A Probe into Adaptive Transfer across Writing Contexts: A Case of an EGAP Class

In an effort to expand the disciplinary discussions on transfer in L2 writing and because most studies have focused on transfer as reuse and not as an adequate adaptation of writing knowledge in new contexts, the present study as the first of its kind aimed to explore the issue of adaptive transfer in an English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) writing course. The study thus focused on types of adaptive transfer across disciplines and the processes involved in achieving them. The data were collected through interviews conducted on writing samples both from the participants' EGAP class and their other courses in the university (non EGAP). The results showed five categories of adaptive transfer including 'organizing, grammar refining, rephrasing, metaphorizing, and resource using'. Also, the analysis of the data demonstrated a variety of processes involved in the accomplishment of adaptive transfer, which all pointed to the multidimensionality of evaluation and re-evaluation that the writers conducted to achieve their composing potential. Additionally, the results revealed slight disciplinary inconsistency for the categories of adaptive transfer detected, with the English Language enjoying the highest and Electrical Engineering the lowest frequency of such transfer. The results imply that EGAP classes can create a directive condition for the enhancement of learning transfer.