The Effects of Topic Familiarity on Eleventh Graders’ Writing Performance

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of topic familiarity on eleventh graders' writing performance in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context. The students were assigned to finish two writing tasks with topics that they were familiar with. One of these familiar topics had been experienced by the students, while the other one had not. The purpose was to find out whether topic familiarity would result in the same quality performance in two different writing genres, namely cause-effect and recount. This study also investigated the students' perception of the use of topic familiarity in writing. The study was conducted for about four months and involved 34 eleventh graders and an English teacher. This study used a mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative), and data were collected by using questionnaires, direct observation, and students' writing post-tasks. Students' writing tasks were assessed using an analytic scoring rubric. Findings show that a familiar topic with personal experience significantly affected students' vocabulary production. Furthermore, the students had a positive perception of writing tasks with topic familiarity. Based on this finding, teachers need to be more selective in choosing topics for their students' writing tasks.