The current study investigated whether EFL learners performed differently in the paper and computer modes of the IELTS academic writing module in terms of task response/achievement, coherence/cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy. In addition, it explored whether the candidates’ computer familiarity was different in paper and computer mode groups. To this end, 108 candidates were selected out of 144 based on the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) results in the University of Tehran, Iran. To gather the data, a retired IELTS academic writing sample and a computer familiarity questionnaire were administered. The participants were divided into two equal groups. In the Paper Mode (PM) group, the students were given the test to write in the conventional paper mode. In the other Computer Mode (CM) group, the students were given the same test but were asked to type the test in the computer provided for them in their class. Also, all the participants took the computer familiarity questionnaire. The gathered data were analyzed and the findings revealed significant differences between paper-based and computer-based modes in both writing tasks. Moreover, the questionnaire analysis showed the impact of the candidates’ computer familiarity on their writing performance. Manuscript profile

The present research compared two different modes for IELTS academic module administration among Iranian IELTS candidates: the paper mode and the computer mode in writing tasks one & two in terms of overall band score. Additionally, it examined whether computer familiarity had any significant effect on the IELTS overall band score of Iranian EFL candidates. To this end, 88 IELTS candidates from three different language institutes in Iran were randomly selected. Hence, based on the OPT results, 50 IELTS candidates were recruited and then divided into two equal groups, i.e. paper mode group and computer mode group randomly. Moreover, a computer familiarity questionnaire was also administered. The study’s findings revealed that the participants in the computer-based mode had a better overall band score than the participants in the paper-based mode on both writing Tasks. Additionally, the results showed that computer familiarity could result in computer mode outperformance in both tasks of IELTS academic writing tasks. These findings have some pedagogical implications, the most important of which is the influence of computer mode administration of IELTS and computer familiarity on candidates’ scores. Manuscript profile