A case study to compare collaborative vs. individual essay writing in Saudi male EFL learners

This research is set in the Saudi Arabian third level context and investigates the impact on English language (L2) academic essay writing of writing collaboratively compared to writing individually. In the field of Applied Linguistics, to date, little attention has been paid to the role of collaborative writing in improving writing in the English as an L2 classroom, in this or indeed other international contexts. However, it is particularly relevant to the KSA context where improving academic writing among students is a current concern in the drive to grow educational and economic links internationally. The participants in this study were 20 L2 male students in Level 3 majoring in English at the Imam University College of Languages and Translation in Saudi Arabia. The research study used a mixed-methods approach that combined qualitative and quantitative data gathering and analysis. To collect data, the researcher utilized five researcher-designed instruments: an EFL essay writing test, an error-correction writing test, a questionnaire with open-ended questions (practitioners and students), semi-structured interviews (students), and think-aloud protocols. Qualitative data were collected through the open questions in the preand post- questionnaires, interviews, and think-aloud protocols. The quantitative data were collected through the pre- and post- questionnaires, the error-correction writing test, and the writing pre- and post-tests. The results of this study show a positive impact of collaborative writing, which was manifested in improved essay writing performance, motivation, attitudes towards collaborative writing, and peer feedback in improving writing skills. The findings of this study were found to be very significant for the adoption of collaborative writing in teaching EFL writing. While the study expands on and confirms previous research study in the field of TESOL, specifically methods for teaching writing, it also stresses the need for further research into new pedagogical methods such as online and outside class collaborative writing and peer feedback training.