On the Efficacy of Explicit Corrective Feedback on Descriptive Writing Accuracy of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners

Abstract

Since the emergence of the process-oriented approach in second language writing instruction, the issues of writing instruction have been predominantly concerned with what and how error feedback should be given to the students' writing. The present study investigated the effect of explicit corrective feedback on writing accuracy of Iranian intermediate EFL learners (N = 44) in Hamedan Islamic Azad University. The three most frequent occurring errors in EFL learners' writing pre-test were chosen to be targeted. Two groups were formed: the explicit corrective feedback group (N = 22), and the control group (N = 20). Paired samples t-tests revealed that both the explicit and control groups increased their writing accuracy in immediate post-test in comparison with pre-test, but Independent t-test indicated that there was not a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the control and experiment groups (p = 0.65). In delayed post-test, there was no significant differences between writing accuracy of explicit and control groups (p = 0.72). Paired samples t-tests indicated that there was no significant accuracy mean difference between writing pre-test and delayed post-test of the explicit group.The writing accuracy gain of the control group in delayed post-test in comparison with writing pre-test was statistically significant.