All Issue

2026 Vol.41, Issue 4 Preview Page

Research Article

28 February 2026. pp. 533-552
Abstract
This meta-analysis investigates the impact of English diary writing on non-linguistic outcomes among Korean EFL learners. Synthesizing 34 cases from 23 primary studies, the results reveal a small-to-medium overall effect size (g = 0.436). Subgroup analysis indicates that diary writing is most effective in the affective domain (g = 0.450), particularly for enhancing interest and confidence. Social sharing emerged as a crucial moderator, with public sharing yielding the largest effect (g = 0.643), highlighting the power of audience awareness. Notably, meta-regression showed that learner age did not significantly influence these outcomes, suggesting that psychological benefits are accessible regardless of cognitive maturity. These findings emphasize the pedagogical value of English diaries as social, low-stress tools for fostering positive attitudes. The study recommends implementing socially shared diary practices to maximize learner engagement.
References
  1. Ahmed, A. M. 2019. Students’ Reflective Journaling: An Impactful Strategy that Informs Instructional Practices in an EFL Writing University Context in Qatar. Reflective Practice 20.4, 483-500.10.1080/14623943.2019.1638246
  2. *An, H. Y. 2014. The Effects of Mobile-based English Diaries on the English Writing Abilities and Affective Domains of Korean Elementary School Students. Unpublished master’s thesis, Cyber Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
  3. *Bae, M.-G. 2001. The Effects of Using a Cyber-English Diary on Enthusiasm and Writing Ability. Unpublished master’s thesis, Busan National University of Education.
  4. Borenstein, M., Hedges, L. V., Higgins, J. P., and Rothstein, H. R. 2009. Introduction to Meta-analysis. Chichester, UK: Wiley.10.1002/9780470743386
  5. Brown, J. D. 1988. Understanding Research in Second Language Learning: A Teacher’s Guide to Statistics and Research Design. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
  6. Card, N. A. 2012. Applied Meta-analysis for Social Science Research. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
  7. *Choi, S. 2018. Effects of Writing Diaries on Sixth Graders’ Writing Abilities. Unpublished master’s thesis, Seoul National University of Education.
  8. Cohen, J. 1988. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
  9. Cui, Y., Schunn, C. D., Gai, X., Jiang, Y., and Wang, Z. 2021. Effects of Trained Peer vs. Teacher Feedback on EFL Students’ Writing Performance, Self-efficacy, and Internalization of Motivation. Frontiers in Psychology 12, 788474.10.3389/fpsyg.2021.788474 34899541 PMC8652080
  10. Deci, E. L. and Ryan, R. M. 1985. Intrinsic Motivation and Self-determination in Human Behavior. New York, NY: Plenum Press.10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7
  11. Duval, S. and Tweedie, R. 2000. Trim and Fill: A Simple Funnel-plot-based Method of Testing and Adjusting for Publication Bias in Meta-analysis. Biometrics, 56.2, 455-463.10.1111/j.0006-341X.2000.00455.x
  12. Egger, M., Smith, G. D., Schneider, M., and Minder, C. 1997. Bias in Meta-analysis Detected by a Simple, Graphical Test. BMJ 315.7109, 629-634.10.1136/bmj.315.7109.629 9310563 PMC2127453
  13. Flavell, J. H. 1979. Metacognition and Cognitive Monitoring: A New Area of Cognitive-developmental Inquiry. American Psychologist 34.10, 906-911.10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.906
  14. Flower, L. and Hayes, R. 1981. A Cognitive Process Theory of Writing. College Composition and Communication 32.4, 365-387.10.58680/ccc198115885
  15. Fredricks, J., Blumenfeld, P. C. and Paris, A. H. 2004. School Engagement: Potential of the Concept, State of the Evidence. Review of Educational Research 74.1, 59-109.10.3102/00346543074001059
  16. *Goo, G. 2004. The Effects of Activities for Keeping an English Diary on Writing Ability of Elementary School Learners. Unpublished master’s thesis, Chinju National University of Education.
  17. Hedges, L. V. 1981. Distribution Theory for Glass’s Estimator of Effect Size and Related Estimators. Journal of Educational Statistics 6.2, 107-128.10.3102/10769986006002107
  18. Hyland, F. and Hyland, K. 2001. Sugaring the Pill: Praise and Criticism in Written Feedback. Journal of Second Language Writing 10.3, 185-212.10.1016/S1060-3743(01)00038-8
  19. Hyland, K. and Hyland, F. 2006. Feedback in Second Language Writing: Contexts and Issues. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.10.1017/CBO9781139524742
  20. *Kang, S.-H. 2004. Teaching English Writing through Diary. Unpublished master’s thesis, Kongju National University.
  21. Klimova, B. 2015. Diary Writing as a Tool for Students’ Self-reflection and Teacher’s Feedback in the Course of Academic Writing. Procedia: Social and Behavioral Sciences 197, 549-553.10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.07.189
  22. *Kim, D. and Ma, M. 2007. The Effects of Writing English Diaries in Cyberspace on Elementary School Students’ Writing Ability and Their Affective Domains. English Language Teaching 19.3, 109-134.10.17936/pkelt.2007.19.3.006
  23. *Kim, D.-H. 2006. The Study on the Effect of Teaching Writing Skills through Activities of Keeping English Diary in Elementary School English Education. Unpublished master’s thesis, Gyeongin National University of Education.
  24. *Kim, J. J. 2013. The Effects of Different Types of Teacher Feedback on English Writing Ability and Learning Attitude of Elementary Students in Their English Journal Writing. Unpublished master’s thesis, Gongju National University of Education.
  25. Kim, J.-R., Lee, H. J., and Lee, J.-Y. 2018. Effects of Utilizing Learning Journal on English Language Learning: A Meta-analysis. Asia-pacific Journal of Multimedia Services Convergent with Art, Humanities, and Sociology 8.2, 433-443.
  26. *Kim, J.-S. 2015. Effects of a Spoken Diary Practice on EFL Learner’s Speaking Proficiency, Attitudes and Anxiety. English Language & Literature Teaching 21.3, 89-114.
  27. *Kim, J. Y. 2016. An Error Analysis and the Effects of Corrective Feedback in the English Diaries of Elementary School Students. Unpublished master’s thesis, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
  28. Kim, K. 2015. Improving English Writing Competence through the English Diary. Studies in English Education 20.2, 381-397.
  29. *Kim, U. 2013. A Study of English Picture Diaries in Elementary School English Education. Unpublished master’s thesis, Gyeongin National University of Education.
  30. *Kim, W.-K. 2012. A Study on an Effect of English Diaries on Middle School Students’ Writing Ability. Unpublished master’s thesis, Silla University.
  31. *Ko, W.-T. 2006. The Effects of an English Diary on Improving Vocabulary Improving and Reading Abilities. Unpublished master’s thesis, Busan National University of Education.
  32. *Kwon, N. 2010. The Effects of Diary Writing Task Type on Korean Elementary School Students’ English Writing Ability and Learning Attitude. Unpublished master’s thesis, Ewha Womans University.
  33. Lee, J.-Y. 2024. English Diary Writing and Its Impact on Korean Students’ L2 Proficiency: A Meta-analysis. Modern Studies in English Language & Literature 68.3, 111-138.10.17754/MESK.68.3.111
  34. *Lim, E. 2008. The Effects of an English Diary on Korean Students’ Reading and Writing Abilities. Unpublished master’s thesis, Pukyong National University.
  35. Lv, X., Ren, W. and Xie, Y. 2021. The Effects of Online Feedback on ESL/EFL Writing: A Meta-analysis. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher 30, 643-653.10.1007/s40299-021-00594-6 PMC8155179
  36. Magnifico, A. M. 2010. Writing for Whom? Cognition, Motivation, and a Writer’s Audience. Educational Psychologist 45.3, 167-184.10.1080/00461520.2010.493470
  37. Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J. and Altman, D. G. 2009. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses: The PRISMA Statement. BMJ 339, b2535.10.1136/bmj.b2535 19622551 PMC2714657
  38. Moon, Y.-I. and Lee, J.-O. 2005. Effects of English Journal Writing on the General Writing Ability in Elementary School. English Language Teaching 17.2, 135-157.
  39. *Nam, Y.-B. 2008. The Effects of Writing English Diaries through Blogging on Elementary School Students’ Writing Ability and Their Affective Domains. Unpublished master’s thesis, Chung-Ang University.
  40. *Nam-gung, S. 2004. The Study of the Effect of Writing an English Diary through Having a Different Procedure: With Respect to the Sixth Graders. Unpublished master’s thesis, Gongju National University of Education.
  41. *Oh, J. H. 2008. A Study on English Writing Learning Effectiveness on the Application of Writing Picture Diary in Elementary School. Unpublished master’s thesis, Korea National University of Education.
  42. Posit Software, PBC. 2025. RStudio (Version 2025.09.2+418). https://posit.co/
  43. *Park, J.-Y. and Sun, K. S. 2011. The Effectiveness of Using Diary Writing in the Elementary School EFL Classrooms. Studies in English Education 16.2, 99-108.
  44. *Park, M.-S. 2007. The Effects of Teaching Diary-based Writing on Elementary School Learners’ Writing Ability: The Case of 6th Graders. Unpublished master’s thesis, Gwangju National University of Education.
  45. *Park, S. H. 2005. A Study on the Effect of Cooperative English Diary-writing. Unpublished master’s thesis, Ulsan University.
  46. *Park, S. Y. 2011. A Study of Writing Journals on Improving Vocabulary for Elementary English. Unpublished master’s thesis, Wonkwang University.
  47. Rosenberg, M. J. and Hovland, C. I. 1960. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Components of Attitudes. In C. I. Hovland and M. J. Rosenberg (eds.), Attitude Organization and Change: An Analysis of Consistency among Attitude Components. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1-14.
  48. Rosenthal, R. 1979. The File Drawer Problem and Tolerance for Null Results. Psychological Bulletin 86.3, 638-641.10.1037/0033-2909.86.3.638
  49. Ryan, R. M. and Deci, E. L. 2000. Self-determination Theory and the Facilitation of Intrinsic Motivation, Social Development, and Well-being. American Psychologist 55.1, 68-78.10.1037//0003-066X.55.1.68
  50. *Son, H. J. 2011. A Study on Vocabulary Learning Methods Using English Picture Diaries. Unpublished master’s thesis, Daegu National University of Education.
  51. Song, E. 2012. A Study of Written and Spoken English Diary Practice on the Internet. STEM Journal 13.2, 149-165.10.16875/stem.2012.13.2.149
  52. Song, J.-W. 2009. An Investigation into the Effects of an Oral English Diary Using Voice Bulletin Board on English Spoken Performance. Multimedia-Assisted Language Learning 12.1, 125-150.10.15702/mall.2009.12.1.125
  53. Viechtbauer, W. 2010. Conducting Meta-analyses in R with the Metafor Package. Journal of Statistical Software 36.3, 1-48.10.18637/jss.v036.i03
  54. Vuogan, A. and Li, S. 2022. Examining the Effectiveness of Peer Feedback in Second Language Writing: A Meta-analysis. TESOL Quarterly 57.4, 1115-1138.10.1002/tesq.3178
  55. Vygotsky, L. S. 1978. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  56. Yu, S., Geng, F., Liu, C. and Zheng, Y. 2021. What Works may Hurt: The Negative Side of Feedback in Second Language Writing. Journal of Second Language Writing 54, 100850.10.1016/j.jslw.2021.100850
Information
  • Publisher :The Modern Linguistic Society of Korea
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국현대언어학회
  • Journal Title :The Journal of Studies in Language
  • Journal Title(Ko) :언어연구
  • Volume : 41
  • No :4
  • Pages :533-552