Effects of process-based writing instruction on the quality of senior secondary students’ argumentative essays

Writing is widely regarded as one of the most demanding skills for learners in secondary school education. In many classrooms, however, writing instruction still focuses primarily on the final written product rather than the processes through which effective writing develops. This study investigated the effects of process-based writing instruction on the argumentative essay performance of senior secondary school students. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design was employed. One hundred and twenty senior secondary school students participated in the study and were divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received eight weeks of process-based writing instruction involving stages such as brainstorming, planning, drafting, peer feedback, revision, and editing, while the control group received conventional product-focused instruction. Students’ essays were assessed using an analytic rubric measuring argument development, organization, language accuracy, and overall persuasiveness. Findings revealed that students who received process-based instruction significantly outperformed those in the control group. The results highlight the importance of teaching writing as a recursive process that encourages reflection, revision, and meaningful engagement with ideas. The study recommends that English language teachers integrate process-oriented strategies into classroom practice in order to improve students’ argumentative writing competence.