Exploring second language writers' pausing and revision behaviors: A mixed methods study

This study investigated the cognitive processes underlying pauses at different textual locations (e.g., within/between words) and various levels of revision (e.g., below word/clause). We used stimulated recall, keystroke logging and eye-tracking methodology in combination to examine pausing and revision behaviors. Thirty advanced Chinese L2 users of English performed a version of the IELTS Academic Writing Task 2. During the writing task, participants' key strokes were logged and their eye-movements were recorded. Immediately after the writing task, twelve participants also took part in a stimulated recall interview. The results revealed that, when participants paused at larger textual units, they were more likely to look back further in the text and engage in higher-order writing processes. In contrast, during pauses at lower textual units, they tended to view areas closer to the inscription point and engage in lower-order writing processes. Prior to making a revision, participants most frequently had viewed the text that they subsequently revised or their eye-gazes had been off-screen. Revisions focused more on language- than content-related issues, but there was an increasingly smaller difference in the number of language- versus content-focused stimulated recall comments as larger textual units were revised