Task representation of a Japanese L2 writer and its impact on the usage of source text information

Abstract

This study examines students’ management of academic writing tasks, with a particular focus on how a Japanese L2 student writer of English integrates source text information into her written text. The data was gathered over one university semester through a triangulation of data collection procedures, namely interviews, journal studies and collection of written materials such as lecture notes, drafts and subject outlines. To date, there has been little research on this aspect of student writing, despite the integral importance of citation in demonstrating the originality of and/or justification for a writer’s argument and consequently in determining a reader’s assessment as to the effectiveness of an academic paper. By drawing upon the frameworks developed by Campbell (1987, 1990), Hyland (2000) and Stein (1990a), this study examines citation behaviour and task representation by investigating the cognitive processes and written products of one student. More specifically, this study investigates the processes and the concomitant difficulties that the L2 student experienced when integrating source text information and representing a task to herself while composing. In this way, this paper can better inform us of students’ actions, perceptions and attitudes when undertaking reading-to-write tasks.