Mohammad Taghi Hassani - Assistant Professor, Imam Hossein University, Tehran
Abbas Ali Zarei - Assistant Professor, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin
Fahimeh Sabrdoust - M.A., Islamic Azad University, Takestan

One of the most challenging tasks for Iranian EFL learners is the acquisition of argumentative writing. There has always been a controversy about the role of gender in this regard which may be affected by cultural factors. The Purpose of the present study was to investigate the difference between male and female learners’ performance in argumentative writing and also the relationship between the degree of self-efficacy and writing performance in foreign language learners of English. The participants were 100 male (50) and female (50) Iranian advanced-level students at Kanoon and Shokuh institutes in Rasht. To investigate the two research questions of this study, the researchers administered a 9-part self-efficacy questionnaire and a writing test to the participants. Data were analyzed through T-test and correlation analyses. The results indicated that males are better writers in argumentative writing than females and also self-efficacy has a positive relationship with both males and females’ performance in argumentative writing. This study can have an implication for language teachers in their procedures and strategies to improve students’ confidence in argumentative writing

Argumentative writing, Gender differences, Self-confidence, Self-efficacy