How They Write: an Analysis of the Composing Process of Esl College Students

Abstract

Very little research has been conducted on the composing processes used by non-native speakers when they compose in English. This study was designed to help fill this need. Students of varying writing abilities were selected from those enrolled in the composition program for international students at Oklahoma State University. A double-interview system was used to elicit descriptions of these students' writing processes. I then compared these descriptions, along with my conclusions, with comparable research in both native and non-native speaker composing processes. Some general characteristics of skilled and unskilled non-native writers were evident, as well as many similarities between non-native and native speaker composing behaviors. A few significant differences between these two groups were also noted.