Critical Writing

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between process writing (PW) and critical thinking (CT) ability of Iranian EFL learners. Furthermore, the role of PW in the enhancement of CT was investigated. In so doing, 65 upper-intermediate language learners were selected from Rasht Islamic Azad University based on convenience sampling. The results of the pretests indicated that participants were homogeneous regarding language proficiency as determined by Babel test, CT by Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal (W-GCTA), and writing ability by a writing test. By implementing a quasi-experimental design, the participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a step-by-step process of teaching CT and utilized CT skills in developing an essay. The control group, in contrast, merely practiced PW. After applying the non-parametric Spearman rank-order correlation, the results revealed that there was a significant correlation between PW and CT ( rs =.632, p <.05). The results of the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test substantiated that there was a significant difference in CT ability of control and experimental groups ( U =.000, p <.05), revealing that PW is a vehicle of CT, not an ingredient.

Given the increasing prevalence of online learning and the absence of a validated instrument for assessing the critical writing skills of Iranian EFL learners in Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) contexts, this study aimed to develop and validate an analytic rubric to enhance critical writing in CMC environments. The participants were 236 EFL students and 10 EFL/ESL teachers, representing a diverse range of demographics, experiences, and qualifications. The rubric development process was guided by a comprehensive literature review, the administration of a critical thinking questionnaire, expert feedback, thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews, integration of Paul and Elder’s (2019) Intellectual Standards, and the development and application of a Likert-scale critical writing questionnaire. Subsequent pilot testing facilitated refinements based on feedback. Accordingly, the finalized analytic rubric featured four principal components: (1) Clarity, Accuracy, and Precision (CAP); (2) Relevance and Logic (RL); (3) Depth and Significance (DS); and (4) Breadth and Fairness (BF). A rigorous validation process, including expert evaluation, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM), confirmed the rubric's reliability and validity. The findings demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency, as well as convergent and discriminant validity. This study offers valuable pedagogical implications for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, learners, researchers, and curriculum developers.