The Differential Impact of Specific Metacognitive Strategies on EFL Academic Writing Performance

Abstract

Metacognitive strategies including planning, monitoring, and evaluation play a pivotal role in enhancing EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners' writing proficiency. This study examines how these strategies uniquely influence critical components of academic writing, including coherence, grammatical accuracy, and clarity. Conducted at Nusantara PGRI Kediri University, a private institution in East Java, Indonesia, the study involved 61 undergraduate English language education students enrolled in an essay writing course during the odd academic semester. A quasi-experimental design divided participants into three groups, each focusing on one strategy—planning, monitoring, or evaluation—over an eight-week intervention. Writing tasks were assessed using a rubric evaluating coherence and organization, accuracy, and clarity. Pre-test and post-test scores were analyzed quantitatively to identify improvements within and across the groups, while correlation analysis examined relationships between strategy use and post-test performance. Results reveal planning enhanced coherence, monitoring improved grammatical accuracy, and evaluation refined clarity. However, improvements in specific dimensions of writing did not always result in proportional overall score gains, emphasizing the need for integrating these strategies holistically. The findings offer practical insights for EFL instructors and highlight directions for future research on metacognitive strategies in writing.