Investigating the Relationship Between Self-Regulated Writing Strategies and Academic Writing Performance

This study investigates the relationship between self-regulated writing strategies (SRWS) and academic writing performance among Chinese undergraduate students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Its primary purpose is to determine which dimensions of SRWS—cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and social—most strongly predict writing performance, thereby informing pedagogy in an exam-oriented context where learner autonomy remains under-developed. Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, 300 students completed the Writing Strategies for Self-Regulated Learning Questionnaire (WSSRLQ) and a standardised academic writing task. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 students. Quantitative analyses, including correlation and regression tests, revealed significant positive associations between SRWS dimensions—particularly goal-setting, monitoring, and motivational self-talk—and writing performance. Students with high SRWS demonstrated notably superior writing outcomes (Cohen’s d = 2.04). Qualitative insights from interviews and text analysis indicated that high-performing students employed deliberate planning and strategic revision, while low-performing peers exhibited reactive behaviours and limited emotional regulation. Demographic variables such as academic level, prior training, and frequency of Automatic Writing Evaluation (AWE) tool use significantly influenced SRWS engagement. The findings highlight the predictive value of SRWS and underscore the need to incorporate strategy-based instruction and scaffolded feedback into EFL writing curricula. Pedagogical implications suggest fostering metacognitive and affective regulation to support autonomous and proficient academic writers. Future work should embed explicit, sustained SRWS instruction—augmented by digital feedback and collaborative tasks—into EFL curricula to cultivate autonomous, strategic writers.