Individual Factors Influencing Citation Competence in L2 Academic Writing

Citation competence is an intertextual skill of referencing which clarifies and expresses writer stance and attains rhetorical functions in academic writing. This study, while sampling 115 undergraduates majoring in English from one of the key Chinese universities as participants, investigated the individual factors influencing citation competence in L2 academic writing, which was based on the classroom academic read-to-write task. Four factors (Cognitive Proficiency of Source Use; Academic Reading Proficiency; Academic Writing Proficiency; Citing Motivation) were identified in this study by employing the structural equation modelling approach. The results revealed that these four factors are interrelated, and cognitive proficiency of source use contributes significantly to the development of academic reading and writing; while academic reading proficiency is positively and significantly related to academic writing proficiency. Moreover, cognitive proficiency of source use had the most influential total impact on citation competence; while academic reading proficiency reflects the greatest direct impact on citation competence. It is concluded that the model of citation competence constructed in this study identified the first three as major impact factors, which reveals the acquisition process and features of citation competence for L2 novice writers.