How Intermediate L2 Writers Improve Argument Quality through Exemplars: Learning from Annotations vs. Independent Inference

This study investigated how annotated and unannotated exemplars influence L2 learners' argumentative essay writing, focusing on changes in argument quality across both revision and new composition tasks. Additionally, learners' self-regulated learning journals and questionnaire responses were analyzed to explore their perceptions and reflections on using exemplars. The findings indicate that over half of the participants in both groups demonstrated improvements in overall argument quality. The annotated exemplar group showed a deeper analytical focus on argument quality during the analysis phase and achieved greater gains in revising their original essays. However, in the new composition task, the unannotated group exhibited greater improvement, suggesting that self-directed analysis may foster more durable internalization of writing strategies. These effects might be mediated by individual differences and learners' writing proficiency, highlighting the importance of differentiated scaffolding support. The study also discusses pedagogical implications for exemplar-based L2 writing instruction and emphasizes the importance of fostering learner autonomy.