Enhancing L2 Writing: The Role of Feedback and Writing Conferences in Critical Thinking and Argumentation

Critical thinking is an essential skill for effective L2 writing. By thinking critically, learners can construct well-reasoned arguments, support their claims, and deal with opposing ideas. The role of corrective feedback and feedback conferences is pivotal in this process, because they provide learners with targeted guidance and opportunities for iterative development. This study explored the development of critical thinking skills in L2 learners' writing. Participants were students enrolled in the Intensive English Program of a large university in Türkiye. They had B1 level of English proficiency at the time of the study. A feedback cycle was designed, and primary data were obtained from multiple drafts of students' essays and interviews. To track the development of argumentation in the subsequent drafts of students, a qualitative text analysis was conducted using Stapleton’s (2001) criteria regarding the number of arguments, the extent of evidence, the recognition of opposition, corresponding refutation, and the existence of fallacies. Overall results indicated that L2 learners had substantial difficulty generating arguments and thinking critically. There were few instances of clear arguments, evidence, refutation, and supporting ideas in their drafts. However, the students were really motivated to develop their argumentation skills when appropriate instruction and scaffolding were provided.