Content of review 1, reviewed on March 03, 2021

The abstract provides a clear aim and the steps on how the study was conducted. The title is informative and relevant. The references are relevant, recent, and referenced correctly. Appropriate key studies are also included.

The paper presented an interesting study to investigate two different methods aiming to improve students' lexico-grammatical competence. However, the introduction should present detailed support of references. On page 155, paragraph, 1, It claimed several statements, such as:

"Writing tasks were designed as reading-based, to help the learners approach a comprehensible input that has its own genre, style, and tenses, in the collaborative writing environment", and "Reading-based writing tasks helped the learners gain ideas about a specific topic and brainstorm for new ideas for their writing."

The statements should be supported with references on the importance of a collaborative writing environment and reading-based writing. Furthermore, the connection between reading-based writing and the lexico-grammatical competence in Paper-based VS Computer-based should be addressed clearly. The introduction should highlight the importance of Reading-based Writing to support the aim and the research questions. The paper should also clearly stated the novelty of the current study emphasizing the urgency to compare the paper-based and computer-based writing.

The research questions were clearly outlined and consistent with the aim of the research. However, they should be supported with justified findings. Since the literature review mentioned the importance of reading-based writing in improving students' skills, the research questions should include the reading-based writing variables. In the beginning, the paper should also mention the reason why the authors decided to ignore the corrective feedback with references or theories that supported this decision. The references should outline a clear connection with the research questions by providing previous studies related to the lexico-grammatical concept in paper-based and computer-based genre writing.

The paper stated the demographics and the process of subject selection clearly. However, the variables should be clearly defined and measured, such as explaining the process of the selection of the groups in paper-based and computer-based. The procedure on how the students were divided into four groups should also be described whether they were selected randomly or purposefully. The explanation about the different number of subjects on the paper-based and computer-based should also be addressed.

Since the numbers of participants were different between the two groups, the elaboration of its validity and reliability should be explained. Furthermore, the process of selecting the interviewees should be explained in detail as well. The interviewees were asked the same questions about paper-based and computer-based; meanwhile, the procedure clearly described that the students were grouped into two; an elaboration on that matter should be enhanced. The information should be delivered consistently. For instance, on page 160, figure 2, the information showed the subjects were N= 19 for PB, N= 21 CB in level 6, N= 16 for PB, N=16 for CB in level 5. However, the paper mentioned the total number of subjects was 73. The authors should check the inconsistency of the subjects appeared throughout the method section. Additionally, a detailed description of the procedures of the research should be presented in chronological order.

In the result section, the data should be presented in an appropriate way by combining the statistical results in one table instead of separating them; the figures as well. The tables for the interview analysis should follow the journal guideline. The rounding and the number of decimals should be consistent. The titles should address the information clearly and concisely. The repetitive information from the table should be avoided in the description. The data should be supported with a meaningful explanation that highlights the result.

In the discussion and conclusion section, the discussion should elaborate on the data analysis and its significance of findings by comparing with the similar and current research. The repeated information from the result section should be avoided. The conclusions should provide statements to answer two research questions specifically and sufficiently. The authors should add more references in interpreting the data. The author also should mention the limitation of the research by addressing the setting and context of the research and conveying the related topic to be further investigated.

Overall, the article provides an interesting and significant topic in measuring writing skills. It highlights the importance of writing medium in assessing the students’ lexico-grammatical competence.

Major points in the article need clarification, refinement, reanalysis, rewrites and/or additional information and suggestions for what could be done to improve the article.

  1. The introduction and the literature review should focus on the lexico-grammar concept in paper-based and computer-based writing instead of the ‘reading to write’ concept.
  2. The methodology section should cover the detailed procedure of research and provide consistent statistical numbers and interpretation.
  3. The results should be supported with statements without repeating the information from the table.
  4. The discussion should thoroughly interpret the data analysis, not repeating the analysis of the results.
  5. The conclusion should address the research question accurately.

Minor points like figures/tables not being mentioned in the text, a missing reference, typos, and other inconsistencies.

  1. The titles for figures and tables should be clear and concise.
  2. The tables should follow the journal guidelines.

Source

    © 2021 the Reviewer.

References

    Ziad, A. S., Ahmed, M. A. 2019. EFL Learners' Lexico-grammatical Competence in Paper-based Vs. Computer-based in Genre Writing. Arab World English Journal.