Enhancing Undergraduate Writing Proficiency: An Examination of Alternative Feedback Methods and Student Perceptions

Abstract

This quantitative descriptive study carried out with 34 undergraduates studying English as a major in a public university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was designed to (a) explore undergraduate EFL students' perceptions of the effectiveness of each feedback method in enhancing their writing skills and (b) identify students' preferred and least preferred feedback methods for enhancing their writing skills as well as the underlying reasons for these preferences. The primary finding was that peer review is more useful than group review, self-review, and portfolio-based writing assessments. Peer review was preferred for reasons including exposure to diverse perspectives and writing styles, support of quality feedback, support of objective selfassessment, promotion of accountability, reduction of work in comparison to portfolios, and reduction of plagiarism risks. Therefore, ESL / EFL teachers should promote peer review where feasible.