Source use in argumentative writing in L1 and L2

Submitted by: Daphne van Weijen
Abstract: Source use is an important element of synthesis writing, and thus an essential skill for academic writing. Teaching students appropriate source use skills might help them learn how to avoid plagiarism and reduce cognitive overload while writing (Van Weijen, 2009). Effective source use might be a language-independent skill, at least to some extent (Cumming, 1989). If so, then teaching students this skill in one language (L1 or L2) might well help them improve their synthesis writing skills in both languages. The aim of this study was to determine whether source use in an argumentative task is a language- or learner-specific skill. Earlier research on synthesis writing often focused on L2 writing only (e.g. Plakans & Gebril, 2013) , or on comparing L1 to L2 writers (e.g. Shi, 2004). However to determine whether source use is a learner-specific skill requires a within-writer comparison of L1 and L2 writing.

Method
Twenty students wrote 8 short argumentative essays each, 4 in their L1 (Dutch) and 4 in their L2 (English) using 6 short sources. Students’ texts were analysed, using a plagiarism detection tool, to determine the extent to which they integrated information from the sources in their essays, and whether how they did so varied between tasks and languages.

Results
The results suggest that source use skill might be a learner-specific skill, while the extent to which students’ vary their source use across tasks within L1 or L2 seems to some extent language dependent. Finally, L2 proficiency seems to act as moderator variable as well.

References
Cumming, A. (1989). Writing expertise and second language proficiency. Language Learning, 39(1), 81 - 141.
Plakans, L. & Gebril, A. (2013) Using multiple texts in an integrated writing assessment: Source text use as a predictor of score, Journal of Second Language Writing 22 (2013) 217–230.
Shi, L. (2004) Textual Borrowing in Second-Language Writing. Written Communication 2004; 21; 171.
Van Weijen, D., Van den Bergh, H., Rijlaarsdam, G.C.W., & Sanders, T.J.M. (2009). L1 use during L2 writing: An empirical study of a complex phenomenon. Journal of Second Language Writing, 18 (4), p. 235 – 250.