachers at 10 Chinese universities found that some
participants encountered resistance from their students in such areas as teachers’ lack of familiarity with local
structure-oriented tests.
Silva, T., & Matsuda, P. K. (Eds.) (2010). Practicing theory in second language writing. West Lafayette, IN: Parlor
Press.
This collection of 14 essays by second language writing scholars explores the nature of theory in second
language writing, including its role in research, instruction, and administration. The chapters include: (1)
Between theory with a big T and practice with a small p: Why theory matters (Atkinson); (2) Theories,
frameworks, and heuristics: Some reflections on inquiry and second language writing (Cumming); (3)
Multicompetence, social context, and L2 writing research praxis (Ortega and Carson); (4) Finding ‘‘theory’’ in
the particular: An ‘‘autobiography’’ of what I learned and how about teacher feedback (Goldstein); (5)
Practicing theory in qualitative research on second language writing (Harklau and Williams); (6) Cleaning up the
mess: Perspectives from a novice theory builder (Tardy); (7) A reconsideration of contents of ‘‘pedagogical
implications’’ and ‘‘further research needed’’ moves in the reporting of second language writing research and
their roles in theory building (Flahive); (8) Beyond texts: A research agenda for quantitative research on second
language writers and readers (Reynolds); (9) Ideology and theory in second language writing: A dialogical
treatment (Canagarajah); (10) Critical approaches to theory in second language writing: A case of critical
contrastive rhetoric (Kubota); (11) Theory and practice in second language writing: How and where do they
meet? (Zhu); (12) Theory-and-practice and other questionable dualisms in L2 writing (Hedgcock); (13) Assess
thyself lest others assess thee (Crusan); (14) ‘‘Do I need a theoretical framework?’’ Doctoral students’
perspectives on the role of theory in dissertation research and writing (Belcher and Hirvela).
Sugita, Y. (2009). The development and implementation of task-based writing performance assessment for
Japanese learners of English. Journal of the Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, 13(2), 77–103.
This paper describes the development of a writing performance test for Japanese learners of English, including
the test’s framework and the reliability and validity of the assessment tasks and rating scales.
Tardy, C. M. (2009). Building genre knowledge. West Lafayette, IN: Parlor Press.
182 Literature / Journal of Second Language Writing 19 (2010) 178–182

This book details case studies of four multilingual graduate students in engineering and computer sciences as
they gain experience writing in their respective fields. The author then presents a theory of genre knowledge
development.
van Beijsterveldt, L. M., & van Hell, J. G. (2009). Evaluative expression in deaf children’s written narratives.
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 44(5), 675–692.
Deaf children with high signing proficiency were found to have more evaluative expression in their narratives
than not only low-proficiency signing deaf children but also monolingual and bilingual hearing children in this
study conducted in the Netherlands.
Vechter, A., & Brierley, C. (2009). Paper partners: A peer-led talk-aloud academic writing program for students
whose first language of academic study is not English. TESL Canada Journal, 26(2), 125–135.
This article describes the success of a peer-mentoring program implemented at a Canadian university to support
the academic writing skills of students whose first language was not English.
Watanabe, Y., & Swain, M. (2008). Perception of learner proficiency: Its impact on the interaction between an ESL
learner and her higher and lower proficiency partners. Language Awareness, 17(2), 115–130.
This case study explores how a Japanese English language learner perceived the language proficiency of her
peers and how that perception shaped their interactions.
Wigglesworth, G., & Storch, N. (2009). Pair versus individual writing: Effects on fluency, complexity and accuracy.
Language Testing, 26(3), 445–466.
In this study, collaborative writing was found to more positively contribute to accuracy than writing done
individually, but it did not have a significant effect on fluency or complexity.
Waterstone, B. (2008). ‘‘I hate the ESL idea!’’: A case study in identity and academic literacy. TESL Canada
Journal, 26(1), 52–67.
This case study uses response to feedback to explore the strategies used by an undergraduate at a Canadian
university as she negotiates her multiple identities as a writer.
Zhou, A. A. (2009). What adult ESL learners say about improving grammar and vocabulary in their writing for
academic purposes. Language Awareness, 18(1), 31–46.
Fifteen adult English language learners were found to be motivated in their desire to improve their grammar and
vocabulary but lacked the knowledge and resources to effectively to do so in this study.