英语写作同伴互评焦虑及其对互评的影响研究

A Study on Peer Review Anxiety and Its Impact on Peer Review in EFL Writing

本研究采用自行编制的英语写作同伴互评焦虑量表对116名非英语专业大一学生的英语写作同伴互评焦虑水平进行测量,并考察其对基于Peerceptiv系统的同伴互评中文本修改提高率和反馈评语的影响。研究发现,学生整体互评焦虑处于中等水平,但互评焦虑对修改提高率和反馈评语总体上没有显著影响。系统焦虑和成绩焦虑因子对修改提高率或反馈评语具有正向预测力,回避行为因子对反馈评语具有负向预测力,说明适当焦虑对互评有一定的积极作用。

Peer review has been applied to EFL writing teaching for decades and proved to be effective in improving students’writing performance.Though many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of peer review from various perspectives,little is known about peer review anxiety and its impact on the effect and process of peer review.To address this research gap,this study investigated learner peer review anxiety through a self-designed scale and examined its impact on revision improvement rate and feedback comments in peer review through a series of correlation and regression analyses.As there is no available measuring scales for peer review anxiety,an EFL Writing Peer Review Anxiety Scale was designed on the basis of English writing anxiety scales in the literature and features of peer review activities.After the pilot study,Exploratory Factor Analysis presented a six-factor scale with 22 items,of which the validity and reliability were examined.The six factors include avoidance behavior,worry about one’s own reviewing ability,worry about peer’s reviewing ability,worry about achievements,worry about face,worry about the review system.116 non-English-major freshmen were selected as participants in the study.Data of language proficiency,peer review anxiety and peer feedback from the participants were analyzed.Independent samples t-test was performed to examine the difference in peer review anxiety between high and low language proficiency groups.Pearson correlation tests and multiple linear regression analyses were used to explore the predictability of peer review anxiety on draft revision improvement rate and the amount of different types of feedback provided in peer review.Statistic analyses revealed that:(1)students’overall peer review anxiety was at medium level.Independent samples t-test proved that students’language proficiency did not have impact on their peer review anxiety level.Two peer review anxiety factors,"worry about one’s own reviewing ability"and"avoidance behavior"were at high and low level respectively,indicating that students took part in peer review activities with a fairly positive attitude though they lacked self-confidence in peer review to some extent;(2)Overall,peer review anxiety did not significantly predict draft revision improvement rate.But the anxiety factor of"worry about the review system"positively predicted students’draft revision improvement rate,especially for high anxiety group students;(3)Similarly,peer review anxiety did not significantly predict the amount of feedback in peer review.But"worry about achievements"and"avoidance behaviour"were significant predictors of the amount of feedback provided on both language and content focuses.The result indicates that a moderate amount of anxiety may facilitate students’revision improvement and peer review performance.The findings shed light on conducting peer review activities in EFL writing teaching.The fact that students were reacting positively to peer review activities although they were having a moderate level of peer review anxiety is both encouraging and revealing for teachers to conduct peer review activities.At the same time,teachers need not worry about student peer review anxiety as it contributes rather than impedes the effect and process of peer review.With more measures taken to develop students’peer review ability before,during and after peer review activities,the effects of peer review on EFL writing will become more and more prominent.