Looking into the Paper vs. Computer Mode of the IELTS Academic Writing Module

The current study investigated whether EFL learners performed differently in the paper and computer modes of the IELTS academic writing module in terms of task response/achievement, coherence/cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. In addition, it explored whether the candidates’ computer familiarity was different in paper and computer mode groups. To this end, 108 candidates were selected out of 144 based on the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) results in the University of Tehran, Iran. To gather the data, a retired IELTS academic writing sample and a computer familiarity questionnaire were administered. The participants were divided into two equal groups. In the Paper Mode (PM) group, the students were given the test to write in the conventional paper mode. In the other Computer Mode (CM) group, the students were given the same test but were asked to type the test in the computer provided for them in their class. Also, all the participants took the computer familiarity questionnaire. The gathered data were analyzed and the findings revealed significant differences between paper-based and computer-based modes in both writing tasks. Moreover, the questionnaire analysis showed the impact of the candidates’ computer familiarity on their writing performance.