Effective Error Correction at the HU
Summary
This action research study at a Dutch four-year liberal arts college analyzes the necessary level of error correction among advanced ESL writing students. The study includes a literature review and analysis of the work of sixty-one students. The main approach of error correction, which was to spend more time commenting on content and organization, was shown to match student preferences and needs. The major conclusion is that, while the program works well and the bulk of the students become good writers, the writing teachers may be able to mark fewer errors without sacrificing quality and many students need some forms of special support as they learn to invent, edit, and write only after failing repeatedly.