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Thesis/Dissertation Information
- Degree Disciplines:
- Education
Notes
- Abstract:
- This study investigates the influences of English article knowledge, writing self-efficacy, general English ability, and the total hours of English language classes on English as a foreign language (EFL) writing anxiety. This study also examines the relationships between two independent variables (gender and the number of years in university) on five dependent variables (English article knowledge, EFL writing anxiety, general English proficiency, EFL writing self-efficacy, and the total hours of English language learning). The scores of participants on Master’s (1994) English Language Article Test (ELAT) operationally define English article knowledge; the scores on Cheng’s (2002) Foreign/Second Language Writing Anxiety Test (F/SLWAT) operationally define EFL writing anxiety. The Writing Self-Efficacy Scale (WSES) operationally defines participants’ writing self-efficacy; the General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) operationally defines participants’ general English proficiency. A questionnaire was used to estimate the total hours of participants’ English language classes. One hundred and sixty-five students (forty-five males and one hundred and twenty females) from four EFL classes in a Taiwan university participated. Pearson Correlation coefficients were calculated between the scores of ELAT, WSES, GEPT, the hours and the scores on F/SLWAT. Multiple regression analyses were used to calculate the variance of EFL writing anxiety accounted for by the independent variables. A two-way MANOVA examined the effects of gender and years of university life. Significant negative correlations were found between F/SLWAT and ELAT (r(163) = -.252, p＜.01), between F/SLWAT and WSES (r(163) = -.386, p＜.01), and between F/SLWAT and GEPT (r(163) = -.223, p＜.01), but the influences (R2＜20%) are not educationally meaningful. A significant main effect of years of university life was found (Pillai’s Trace (15, 465)=0.216, p=.002 < .05). The main effect of gender upon the five dependent variables was not significant. The interaction was not significant. Although improving English proficiency and increasing class hours could instinctively be assumed to help mitigate EFL student writing anxiety, this study implies that they are not important enough to be educationally meaningful in resolving the anxiety. This study shows that EFL writing self-efficacy is the most important factor in EFL writing anxiety.
- Thesis:
- Thesis (Ph.D.)--Barry University, 2012.
- Bibliography:
- Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-159).
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Barry University
- Holding Location:
- Barry University Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- Copyright Hung-Tsung Hsu. Permission granted to Barry University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
- Resource Identifier:
- P118.2.H78 2012_HsuHung-Tsung ( BU-Local )
- Classification:
- P118.2.H78 2012 ( lcc )
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