Writing skill is a challenging and frequently-used activity in academic circles. This study investigated the effects of reflective writing on EFL learners’ writing performance. The participants were 61 Iranian EFL learners from two intact university classes randomly assigned to the non-reflective (n=31) and reflective (n=30) groups. Over sixteen sessions of instructions over eight weeks, the non-reflective group was taught using the traditional writing method; however, the reflective group was exposed to reflective writing instruction under Kolb’s Model. The data were collected through reflective writing compositions and the content analysis of think-aloud protocols. The quantitative data analysis revealed that the reflective group significantly outperformed the non-reflective group in writing compositions. The thematic analysis of think-aloud protocols substantiated the quantitative data findings, indicating that all participants went through the cognitive psychological processes of ‘planning, drafting, pausing and thinking, reading and reproducing, reviewing, editing and revising’ as they were engaged in reflective writing via Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle. The results offer significant implications for language instructors, curriculum planners, and course designers. Manuscript profile

This study was an attemptto provide detailed information of the strengths and weaknesses of test takers‟ real ability through cognitive diagnostic assessment, and to detect differential item functioning in each test item. The rationale for using CDA was that it estimates an item‟s discrimination power, whereas clas- sical test theory or item response theory depicts between rather within item multi-dimensionality. To ful- fill the purpose of this study, latent attributes are shown in a Q-matrix and 4200 participants who sought to pursue their studies at the PhD level at state universities were randomly selected. The test used for the present research consisted of two different reading passages with 10 multiple-choice items consisting of four options. The data were analyzed with the application of R studio package, GDINA, and DINA mod- els. Item and model fit indices were estimated and the Wald test was run. The result of the study revealed that some items flagged DIF. The study further concluded that CDA can provide pedagogically useful diagnostic information for test designers, teachers, syllabus and materials developers, and policymakers as a proficiency test needs to be valid, reliable, and fair in the context of high-stakes tests so that it im- proves the knowledge of test takers. Manuscript profile