Examining the Effects of Task Type, Task Order, and Their Interaction on L2 Writing Performance: Insights From Independent and Integrated

This study investigates the effects of task type, task order, and their interaction on second language (L2) writing performance, focusing on independent and integrated writing tasks. While task type has been widely studied, the role of task order and their interaction remains underexplored. This research examines how task configurations influence syntactic complexity, accuracy, lexical complexity, and fluency (CALF) in L2 writing. Four hundred L2 learners performed independent and integrated writing tasks in a counterbalanced order at a testing center at a large university in the US. Their essays were analyzed using fine‐grained CALF measures. Results revealed that task type generally had a stronger and more stable effect on CALF metrics, with learners performing better on the integrated task (INTEG) compared to the independent task (IND). Task type emerged as a significant predictor of syntactic complexity, particularly for MLTU, DC/T, and CN/T, with effects enhanced when task order was considered. While task order alone had less impact, significant interaction effects indicated that task order modulated the influence of task type on syntactic complexity measures except for CN/C. Lexical complexity measures similarly highlighted the task type's stronger effect, though task order occasionally reached significance. Interaction effects were also observed for accuracy (EFC/C) and fluency (WPM), underscoring the combined influence of task type and task order. Notably, CN/C remained unaffected by either task type, task order, or their interaction. These findings highlight the complexity of L2 writing performance and the need to consider task configurations when interpreting writing outcomes.