Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics

Integrity in Un-proctored Online Reading Tests: The Case of Iranian University Students

Reza Nejati

effectiveness, however, challenges such as academic dishonesty remain significant concerns. Un-proctored online assessments, especially multiple-choice exams, are particularly vulnerable to cheating and plagiarism, threatening the integrity of student evaluation. While numerous strategies have been proposed to mitigate cheating, the effectiveness of specific measures in un-proctored settings remains underexplored. This study investigates the impact of several anti-cheating strategies on un-proctored online multiple-choice exams administered through Moodle. Strategies tested included fixed time limits, limited exam availability,restriction on backtracking, and auto-submit on time expiration. The TOEFL reading section was administered to 608 students to assess the effectiveness of these strategies. Results showed a Variance-Covariance Matrix value of +0.386 and a -2log likelihood of +37.913.919, indicating validity for the sample and effective mitigation of cheating. Item and person reliability analysis revealed that fewer than 4% of participants exceeded the outfit index of 1.2, suggesting minimal instances of random guessing or dishonesty. This research contributes to the growing body of literature by providing empirical evidence on the effectiveness of specific anti-cheating measures in un-proctored online assessments.

Peer Corrective Feedback: A learning Resource for Learners, an Emotional Concern for Teachers

Sajjad Sepehrinia

A significant advantage associated with peer corrective feedback (CF) is the opportunity it provides for teachers in terms of increasing the opportunities for language learning and practice. Studies have even proved its influential role and higher impact for effective learning compared to the teacher-provided feedback. Nevertheless, teachers seem to practice caution in using it in their classes. One of their significant concerns is the emotional repercussions associated with this correction resource. The present study is an attempt to shed light on the dark parts of teachers’ perception of peer correction by seeking learners’ views and comparing them with those of teachers. For this purpose, semi-structured interviews were carried out with 31 Iranian EFL teachers as well as 159 Iranian EFL learners on the most critical issues discussed in the literature in relation to peer CF. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Braun and Clark’s (2005) thematic analysis framework. The results pointed to teachers’ misconceptions about how their learners might react to correction from peers; while teachers had a conservative attitude to peer-provided correction due to their emotional concerns, learners looked at it as an effective learning resource and their major concern was related to the quality of the provided peer corrections. The findings have valuable implications for language instructors and teacher development programs.

The Impact of Persian Traditional Music Composed as an Input Mode on Iranian Upper Intermediate L2 Learners’ Learning and Retention of the Meaning of Difficult English Words

Seyed Reza Dashtestani

While the previous studies showed the impact of the music on the words’ learning and retention, this study explores the effect of traditional music as an input mode on Iranian upper intermediate learners’ learning and retention of difficult English words. Eighty participants were divided into four groups. Two groups were exposed to western music while other two groups were exposed to Iranian traditional music. Each group received a pretest first, followed by instruction on selected difficult vocabulary items, and then posttest and delayed posttest. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated significant main impacts of time on vocabulary learning and retention. Descriptive statistics showed that those who were exposed to western music were outperformed by the ones who were exposed to Iranian traditional music in both immediate and delayed tests, although no significant interaction between time and music type was found. These results show that culturally familiar musical input may ease vocabulary learning and retention in L2 contexts. For language teaching and curriculum design implications are discussed.

Dynamics of Power and Ideological Contention: A Critical Examination of Postwar Psychological and Political Discourse in David Hare’s Plenty"

Hussein Mutashar

Abstract
This paper offers a critical exploration of the postwar psychological and political terrain depicted in David Hare’s Plenty, with a particular emphasis on the interplay of power and emergent political trajectories. Anchored in Organski’s Power Transition Theory, the study interrogates the residual impacts of World War II on personal identity formation and shifting power dynamics. Employing a single-case cultural analysis centered on the character of Susan Traherne, the research foregrounds the tension between wartime idealism and the pervasive disillusionment of the postwar period. Through qualitative and interpretive methodologies—drawing on frameworks from political psychology and critical discourse analysis—the study uncovers the ways in which sociopolitical ruptures destabilize subjectivity and reconfigure hegemonic structures. The findings reveal that Plenty stages the disintegration of ideological coherence and the psychological ramifications of geopolitical transformation, ultimately portraying individual crises as symptomatic reflections of broader global realignments.

The Relationship Between Work-family Interference and Burnout: The Moderating Role of Emotional Intelligence Among Iranian EFL Teachers

Ghasem Barani

Teachers as the heart of each educational system have been in danger of burnout according work-family interference. The following thesis relies on Hobfoll’s conservation of resources theory to investigate the association of work interference with family (WIF) and family interference with work (FIW) with burnout among the EFL teachers in Iran. The study also explores the moderating role of emotional intelligence (EI) in the relationship between work-family interference (WIF/FIW) and burnout. Data were collected from 155 EFL school teachers (male = 62, female = 93) in high schools in Iran using a questionnaire survey. These available participants were at the range age of 23 – 58, and they had different years of experience teaching at different public and private schools. The sampling strategy was informed by convenience sampling. Data were gathered through FIW five-item scale developed by Netemeyer et al., WIF five-item scale developed by Netemeyer et al., burnout 22-item scale, developed by Maslach et al., Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale. Also the questionnaires were collected by the researcher and entered into PLS software for further analysis. The study utilized partial least squares path modeling to assess the proposed measurement and structural model. The design of this study is based on quantitative correlational design applied in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This study is utilized as a quantitative method of research in which three quantitative variables were examined, and it determines if there is any relationship among them. Findings reveal that WIF and FIW are positively associated with burnout. The association of WIF was found to be stronger than FIW with burnout. There is a statistically significant negative relationship between work-family interference and teachers’ burnout. Also, there is a significant relationship between family-work interference and teachers’ burnout. On the other hand, emotional intelligence does not moderate the relationship between family-work conflict and job burnout. This study provides some important implications for ministry of education, teachers and other stakeholders.

Exploring The Interplay of Cultural Identity, Cultural Intelligence, and Critical Intercultural Awareness among EFL Learners: The Roles of Gender and Context

Fatemeh Fazlali

This study explores the interplay cultural identity (CI), cultural intelligence/cultural quotient (CQ), and critical intercultural awareness (CIA) among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners with a focus on the potential influence of gender and educational context. To this end, a total of 192 EFL learners (122 language institute and 70 senior secondary school) in Tehran (120 females and 72 males) of different ages (17-35) from different language institutes and senior secondary schools took part in the study. The participants completed the Cultural Identity Clarity Scale (Usborne & Taylor, 2010), the Cultural Intelligence Scale (Ang et al., 2007), and the Critical Intercultural Awareness Questionnaire (Susilo, 2022). The results indicated that EFL learners’ cultural identity and intelligence/cultural quotient (CQ) were significantly associated with critical intercultural awareness (CIA). Moreover, EFL learners’ CQ was found to be the strongest predictor of critical intercultural awareness (CIA). The findings also revealed that gender and educational context played significant roles: female EFL learners had higher levels of cultural identity, cultural intelligence/cultural quotient, and critical intercultural awareness than their male counterparts. Moreover, the results designated that EFL learners in language institutes had higher levels of cultural identity, cultural intelligence/cultural quotient, and critical intercultural awareness than senior secondary school counterparts. The results can offer valuable insights for EFL policymakers, managers, curriculum developers seeking to enhance intercultural competence in language education within the Iranian context.

Translation Criticism of Two Persian Translations of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God based on Farahzad’s CDA Model

Nazanin Asadi

Literary translation is a vehicle for the transmission of ideological values from one culture to another. Through a Critical Discourse Analysis of two Persian metatexts of Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, this article examines how these translators represent the text’s themes of gender and race. By implementing an integrated framework developed by Farahzad, the critical discourse analyses examine three dimensions of each metatext: textual, paratextual, and semiotic. The Comparative CDA findings demonstrate that Dowlatabadi’s metatext diminishes the confrontational nature of the prototext by euphemizing, generalizing gendered terms, and neutralizing racial terminology. While this strategy creates opportunities for greater cultural accessibility for the Persian audience, it also undermines the original feminist and anti-racist critiques. Conversely, Elahbakhsh retained the prototext’s directness, sociolinguistic texture, and ideological tension. Elahbakhsh’s commitment to the prototext is further strengthened through the use of extensive scholarly apparatus (introductions, endnotes, etc.). This study found that translators play a significant role in mediating ideas through their work. By making decisions about how to translate individual words and cover designs, translators change how readers interpret and respond to a text’s political message. This research highlights the need for greater ethical consideration of the effects of translation practice on how literature is transformed across cultures.

Using Multifaceted Rasch Analysis to Explore the Impact of Rater Expertise in Speaking Assessment

Houman Bijani

As oral language proficiency assessment relies on human judgment, raters play a crucial role in performance-based testing. Among rater-related variables, rating experience has received considerable attention. Previous research on rater training has shown that extremely severe or lenient raters often benefit most from training, leading to changes in rating behavior. However, many of these studies have applied FACETS to only one or two facets and have rarely employed pre- and post-training designs. In addition, empirical findings have been inconsistent, providing no clear evidence as to whether experienced or inexperienced raters demonstrate greater rating reliability. The present study investigated the impact of rater training on experienced and inexperienced raters. Twenty raters evaluated the oral performances of 200 test takers before and after participating in a training program. The results indicated that training increased interrater consistency and reduced bias in the use of rating scale categories. The findings further suggested that, given the difficulty of fully eliminating rater variability, rater training should prioritize improving intrarater reliability rather than focusing exclusively on agreement among raters. Both experienced and inexperienced raters showed improved rating quality following training; however, inexperienced raters demonstrated greater gains. These results suggest that inexperienced raters should not be excluded from rating solely due to limited experience. As inexperienced raters are also more cost-effective, the findings imply that testing authorities may benefit more from investing in effective rater-training programs than from allocating substantial resources to recruiting highly experienced raters.

Perceived Fairness of AI-Assisted Writing Feedback: EFL Learners’ Attitudes and Acceptance

Sara Ashouri

Abstract

The increasing popularity of AI writing tools raises the question of how students perceive the fairness of automated feedback, particularly in comparison with teacher feedback. The perceived fairness of the feedback is an underexplored subject. This paper investigated the perceived fairness of AI writing feedback among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students compared to teacher writing feedback and the relationship between students’ acceptance of AI writing feedback. The design was quantitative, within-subjects and it was based on 35 B1–B2 EFL students who were enrolled in an English language institute. The participants were given a brief writing assignment and were provided with teacher feedback as well as AI feedback. Subsequently, they completed a survey that assessed perceived fairness, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and acceptance (intention to use) AI feedback. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlation, and regression. Findings indicated that teacher feedback was perceived as significantly fairer than AI feedback. The AI feedback was positively evaluated. Perceived fairness was related to students’ acceptance of AI feedback. The regression analyses indicated that acceptance was predicted by perceived fairness, usefulness and perceived ease of use jointly, but usefulness emerged as the strongest predictor. The findings imply that AI feedback is most effective when it is used as a complement to teacher feedback in EFL writing instruction.

An activity theory study of L2 learners’ perception of engagement and oral production quality in technology-based language learning

Mohammad R. Hashemi

This qualitative study employs the activity theory framework to investigate learners’ perceptions of engagement in a technology-based language learning environment. The participants were English language learners from a private language learning institute in Tehran that, during the covid-19 pandemic, worked with students in different cities in Iran through online classes. The primary data were gathered through observation of classes held on the Adobe Connect platform and a semi-structured interview with 20 learners, which were categorized using a typology study design to understand different aspects of engagement and the influencing factors on them, to justify the data and identify possible contradictions within the activity theory framework. Findings revealed that learners’ perception of engagement and language learning is related to interaction patterns, technology acceptance, and the quality of communication in the classes. Moreover, contradictions were found in the main elements of interaction patterns and how they are integrated with learners’ engagement and language learning.

Consolidating 25 Years of Research on IELTS Writing: A Scoping Review

Mansoor Ganji

IELTS writing is a critical factor in facilitating academic and professional mobility and success of both EFL learners and non-English majors globally. This study systematically identifies and categorizes the principal research themes, methodological trends, learners’ challenges, and proposed solutions through a scoping review of the previous literature. In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, relevant studies on IELTS writing task 2 were identified and screened from Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and ResearchGate. Through a multi-stage screening process based on rigorous exclusion and inclusion criteria, 30 peer-reviewed studies were selected for the final content analysis. Thematic content analysis employing manual open coding was applied to these chosen studies in order to identify the recurring patterns regarding the themes, methodology, problems, and solutions. The analysis yielded five primary themes: linguistic features, cross-linguistic transfer, pedagogical interventions, assessment and washback, and emerging AI-based evaluation. The findings showed that IELTS writing research is mainly employing qualitative approach, followed by mixed-methods, making use of corpus analysis, discourse analysis, surveys, and classroom interventions. According to these studies, candidates consistently face challenges in grammar, lexical range, coherence, L1 transfer, and task management, while the proposed solutions strongly emphasize genre-based instruction, model-essay noticing, contrastive rhetoric teaching, focused feedback, strategy training, and AI-supported diagnostic tools.

The Development of a Multiple-choice Discourse Completion Test to Assess L2 (Im)Politeness: Based on Two Webcomics

Hossein Talebzadeh

The current study reports the steps taken in the first phase of a larger project aiming at assessing the pragmatic competence of Iranian EFL learners with a focus on L2 (im)politeness features. To this end, a Multiple-choice Discourse Completion Test (MDCT) was developed, based on the scenarios present in two recently published webcomics. First, the types and the frequencies of the L2 (im)politeness strategies found in the webcomics were determined through discourse analysis. Next, similar situations to those present in the webcomics were developed based on a table of specifications developed by the researchers. The developed (im)politeness questionnaire was first piloted by a number of native English speakers and improved according to their comments and suggestions. Finally, the finalized version of the questionnaire, i.e., the developed DCT, was administered to a few Iranian EFL learners for the final piloting. The steps taken and the findings of each one is reported and discussed.