Use the MRIM scale as a diagnostic and pedagogical tool for teaching L2 argumentative writing¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The authors offer the MRIM scale as "a new tool for teaching and researching L2 writing". Teachers can use it to diagnose which metacognitive regulation strategies (planning, monitoring, or evaluating of interactive metadiscourse) individual students employ, and to raise learners' awareness of how to employ metadiscourse strategies before, during, and after writing. The authors speculate that as students become more aware of how to reflect on their writing, they will deploy these strategies to become more independent writers.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Administration requires students with L2 argumentative writing experience so items about planning, monitoring, and evaluating metadiscourse use are interpretable

Constraints¶

• The scale was validated with Chinese first-year non-English major university students; predictive validity was tested against a single timed CET-adapted essay

Target Learners¶

• first-year non-English major university EFL students

Target Learning Goals¶

• improved L2 argumentative writing through metacognitive regulation of interactive metadiscourse

Claims¶

• Monitoring of interactive metadiscourse has the strongest predictive power among the three MRIM strategies for L2 argumentative writing [+W]
• Metacognitive regulation of interactive metadiscourse strategies significantly predicts L2 argumentative writing performance, explaining about 11.3% of variance [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Differentiate GenAI writing instruction using scale profiles: full scale at course start, short form mid-course

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Chenghui Chen, Lawrence Jun Zhang. (2025). Development and validation of a scale for metacognitive regulation of interactive metadiscourse strategies in L2 argumentative writing. Metacognition and Learning. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-025-09435-z