ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that the space that second language (L2) writing has come to occupy in the larger and intersecting worlds of writing studies and applied language studies, and how this broader perspective has shaped and will continue to shape research about and teaching of L2 writers. It explains where L2 writing fits into the larger research picture of both writing and applied language studies and summarizes important developments, trends, and traditions in the field to date. The chapter also discusses ongoing controversies in the research and outlines some expected and proposed future directions. It looks at three distinct directions in which the next era of L2 writing research may go. These are the role of language instruction and language-focused feedback in L2 writing instruction, the influence of technology on the L2 writing pedagogy and research, and increased interest in multilingual writers by researchers traditionally outside the L2 writing community.
