Exploring Language Creativity, Writing Attitudes and Writing Performance in EFL Writing: A Qualitative Study Integrating NLP-assisted Text Analysis Across Genres

Exploring Language Creativity, Writing Attitudes and Writing Performance in EFL Writing: A Qualitative Study Integrating NLP-assisted Text Analysis Across Genres | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Exploring Language Creativity, Writing Attitudes and Writing Performance in EFL Writing: A Qualitative Study Integrating NLP-assisted Text Analysis Across Genres Dan Shen, Rafizah Mohd Rawian This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9386998/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 4 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study adopts an interpretive case study design and integrates semi-structured interviews with NLP-assisted text analysis to examine EFL learners’ perceptions of language creativity, writing attitudes and writing performance, as well as their dynamic interrelationships, in argumentative and narrative writing. The participants are six second-year English majors. The findings show that learners’ perceptions of language creativity are both genre sensitive and process orientated. In argumentative writing, they place greater emphasis on logical control and expressive precision, whereas in narrative writing they prioritizes narrative coherence and expressive flexibility. The findings also indicate that learners engage in strategic trade-offs between creative expression and linguistic accuracy in response to genre demands and evaluative expectations. In addition, writing attitudes moderate the relationship between language creativity and writing performance through cognitive, affective and behavioral components, showing clear contextual variability. The NLP results are consistent with the qualitative findings in terms of keyword distribution and sentiment orientation. The study suggests that integrating NLP-assisted analysis into qualitative research can enrich the interpretation of learners’ writing experiences and offers a useful methodological approach to technology-enhanced L2 writing research. language creativity writing attitudes writing performance genre differences natural language processing (NLP) Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers invited by journal 14 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 13 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 13 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 11 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9386998","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":624966596,"identity":"d2545e98-f118-4af2-8554-71612666856f","order_by":0,"name":"Dan Shen","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA0klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYHACNoYHDAyMDQzMBw58+EGslgSwFrbEgzN7SNPCY3yYg40I9fLtzc8eJLbZyPbP7vlwmIGHQZ5f7AB+LQZnjpkbJLalGc+4c3bD4QILBsOZsxMIaJFIMJNIbDuc2HAjd8PhGTwMCQa3CWiRn//8G1DL/8T5N3IeHOZhI0ILww0ekC0HEjfcyGEgTovBmZxyg4RzycYbb6QZAANZgrBf5NuPb3vwocxOdt6N5McfPvywkeeXJuQwNCBBmvJRMApGwSgYBdgBAOkDTE3X/8RsAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah Darul Aman","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Dan","middleName":"","lastName":"Shen","suffix":""},{"id":624966597,"identity":"a0678e33-6a38-4a01-ae89-a0eed93afbd4","order_by":1,"name":"Rafizah Mohd Rawian","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah Darul Aman","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rafizah","middleName":"Mohd","lastName":"Rawian","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-11 10:24:55","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9386998/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9386998/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":107706710,"identity":"3c4a6ab2-4e0a-43f1-9ddb-a619563d9f1f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-04-24 09:18:36","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":375624,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"AQualitativeStudyIntegratingNLPassistedTextAnalysisAcrossGenres.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9386998/v1_covered_a5af9cec-044a-41b1-b408-7d127f129d8c.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Exploring Language Creativity, Writing Attitudes and Writing Performance in EFL Writing: A Qualitative Study Integrating NLP-assisted Text Analysis Across Genres","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"asian-pacific-journal-of-second-and-foreign-language-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"jsfl","sideBox":"Learn more about [Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education](http://sfleducation.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"40862","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/40862/3","title":"Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"language creativity, writing attitudes, writing performance, genre differences, natural language processing (NLP)","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9386998/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9386998/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eThis study adopts an interpretive case study design and integrates semi-structured interviews with NLP-assisted text analysis to examine EFL learners\u0026rsquo; perceptions of language creativity, writing attitudes and writing performance, as well as their dynamic interrelationships, in argumentative and narrative writing. 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