A Synthesis of Second Language Writing Studies in the People's Republic of China (1949-2018)

Although L2W practice has been present in China for a long time, limited existing research has investigated its origin and development. My study aims at reviewing and synthesizing L2W articles published in major linguistic/foreign language journals in the People’s Republic of China in the past seven decades (1949-2018). By collecting and analyzing the 1,340 articles, I identified four developmental periods in China’s L2W history, nine major topics covered in the scholarship. Features in research methods and article contexts are also discussed. I conclude that L2W in China emerged from the pedagogical practices and that its development has been heavily influenced by the country’s social and political movements. After seventy years of development, L2W in China has become a promising field of study with an increased number of journals articles, investigating diverse topics related to L2W, with various research methods, in rich contexts.