An analysis of the psychometric properties of the writing-specific cognitive strategies questionnaire for undergraduate students

Abstract

Writing strategies are needed to manage the complexity of writing tasks, especially at university, where writing tasks are for learning, professional, or scientific purposes and are highly demanding. The literature shows that many undergraduate students have defined, stable, writing strategies, although some lack proper strategic development and require explicit instruction in this regard. In both cases, adapting writing tasks to undergraduate students’ preferences and instructing them effectively requires understanding their writing strategies, which will encourage optimal learning and writing proficiency. This is why valid, reliable, writing strategy assessment tools are essential. The present study focused on the validation of the Spanish Writing Strategies Questionnaire-Undergraduate Students (WSQ-SU), aimed at measuring undergraduate students’ preferences for using different writing strategies. The sample comprised 978 Spanish undergraduates doing degrees in Infant, Primary or Social Education, Pedagogy and Psychology. The data from the questionnaire was explored by means of exploratory and confirmatory analysis, test–retest reliability to analyse temporal stability and convergent validity. Two factors, planning and revising, were identified through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, representing different writing strategies and supporting the original model. The results indicated adequate test–retest reliability and temporal stability. The results also showed the questionnaire’s convergent validity; a direct, linear correlation between two factors and off-line planning and revising variables. Based on the results, the WSQ for undergraduate students-Spanish version has been shown to be a reliable and valid, scale that can be easily applied in the university context to explore undergraduate students’ writing strategies.

Strategic and self-regulated instruction in synthesis tasks in the university context

“…This may be because this type of instruction allows students more control over their cognitive and emotional processes, meaning that they approach these tasks with greater motivation and are able to keep at them and complete them successfully, even with the challenges they present ( Butler, 1998 ; Navea-Martín and Suárez-Riveiro, 2017 ; van Ockenburg et al, 2019 ). To sum up from a theoretical-empirical perspective, we can conclude that implementation of strategic instruction programs aimed at encouraging ST mastery at the university level should consider how strategically mature the students are and their potential to create and modify their own strategies ( Kieft et al, 2007 ; Robledo et al, 2018 ; Arias-Gundín and Robledo, 2023 ). Teachers must focus on guiding and prompting students so that they develop and implement their own strategies in a self-regulated manner when doing ST.…”

“…It would also be useful to consider other types of intrinsic student variables that might affect the results. In this case, because the instruction was based on the students readjusting their own strategies, it would be useful to determine a general strategic profile for the students and a profile of their reading and writing strategies, which seem to vary between students and affect how they face learning activities in general and written tasks in particular ( Kieft et al, 2007 ; van der Loo et al, 2018 ; Arias-Gundín and Robledo, 2023 ). In addition, it would be interesting to use more evaluation instruments, including ones which would allow measurement of qualitative changes in critical writing skills, which would guide interventions more accurately ( Deane and Song, 2014 ).…”

“…That said, its complex, multicomponent nature makes it difficult for teachers to use in the real university classroom, it needs a lot of time to implement, along with specific teacher training that normally requires professional development programs ( Harris et al, 2022 ). Furthermore, implementation of strategic instruction programs aimed at encouraging mastery of ST at the university level must consider the characteristics of the students, who usually exhibit relatively defined or mature strategic profiles ( Kieft et al, 2007 ; Robledo et al, 2018 ; Arias-Gundín and Robledo, 2023 ). This means that rather than focusing on giving students specific strategies to produce their syntheses, instruction in ST at university should focus on guiding and prompting students so that, as part of the natural learning process in their subjects, they develop and implement their own reading and writing strategies in a self-regulated manner when doing ST.…”