Methodological affordances of keystroke-logging tools for the study of pausing behavior in L2 digital writing

Résumé

The study delineates the methodological affordances of keystroke-logging tools in investigating pausing behavior during L2 digital writing. With the advent of computer-mediated writing, the importance of writing output as a communicative function has been emphasized (Chukharev-Hudilainen et al., 2019). Methods: A comprehensive review of 21 research articles, published between 2006 and 2023, was conducted. The selected articles utilized keystroke logging as a primary research method with a focus on L2 writing. Various methodological approaches for studying L2 writing processes were outlined, including those concentrating on online writing, pausing behavior, revision behavior, and the cognitive operations underpinning these processes (Mohsen, 2021). Results: Findings reveal a dominance of quantitative studies employing keystroke-logging software in their research designs. A relationship between the quantitative nature of the data and the analysis of writing processes, revision, and pausing behavior was identified. The integration of keystroke logging in research encompasses various methods, with stimulated recall, interviews, and eye-tracking being prevalent (Révész et al., 2019; Alves et al., 2008). Discussion/Conclusion: Keystroke-logging proves invaluable for both L1 and L2 writing research, particularly in analyzing writing processes, revision, and pausing behavior. While quantitative methods are predominant, qualitative and mixed methods approaches are also significant. Future research directions include exploring the potential of keystroke-logging for investigating other aspects of writing processes, adopting qualitative and mixed methods approaches for data analysis, examining different feedback types’ impact, and comparing various L1 and L2 writer groups