This study investigated the effect of writing process in Google Docs environment on Iranian EFL learners' writing performance. It also examined students' perceptions towards the effects of Google Docs and their perceived causes of success or failure in writing performance. In this regard, 48 EFL students were chosen based on their IELTs writing test scores. During the treatment, the students were taught how to write a formal fiveparagraph essay in the class, but they were supposed to practice writing process and give feedback to their peers' essays through Google Docs. At the end of the treatment phase, the participants received another sample of IELTs writing test (posttest). Moreover, 20 participants were interviewed for their perceptions regarding the causes for their success and failure and the influence of Google Docs on their writing performance. The analysis of a Paired-Sample t-test revealed that Google Docs played an effective role in improving students' writing performance. In addition, the analysis of interview revealed that the students perceived both internal and external causes for their success and failure; but in case of failure, internal factors were cited more often than external ones. Also, it was revealed that students generally showed positive attitude towards the implication of Google Docs as a factor leading to success in their writing performance.

Abstract-The present study aimed at exploring the effects of top-down/bottom-up processing and field-dependent/field-independent cognitive style on Iranian EFL learners' reading comprehension. That is, it was attempted to find firstly, whether FI learners would perform better when taught through top-down or bottom-up reading instruction model; secondly, whether FD learners would perform better when taught through top-down or bottom-up reading instruction model. Two intact classes including 40 Iranian freshmen EFL students with the same level of reading proficiency tested through reading section of TOEFL test participated in this study. One class was randomly assigned to top-down reading instruction model and the other to bottom-up approach. The study consisted of three stages. At first stage, Group Embedded Figure Test (GEFT) was administered to determine the distribution of subjects along the spectrum of FD/ FI in each group. Then, the treatment was run and finally, both groups received a reading comprehension posttest. The data were analyzed using two independent samples t-tests. The results revealed that FI learners outperform their FD counterparts in bottom-up group. Moreover, the results showed that FD learners were more successful than FI ones when taught through top-down reading instruction model. In light of these findings, the researchers offered recommendations for further research and for EFL reading educators.Index Terms-field-independent, field-dependent, top-down/bottom-up instructional model, reading comprehension

The present study aimed at investigating gender identity through the expression of interpersonal metadiscourse stance marking. The current study investigated male and female authors' pattern of stance markers utilization, focusing on totally 60 English and Persian articles, and English articles written by Persian speakers. Based on Xu and Longs' (2008) classification, five categories of stance markers (textual, epistemic, attitudinal, deontic and causation) were identified and the frequencies of their occurrences were computed. The differences in each group were investigated separately through running chi-square tests. Regarding English articles, it was found that both male and female writers used the same pattern of stance taking except the epistemic markers. Another finding of this study was that both male and female writers followed the same pattern of stance taking in Persian articles except the deontic ones. In English articles written by Persian speakers, female writers used the same pattern as their native counterparts, while male ones were affected mostly by their native language. Attending to stance taking patterns, this article provides an informative picture which illustrates the common preferences of disciplinary community especially between male and female writers. Hence, the implications of this study can be helpful in academic writing, in assessment, and textbooks.

Abstract-This study investigated language learning strategies used by EFL web-based learners and face-toface learners. It also examined the difference between pre-test and post-test reading comprehension scores of EFL students who were exposed to web-based and face-to-face instruction. The participants of the study were 200 Iranian EFL university students. They were randomly assigned into two groups, 100 students in one group taking web-based instruction and 100 students in the other group taking face-to-face instruction. The students took a 50-item translated version of Strategy Inventory for Language Learning and a test of reading comprehension. This scale and the reading comprehension test were given as the pre-test and post-test to all students. During the treatment, summarization-strategy training was used to promote the learning process. The result of an independent samples t-tests revealed that there was no significant difference between the two groups of learners regarding their preferences for language learning strategies. Moreover, the result of a paired samples t-test indicated that there was significant difference between pre-test and post-test reading comprehension scores of EFL students who were exposed to face-to-face instruction. However, there was no significant difference between pre-test and post-test reading comprehension scores of EFL students who were exposed to web-based instruction.

The present study intended to investigate the possible effects of two different types of implicit and explicit corrective feedback (recast and metalinguistic corrective feedback) and two types of grammar instruction, that is Processing Instruction (PI) as an input-based approach and Meaningful Output-Based Instruction (MOBI) with output orientation on learners' acquisition of comparative and superlative adjectives. To this end, 120 participants selected out of 140 Iranian freshman EFL learners, who had taken the pre-university English course, took part in the study. They were assigned into two main instructional groups (PI/ MOBI), each divided into two subgroups, one exposed to metalinguistc corrective feedback