English writing skills have emerged as an indispensable EFL course of higher education curricula in Vietnam. A variety of existing literature proves using peer review checklists as an effective tool to develop students‟ writing skills. However, it falls short such a tool to help nonEnglish major students to foster their writing skills in Vietnamese higher education. Therefore, this study aims to dig out a measure to improve students‟ informal email writing skills by means of using peer review checklists. The study was conducted with the participation of fifty eight nonEnglish major students in a university in the Mekong Delta. To gain the study „aim, the tools of pretest, posttest, questionnaire and semistructured interviews were employed to collect data, which were then quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The findings revealed that students utilizing peer review checklists performed better in terms of fulfilling writing task, organizing writing compositions and using specific vocabulary. The results also indicated that students were highly active, interested, and motivated in learning English writing by using peer review checklists. On the basis of the findings, the use of peer review checklists in writing class was recommended for nonEnglish major students.
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY BÙI THANH TÍNH APPLYING PEER REVIEW CHECKLISTS TO IMPROVE EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' WRITING SKILLS MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION Nghe An, 2021 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY BÙI THANH TÍNH APPLYING PEER REVIEW CHECKLISTS TO IMPROVE EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' WRITING SKILLS MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Code: 8.14.01.11 SUPERVISOR: LE THI TUYET HANH, Ph.D Nghe An, 2021 Luận văn Thạc sĩ với đề tài: “APPLYING PEER REVIEW CHECKLISTS TO IMPROVE EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' WRITING SKILLS” học viên Bùi Thanh Tính thực hướng dẫn khoa học Tiến sĩ Lê Thị Tuyết Hạnh báo cáo Hội đồng chấm luận văn thông qua Thư ký Ủy viên (Ký tên) (Ký tên) GV phản biện GV phản biện (Ký tên) (Ký tên) Nghệ An, ngày …… tháng …… năm 2021 Chủ tịch Hội đồng (Ký tên) iv Declaration This thesis entitled “Applying Peer Review Checklists to Improve EFL University Students' Writing Skills” was conducted under the supervision of Dr Le Thi Tuyet Hanh, Head of ESP Division - Foreign Languages Department, Vinh University I declare that the information reported in this study is the result of my own work except where due references are made The thesis has not been accepted for any degree and is not concurrently submitted to any candidature for any other degree or diploma Nghe An, Bùi Thanh Tính v Acknowledgement This thesis would not have been completed without the great assistance of many people I would love to express my sincere gratitude to people who directly and indirectly supported me during the process of carrying out the study First and foremost, I am extremely thankful to my dear supervisor, Dr Le Thi Tuyet Hanh I deeply appreciate her kindness, her valuable time, her encouragement, and especially her effective and constant guidance on conducting this study Her helpful feedback has exerted enormous influence on the improvement of my thesis Moreover, thanks to her intellectual support, I have gained much experience and confidence in doing further research Secondly, I would like to show my gratitude to all lecturers‟ instructions on subjects prescribed to the MA‟s program Thanks to their teaching during this program, I am provided with profound knowledge, useful advice on my research ideas that contributed to the initial stages of my research I am also indebted to the lecturers in Foreign Languages Faculty in Dong Thap University They not only gave me helpful advice on doing the research but also devoted their time to revising pre-test, post-test, research instruments and checklists used in this study Also, they have contributed a great deal to the data collecting process Moreover, I would like to thank all the participants for their willingness and cooperation throughout this study Finally, I would love to express my heartfelt gratitude to my family who have encouraged and supported me all the time vi Abstract English writing skills have emerged as an indispensable EFL course of higher education curricula in Vietnam A variety of existing literature proves using peer review checklists as an effective tool to develop students‟ writing skills However, it falls short such a tool to help non-English major students to foster their writing skills in Vietnamese higher education Therefore, this study aims to dig out a measure to improve students‟ informal email writing skills by means of using peer review checklists The study was conducted with the participation of fifty eight non-English major students in a university in the Mekong Delta To gain the study „aim, the tools of pre-test, post-test, questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data, which were then quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed The findings revealed that students utilizing peer review checklists performed better in terms of fulfilling writing task, organizing writing compositions and using specific vocabulary The results also indicated that students were highly active, interested, and motivated in learning English writing by using peer review checklists On the basis of the findings, the use of peer review checklists in writing class was recommended for non-English major students Key words: peer review checklists, perceptions, writing skills, emails, improvement vii Table of contents Declaration iv Acknowledgement v Abstract vi Table of contents vii List of tables x List of figures xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale .1 1.2 Objectives of the study 1.3 Research questions .5 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Scope of the study .5 1.6 Organization of the thesis .5 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Peer review 2.1.1 Definitions .7 2.1.2 Peer review in English language teaching .9 2.1.3 Peer review in English writing 10 2.2 Writing checklist .11 2.2.1 Definitions 11 2.2.2 English writing process .16 2.2.3 Writing scoring criteria 17 2.2.4 Checklists in English writing .21 2.3 Studies relating to peer review and writing checklists .27 2.3.1 In the world 27 viii 2.3.2 In Vietnam 30 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .32 3.1 Overall Research Design 32 3.2 Context 33 3.3 Participants 34 3.4 Research tools 36 3.4.1 Pre-test and Post-test 36 3.4.2 Questionnaire .39 3.4.3 Interviews 40 3.5 Designing peer review checklists 41 3.6 Piloting 42 3.7 Data Collection Procedures .44 3.8 Data Analysis 45 3.9 Ethical considerations .46 3.10 Summary 46 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .47 4.1 The effects of peer review checklists on EFL students‟ writing skills .47 4.1.1 Overall results of students‟ writing before and after the study 47 4.1.2 Results from pre-test and post-test in relation to scoring criteria .49 4.2 EFL university students‟ perceptions of the application of peer review checklist to improve English writing skills 56 4.2.1 Students‟ perceptions of the effects of peer review checklists on key criteria of writing .56 4.2.2 Students‟ perceptions of the effects of peer review checklists on writing performance 60 4.2.3 Students‟ perceptions of the use of peer review checklists in writing classroom .64 ix 4.3 Discussion 69 4.3.1 The impacts of peer review checklists on participants‟ English writing skills 69 4.3.2 Students‟ perceptions of applying peer review checklists to writing skills 73 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 76 5.1 Summary of key findings 76 5.2 Pedagogical implications 78 5.3 Limitations 78 5.4 Suggestions for further studies 79 References 80 Appendices 89 Appendix 1: VSTEP test specification based on Decision No.730 89 Appendix 2: VSTEP marking criteria based on Decision No 730 91 Appendix 3: Questionnaire 96 Appendix 4: Interview protocol .102 Appendix 5: Peer review Checklist for writing an informal letter 105 Appendix 6: A brief description of teaching procedure throughout the course 108 Appendix 7: Samples of students‟ compositions 111 x List of tables Table 3.1 Description of total participants in the current study 35 Table 3.2 Description of participants responding in the survey questionnaire 35 Table 3.3 The three main clusters of the questionnaire 40 Table 4.1 The paired differences of participants‟ scores in pre-test and post-test .47 Table 4.2 Statistical analysis of participants‟ scores in pre-test and post-test .48 Table 4.3 Paired samples statistics of the organization scores .49 Table 4.4 Paired samples statistics of task fulfilment scores .51 Table 4.5 Paired samples statistics of the vocabulary scores .53 Table 4.6 Paired samples statistics of the grammar scores 55 Table 4.7 Students' perceptions of the effects of checklists on key criteria of writing 56 Table 4.8 Descriptive statistics of students‟ perceptions of the effects of peer review checklists on key criteria of writing 57 Table 4.9 Students‟ perceptions of the effects of peer review checklists on writing performance 60 Table 4.10 The descriptive statistics of students‟ perceptions of effects of peer review checklist on writing performance 62 Table 4.11 Students‟ perceptions of the use of peer review checklists in writing classroom .65 Table 4.12 The descriptive statistics of students‟ perceptions of the use of peer review checklists in writing classroom .67 101 Tiếp nhận ý kiến phản hồi người khác giúp sinh viên nhận lỗi sai 5 dễ dàng Checklist giúp cho sinh viên hiểu tiêu chí chấm điểm cho viết III uan i m c a sinh vi n v vi c sử dụng peer review checklist l p học Viết 10 Checklist giúp sinh viên cảm thấy việc học viết trở nên thú vị 11 Checklist giúp sinh viên trở nên chủ động hoạt động Viết 12 Checklist giúp sinh viên giảm tâm lý sợ mắc lỗi sai 13 Checklist giúp tạo nên môi trường học viết thân thiện 5 5 5 14 Checklist khuyến khích sinh viên có thái độ tích cực tiếp nhận góp ý từ người khác 15 Sử dụng checklist hữu ích sinh viên học hỏi từ bạn lớp giảng viên 16 Góp ý viết lẫn tạo động lực tốt việc học viết tiếng Anh *Note: “Peer review checklists” hay “checklists”: bảng chi tiết tiêu chí để sinh viên kiểm tra viết (email/letter) lẫn 102 Appendix 4: Interview protocol Main questions Follow-up questions How peer review checklists affect a In your opinion, is it suitable if the your writing skills? teacher applies peer review checklists to other types of writing? b Did using checklists help you organize emails better? c Did using checklists help you answer the questions in writing tasks better? How peer review checklists affect a Do you remember any mistakes that your vocabulary and grammar usage? your friends suggested? b Do you think that you can learn good points from your friends‟ compositions? If yes, what are they? c What types of grammatical mistakes did your friends often comment on? d In what way peer review checklists help you to improve vocabulary? e Among using Grammar, Vocabulary, answering the task‟questions, organizing the writing products, which aspect you think using peer review checklists helps you the most? What other factors are affected by a Do you prefer working with close using peer review checklists? friends or new friends? Why? b When your friend spotted out mistakes, 103 were you embarrassed? c In your opinion, between giving feedback and receiving feedback, which one you prefer? Do you like learning English writing a What you like the most? skills with peer review checklists? b Did peer review checklists make you Why?/Why not? interested in learning writing skills? b Did your teacher help you when you used peer review checklists in class? If yes, you like it? What are your suggestions on using a In your opinion, two different level peer review checklists classroom? in writing students should or should not work with each other? b How you feel if teacher pair you with a weaker student? Vietnamese version Câu hỏi Câu hỏi phát sinh Việc sử dụng checklist có ảnh hưởng a Theo em, giáo viên áp dụng checklist đến kỹ Viết tiếng Anh em cho loại viết khác có hiệu nào? khơng? b Việc sử dụng checklist có giúp em bố cục viết thư tốt không? c Việc sử dụng checklist có giúp em trả lời câu hỏi đề tốt không? Checklist ảnh hưởng đến a Em nhớ lỗi mà bạn em 104 việc sử dụng vựng ngữ pháp đề xuất chỉnh sửa không? em? b Em có nghĩ em học điều hay từ viết bạn khơng? Nếu có, điều gì? c Những lỗi ngữ pháp mà bạn em thường đề xuất em chỉnh sửa? d Checklist giúp em cải thiện cách sử dụng từ vựng nào? e Giữa việc sử dụng từ vựng, ngữ pháp, trả lời câu hỏi đề việc bố cục viết, em nghĩ việc sử dụng checklist giúp em cải thiện nhiều tiêu chí nào? Những yếu tố khác mà checklist a Em thích làm việc với bạn thân hay với tác động đến khả viết tiếng Anh bạn lớp? vậy? em? b Khi bạn em tìm nhiều lỗi sai, em có thấy ngại khơng? c Theo em, việc nhận xét bạn bạn nhận xét, em thích q trình hơn? Em có thích học viết tiếng Anh với a Em thích điều việc sử dụng checklist hay khơng? Tại có?/Tại checklist? khơng? b Checklist có giúp việc học viết em trở nên thú vị khơng? b Thầy có hỗ trợ em em sử dụng checklist lần khơng? Nếu có, em cảm thấy nào? 105 Em có đề xuất việc sử dụng a Theo em, hai sinh viên có trình độ khác checklist lớp học viết tiếng Anh? nên hay không nên chấm chéo cho nhau? Tại sao? b Vậy em nghĩ giáo viên ghép em với bạn có trình độ thấp ? Appendix 5: Peer review Checklist for writing an informal letter Appendix 5a: Validated checklist for writing an informal letter Editor’ name: Writer’s name: The number of words is enough Yes No A comma after receiver‟s name Yes No Line spacing Yes No The letter has a friendly tone Yes No Yes No Each of the following parts is correctly presented: The introductory paragraph replies to the given letter If no, suggest how the writer could reply to the letter The introductory paragraph includes good reason for writing the letter Yes No If yes, write down that reason If no, suggest how the reason could be better The questions in the given letter are answered with good details Yes No If yes, the writer developed the answer by (giving examples, explanation, description or others) 106 If no, suggest how the question(s) could be better answered The closing of the letter is good Yes No If no, suggest how to make it good There are vocabulary-using mistakes in the letter Yes No If yes, what are they? Suggest how to correct the mistakes There are grammatical mistakes in the letter Yes No If yes, what are they? Suggest how to correct the mistakes *Note: the real checklist in class was designed with more spaces for comments and suggestions Appendix 5b: A sample of a real checklist used in week Editor’ name: Writer’s name: The number of words is enough Yes No A comma after receiver‟s name Yes No Line spacing Yes No The letter has a friendly tone Yes No Yes No Each of the following parts is correctly presented: The introductory paragraph replies to the given letter If no, suggest how the writer could reply to the letter The introductory paragraph includes good reason for writing the letter Yes No If yes, write down that reason 107 If no, suggest how the reason could be better written The writer suggested the gift with good supporting details Yes No If yes, the writer developed the answer by (giving examples, explanation, description or others) If no, suggest how the question could be better answered The writer suggested where to buy the gift with good supporting details Yes No If yes, the writer developed the answer by (giving examples, explanation, description or others) If no, suggest how the question could be better answered The closing of the letter is good Yes No If no, suggest how to make it good There are vocabulary-using mistakes in the letter Yes No If yes, what are they? Suggest how to correct the mistakes There are grammatical mistakes in the letter Yes No If yes, what are they? Suggest how to correct the mistakes 108 Appendix 6: A brief description of teaching procedure throughout the course (Used for experimental group) Week Content - Teacher introduced the syllabus and the test format - Teacher focused on teaching topic 1: Travelling - Students took pre-test - Teacher provided feedback on pre-test - Teacher focused on teaching topic 2: Self and Family - Students were trained to use peer review checklist - Students submitted their compositions on topic - Teacher focused on teaching topic 3: Daily routines - Students used checklist to review each other‟s first draft - Students submitted their second compositions on topic - Teacher provided feedback on topic - Teacher focused on teaching topic 4: Hobbies - Students used checklist to review each other‟s first draft - Students submitted their third compositions on topic - Teacher provided feedback on topic - Teacher focused on teaching topic 5: Jobs - Teacher provided feedback on topic - Continuing with topic - Students used checklist to review each other‟s first draft - Students submitted their fourth compositions on topic - Teacher focused on teaching topic 6: Education - Teacher provided feedback on topic - Continuing with topic - Students used checklist to review each other‟s first draft - Students submitted their fifth compositions on topic - Teacher focused on teaching topic 7: Health 109 - Students took post-test - Teacher provided feedback on post-test 10 - Wrap-up - Deliver questionnaire (Used for control group) Week Content - Teacher introduced the syllabus and the test format - Teacher focused on teaching topic 1: Travelling - Students took pre-test - Teacher provided feedback on pre-test - Teacher focused on teaching topic 2: Self and Family - Students were trained to use peer review in pairs without checklist - Students submitted their first compositions on topic - Teacher focused on teaching topic 3: Daily routines - Students did group work activity and finished their first drafts in class - Students submitted their second compositions on topic - Teacher provided feedback on topic - Teacher focused on teaching the topic 4: Hobbies - Students finished their first drafts - Students submitted their third compositions on topic - Teacher provided feedback on topic - Teacher focused on teaching topic 5: Jobs - Teacher provided feedback on topic - Continuing with topic - Students finished their first drafts and peer review in pairs without checklist - Students submitted their fourth compositions on topic 110 - Teacher focused on teaching topic 6: Education - Teacher provided feedback on topic - Continuing with topic - Students finished their first drafts Teacher picked randomly one draft and gave feedback openly - Students submitted their fifth compositions on topic - Teacher focused on teaching the topic 7: Health - Students took post-test 10 - Teacher provided feedback on post-test - Wrap-up 111 Appendix 7: Samples of students’ compositions 112 113 114 115 ...MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY BÙI THANH TÍNH APPLYING PEER REVIEW CHECKLISTS TO IMPROVE EFL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' WRITING SKILLS MASTER THESIS IN EDUCATION Major: Teaching... of writing checklists in English teaching Additionally, writing process and writing scoring criteria are also depicted in this chapter Finally, studies relating to peer review and writing checklists. .. writing by using peer review checklists On the basis of the findings, the use of peer review checklists in writing class was recommended for non-English major students Key words: peer review checklists,