Source-Text Processing in <i>Xu</i> -Argument-Based Continuation Writing: An Eye-Tracking Study

Abstract This study investigated the effects of xu -argument-based continuation writing on learners’ processing of source texts. Seventy-five participants were randomly assigned to three conditions: (1) continuation writing, (2) summary writing, or (3) reading comprehension. Eye-tracking data were collected during reading, measuring early (first fixation duration, first pass duration) and late (go-past time, total fixation duration) eye movements. During writing, source-text rereading was tracked via fixation counts and durations. Results showed that task type did not affect initial lexical access, as first fixation duration showed no group differences. However, both production groups exhibited significantly longer first pass durations than the reading comprehension group. Late measures revealed a gradient pattern: the continuation writing group spent significantly longer go-past time and total fixation duration than the summary writing group, which exceeded the reading comprehension group. This indicates that continuation tasks promoted deeper cognitive engagement during reading. During writing, the continuation writing group spent more time rereading the source text with higher fixation counts than the summary writing group. These findings suggest that continuation writing triggers more intensive reader-text interaction during pre-writing and enhances comprehension-production coupling through sustained attention to input during writing. This study sheds light on the cognitive mechanisms underlying the theoretical and pedagogical value of xu -argument.