SELF-REVISION STRATEGIES IN ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING:

A STUDY WITH TEACHING STUDENTS

Abstract

Feedback processes in writing have been extensively studied from a didactic and corrective perspective; however, they have rarely focused on them as the writer’s own mechanisms of self-regulation. The purpose of this article is to understand possible strategies and operations associated with self-revision of argumentative essay writing and rewriting. A mixed method approach was used: the quantitative dimension was achieved through the revision of participants’ writings using an analytical rubric. While the qualitative-descriptive dimension was operationalized by applying think-aloud protocols to 16 Language and Communications pedagogy students from two regional Chilean universities. Results show that text quality varies according to dimension, considering that there is a significant increase in the comparison of drafts. However, given that participants demonstrate an incipient grasp of self-regulation strategies and tend to rely on external validation when revising their texts, it becomes necessary to incorporate systematic instances of metacognitive reflection into writing classes which will promote student autonomy.