Validity argument of L2 writing assessment: a cognitive pause perspective

Background Traditional writing assessment methodologies have inherent limitations in capturing the intricate processes involved in validating arguments. It suggests that incorporating a simultaneous assessment of positive and negative cognitive pauses could enhance the validity of writing assessments by scrutinizing the nuanced pausing processes during L2 writing evaluations. Purpose After analyzing the shortcomings of conventional writing assessment techniques, this cross-sectional study delves into evaluating the validity argument model by examining the correlations between L2 writing assessments and cognitive pauses. Methods The study utilizes a dataset of keystroke logs obtained from a cohort of secondary school students aged 16 to 18 (N=174). Results The results indicate that monitoring positive and negative cognitive pauses can effectively document the parallel processes of L2 writing assessments. Conclusions The article concludes by advocating for the adoption of a standardized set of theoretically informed validity argument modes, instead of solely depending on qualitative evaluations. It proposes investigating how the parameters of these positive and negative pauses fluctuate with the assessment outcomes. Implications These findings are of significant importance as they contribute to the advancement of interventions associated with negative pauses and the cultivation of positive pauses. They emphasize the importance of strengthening valid and reliable writing assessments through a robust validity argument framework. Keywords L2 writing assessment, Cognitive pauses, Positive and negative,Validity argument·Writing process