Task representation and second language writers\u27 prior writing experience: A case study

Task representation, an interpretative process of the rhetorical task that weaves itself throughout the composing processes (Flower, 1990), is a significant yet under-examined issue in second language (L2) writing. To learn more about this issue, in this study, I examined six advanced ESL writers\u27 interpretation processes of a reading-to-write task and the impact of their previous writing experience on their representations of the current task. Data were collected via a questionnaire, think-aloud protocols, interviews, and participants\u27 written texts. The findings of the study suggest that L2 writers\u27 literacy history plays a significant role in their construction of a writing task, affecting the strategies they use when they plan and select their material