Skip to main content
Log in

The relationship between second language college students’ perceptions of online feedback on draft-writing and academic procrastination

  • Published:
Reading and Writing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Though essay writing is an essential part of postsecondary education, it can be challenging for second language learners, who are required to organize ideas coherently in a language which they have not fully mastered. The present study examined perceptions of draft-writing by students who speak Arabic as their first language and Hebrew as their second language (SL) compared with students who are native Hebrew speakers (FL), in an online formative feedback setting. We also investigated the relation between students’ perceptions towards draft-writing and their academic procrastination. Results pinpoint three major findings: (1) FL students were more likely than SL students to perceive draft-writing as a reasonable way of learning; (2) SL students displayed less positive perceptions of draft-writing than FL students in their first year in college but more positive perceptions in the second year onward; (3) SL students’ procrastination as self-regulated failure was higher during their first year of study than that of FL students. It is suggested that first-year SL students might face a language barrier and difficulties in adapting to academic requirements which prevent them from taking advantage of online assistive devices to improve their grades.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

References

  • Abu Rass, R. (2011). Cultural transfer as an obstacle for writing well in English: The case of Arabic speakers writing in English. English Language Teaching, 4(2), 206–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abu Rass, R. (2015). Challenges face Arab students in writing well developed paragraphs in English. English Language Teaching, 8(10), 49–59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Abukhattala, I. (2013). What Arab students say about their linguistic and educational experiences in Canadian universities. International Education Studies, 6(8), 31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alsamadani, H. A. (2010). The relationship between Saudi EFL students’ writing competence, L1 writing proficiency, and self-regulation. European Journal of Social Sciences, 16(1), 53–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bachman, L. F., & Palmer, A. S. (1996). Language testing in practice: Designing and developing useful language tests (Vol. 1). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bader, M., Burner, T., Hoem Iversen, S., & Varga, Z. (2019). Student perspectives on formative feedback as part of writing portfolios. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 44(7), 1017–1028.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bloxham, S., & Campbell, L. (2010). Generating dialogue in assessment feedback: Exploring the use of interactive cover sheets. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(3), 291–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boice, R. (1997). Strategies for enhancing scholarly productivity. In J. Moxley & T. Taylor (Eds.), Writing and publishing for academic authors (pp. 19–34). Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borodkin, K., & Faust, M. (2014). Native language phonological skills in low-proficiency second language learners. Language Learning, 64(1), 132–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burner, T. (2014). The potential formative benefits of portfolio assessment in second and foreign language writing contexts: A review of the literature. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 43, 139–149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cerino, E. S. (2014). Relationship between academic motivation, self-efficacy and academic procrastination. Journal of Psychological Research, 19(4), 156–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chryssafidou, E. & Sharples, M. (2002). Computer-supported planning of essay argument structure. In Proceedings of the 5th international conference of argumentation, Amsterdam, June 25–28, 2002. Retrieved January 9, 2009, from http://postgrad.eee.bham.ac.uk/chryse/Issa02.doc.

  • Cloete, R. (2015). Blending offline and online feedback on EAP writing. Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 2(4), 559–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, V. (2016). Second language learning and language teaching. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corkin, D. M., Shirley, L. Y., & Lindt, S. F. (2011). Comparing active delay and procrastination from a self-regulated learning perspective. Learning and Individual Differences, 21(5), 602–606.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diab, R. (2005). EFL university students’ preferences for error correction and teacher feedback on writing. TESL Reporter, 23, 27–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckert, M., Ebert, D. D., Lehr, D., Sieland, B., & Berking, M. (2016). Overcome procrastination: Enhancing emotion regulation skills reduce procrastination. Learning and Individual Differences, 52, 10–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckstein, G., Chariton, J., & McCollum, R. (2011). Multi-draft composing: An iterative model for academic argument writing. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 10(3), 162–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrari, J. R., Díaz-Morales, J. F., O’Callaghan, J., Díaz, K., & Argumedo, D. (2007). Frequent behavioral delay tendencies by adults’ international prevalence rates of chronic procrastination. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 38(4), 458–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrari, J. R., Johnson, J., & McCown, W. G. (1995). Procrastination and task avoidance: Theory, research, and treatment. New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferris, D., & Hedgcock, J. (2014). Teaching SL composition: Purpose, process, and practice (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flower, L. (1988). The construction of purpose in writing and reading. College English, 50(5), 528–550.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritzsche, B. A., Young, B. R., & Hickson, K. C. (2003). Individual differences in academic procrastination tendency and writing success. Personality and Individual Differences, 35, 1549–1557.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goroshit, M. (2018). Academic procrastination and academic performance: An initial basis for intervention. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 46(2), 131–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grami, M. (2005). The effect of teachers’ written feedback on ESL students’ perception: A study in a Saudi ESL university-level context. Annual Review of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, 2, 10–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, J. R., & Flower, L. S. (1986). Writing research and the writer. American Psychologist, 41(10), 1106–1113.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horverak, M. O. (2017). A survey of students’ perceptions of how English writing instruction is carried out in Norwegian upper secondary schools. Journal of Second Language Teaching & Research, 5(1), 120–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyland, K., & Hyland, F. (2006). Feedback on second language students’ writing. Language Teaching, 39(2), 83–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyland, K., & Hyland, F. (Eds.). (2019). Feedback in second language writing: Contexts and issues. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, K. R., & Seo, E. H. (2015). The relationship between procrastination and academic performance: A meta-analysis. Personality and Individual Differences, 82, 26–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klingsieck, K. B. (2013a). Procrastination: When good things don’t come to those who wait. European Psychologist, 18, 24–34. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040/a000138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klingsieck, K. B. (2013b). Procrastination in different life-domains: Is procrastination domain specific? Current Psychology, 32, 175–185. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-013-9171-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krause, K., & Freund, A. M. (2014). Delay or procrastination—A comparison of self-report and behavioral measures of procrastination and their impact on affective well-being. Personality and Individual Differences, 63, 75–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lam, R. (2015). Convergence and divergence of process and portfolio approaches to SL writing instruction: Issues and implications. RELC Journal, 46(3), 293–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lay, C., & Silverman, S. (1996). Trait procrastination, anxiety, and dilatory behavior. Personality and Individual Differences, 21(1), 61–67.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lea, M. R., & Street, B. V. (2006). The “academic literacies” model: Theory and applications. Theory into Practice, 45(4), 368–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, I. (2011). Formative assessment in EFL writing: An exploratory case study. Changing English: Studies in Culture and Education, 18(1), 99–111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lev-Wiesel, R., & Al-Krenawi, A. (1999). Attitude towards marriage and marital quality: A comparison among Israeli Arabs differentiated by religion. Family Relations, 48, 51–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowinger, R. J., Kuo, B. C., Song, H. A., Mahadevan, L., Kim, E., Liao, K. Y. H., et al. (2016). Predictors of academic procrastination in Asian international college students. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 53(1), 90–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahfoodh, O. H. H., & Pandian, A. (2011). A qualitative case study of EFL students’ affective reactions to and perceptions of their teachers’ written feedback. English Language Teaching, 4(3), 14–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manor, R. (2016). The quality of second language writing (Hebrew) among Arab students in Israel. Multilingual Education, 6(2), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Margolin, B., & Ezer, H. (2014). The quality of argumentative writing among Jewish (L1) and Arab (SL) students in Israel’s colleges of education. Helqat lashon, 46, 157–178. (in Hebrew).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mateos, M., Villalon, R., De Dios, M. J., & Martin, E. (2007). Reading and writing tasks on different university degree courses: What do the students say they do? Studies in Higher Education, 32(4), 489–510.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milgram, N., Marchevsky, S., & Sadeh, C. (1995). Correlates of academic procrastination: Discomfort, task aversiveness, and task capability. The Journal of Psychology: Interdisciplinary and Applied, 121, 145–155.

    Google Scholar 

  • Milgram, N. A., & Naaman, N. (1996). Typology in procrastination. Personality and Individual Differences, 20, 679–683.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, P., & Peleg, O. (2010). Doomed to read in a second language: Implications for learning. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 39(1), 51–65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myrick, J. G. (2015). Emotion regulation, procrastination, and watching cat videos online: Who watches Internet cats, why, and to what effect? Computers in Human Behavior, 52, 168–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novak, J. D. (2002). Meaningful learning: The essential factor for conceptual change in limited or inappropriate propositional hierarchies leading to empowerment of learners. Science Education, 86(4), 548–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paxton, M. (2007). Students’ interim literacies as a dynamic resource for teaching and transformation. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 25(1), 45–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peled, Y., & Khaldy, S. (2013). Discrimination, survival and tradition as argumentation for academic dishonesty. Educational Practice and Theory, 35(1), 41–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peled, Y., & Sarid, M. (2010). Multi-drafting feedback process in a web-based environment. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 7(2), 113–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prat-Sala, M., & Redford, P. (2010). The interplay between motivation, self-efficacy, and approaches to studying. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 80, 283–305.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romova, Z., & Andrew M. (2015). Embedding learning for future and imagined communities in portfolio assessment. Unitec ePress Research Report Series (4). http://www.unitec.ac.nz/epress/.

  • Romova, Z., & Andrew, M. (2011). Teaching and assessing academic writing via the portfolio: Benefits for learners of English as an additional language. Assessing Writing, 16(2), 111–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarid, M., & Peled, Y. (2010). The effect of procrastination on multi-drafting in a web-based learning content management environment. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning and Learning Objects, 6(1), 345–354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, S. D., & Weir, C. J. (2007). Examining writing: Research and practice in assessing second language writing. Studies in language testing no. 26. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin, E. J., & Goh, J. K. (2011). The relations between active-passive procrastination behavior and self-regulated learning strategies. Journal of Educational Studies, 42, 25–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slobin, D. I. (1996). From thought and language to thinking for speaking. In J. Gumperz & S. Levinson (Eds.), Rethinking linguistic relativity: Studies in the social and cultural foundation of language (pp. 70–96).

  • Solomon, L. J., & Rothblum, E. D. (1984). Academic procrastination: Frequency and cognitive-behavioral correlates. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 31, 503–509.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steel, P. (2007). The nature of procrastination: A meta-analytic and theoretical review of quintessential self-regulatory failure. Psychological Bulletin, 133, 65–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strobel, C. (2015). Attitudes towards online feedback on writing: Why students mistrust the learning potential of models. ReCALL, 27(3), 340–357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Triantafillou, E., Pomportsis, A., & Demetriadis, S. (2003). The design and the formative evaluation of an adaptive educational system based on cognitive styles. Computers & Education, 41(1), 87–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuckman, B. (1991). The development and concurrent validity of the procrastination scale. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 51, 473–480.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuckman, B., & Sexton, T. (1989). Effects of relative feedback in overcoming procrastination on academic tasks. Paper presented at the meeting of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA.

  • Van Eerde, W. (2003). Procrastination at work and time management training. Journal of Psychology, 137, 421–435.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Eerde, W., & Klingsieck, K. B. (2018). Overcoming procrastination? A meta-analysis of intervention studies. Educational Research Review, 25, 73–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wingate, U. (2010). The impact of formative feedback on the development of academic writing. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(5), 519–533.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, M., Badger, R., & Yu, Z. (2006). A comparative study of peer and teacher feedback in a Chinese EFL writing class. Journal of Second Language Writing, 15(3), 179–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ziegler, N. A., & Moeller, A. J. (2012). Increasing self-regulated learning through the LinguaFolio. Foreign Language Annals, 45(3), 330–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Attaining.self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. Handbook of Selfregulation, 13–39.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Miriam Sarid.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sarid, M., Peled, Y. & Vaknin-Nusbaum, V. The relationship between second language college students’ perceptions of online feedback on draft-writing and academic procrastination. Read Writ 34, 1247–1271 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-020-10111-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-020-10111-8

Keywords

Navigation