Collaborative and Individual Writing Strategies for EFL Writing Instruction: Outcomes and Perceptions

This study investigated 1) whether or not the collaborative writing strategy had a positive influence towards students’ writing achievement than the students who wrote individually, and 2) the students’ perceptions concerning the use of the collaborative writing strategy. The research was conducted by applying the mixed-method design. The subjects of the study were 64 students of Mataram State Islamic University which distributed randomly in two groups; experimental and control groups. Data were collected using the relevant research instruments such as: essay writing test and questionnaire. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Two major findings emerged. First, it revealed that there was a difference of the experimental and control groups’ mean scores of their post-test. The experimental group’s mean score (M=7.14) (SD=0.57) was greater than that of control group’s mean score (6.45) (SD=0.53). Seen from its independent sample test, it also unveiled that their sig. (2-tailed) (0.00) was lower than (0.05). This statistical evidence exhibited that there was a significant difference between the students who employed collaborative writing strategy than those who did not employ it. Second, all students’ responses were positive towards the application of collaborative writing strategy as it increased students’ motivation and confidence, reduced stress, gave new horizon on the way of how students to write, shared mutual feedback, gave a good attitude to respect each other, and knew others characters.