A Study in Collaborative Writing

Abstract

This article extensively surveys the topic of collaborative writing in the classroom in its literature review. It contrasts the virtues derived from the process of collaborating against the collaborative end product. Through a quantitative study conducted within three groups of L2 students in a small Mid-Western American university, the study seeks to identify the dynamics of the process and students’ attitudes towards collaborative writing assignments. Our study considered the influence of student personalities, cultures, and student preferences for interaction, including the availability of technology and social media, in collaborating. In our small sample, we draw the inferences that students prefer face-to-face collaboration despite the availability of technology, and that collaborative writing scaffolds lower level learners in shorter page writing assignments, while it scaffolds more advanced learners in longer length writing assignments. Finally, we infer that collaborative writing has a positive effect upon learners individually and as team members.