1.2 Research questions

The current research combines both quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate the relationship between pre-service EFL teachers'writing proficiency and their scoring judgments of student scripts.Based on previous literature(e.g.,Cumming et al.,2001,2002;Lumley,2002,2005;Milanovic et al.,1996,etc.),the writing proficiency is operationalized as the writing features inherent in writing performances of the pre-service EFL teachers.Scoring judgment is defined as pre-service EFL teachers'rating focuses(aspects of writing raters attend to while rating student scripts)and their scoring behaviors.Specifically,two major research questions have been formulated to guide the data collection and analysis procedures.

Research Question 1:How does the writing proficiency of pre-service EFL teachers vary in terms of the discourse features inherent in their writing performance?

Research Question 1-1:To what extent does the writing performance of pre-service EFL teachers differ at various levels of writing proficiency?

Research Question 1-2:In what ways does the writing performance of pre-service EFL teachers differ as characterized by the discourse features?

Research Question 2:How do pre-service EFL teachers at different levels of writing proficiency differ in their scoring judgments of student writing?

Research Question 2-1:How do pre-service EFL teachers at different levels of writing proficiency differ in their rating focuses in the rating process?

Research Question 2-2:How do pre-service EFL teachers at different levels of writing proficiency differ in their scoring behaviors in the rating process?

Correspondingly,two related studies have been designed to address the two research questions.These two studies provide complementary perspectives on pre-service EFL teachers'judgments of student writing:Study One empirically examines actual writing performances of pre-service EFL teachers at different levels of writing proficiency,while Study Two cognitively explores the teachers'scoring judgments,as reflected through the scoring processes.Together,the two studies can provide empirical evidence on the influence of writing proficiency of pre-service EFL teachers in their judgments of student writing scripts.