Non-English Majors’ Writing Self-Efficacy and Attribution in Learning English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between writing self-efficacy, attribution, and writing proficiency of college students in learning English as a foreign language (EFL) context. The scales of writing self-efficacy and attribution were administered to 142 Chinese first-grade non-English majors. Research findings showed that these EFL learners maintained a medium level of writing self-efficacy and tended to attribute their writing outcomes to internal causes. Independent sample t-test indicated that gender exerted no significant influence on EFL writing self-efficacy, and only the attribution cause luck significantly differed between boys and girls. Besides, high-achievers reported stronger writing self-efficacy and skill self-efficacy, while no significant difference in task self-efficacy was found between high-achievers and low-achievers. One-way ANOVA results revealed that regardless of writing level, students tended to attribute their writing success or failure to internal factors such as ability and effort, while low-achievers were also inclined to attribute externally. Pedagogical implications were also discussed.

Exploring the interplay of attitudes: The transfer of self‐efficacy and emotions between L1 Chinese and L2 English integrated writing contexts

“…Similar discoveries have also been made by Teng and Wang (2022). Different from the findings of the above two studies, Chen's (2021) findings revealed that high‐achieving students showed stronger writing and skill self‐efficacy, although no significant difference was found between high and low achievers regarding task self‐efficacy. In a related study, Teng et al.…”

“…Existing research on writing self‐efficacy has mostly focused on primary and secondary school students who use English as their first language (e.g., Daniels et al., 2020; Pajares & Valiante, 1997; Zumbrunn et al., 2020) and university students who use English as their second or foreign language (e.g., Chen, 2021; Sun & Wang, 2020; Teng et al., 2018; Teng & Wang, 2022). For example, Pajares and Valiante (1997) employed path analysis to demonstrate that self‐efficacy beliefs had a distinct effect (β = 0.36) on the prediction of narrative writing performance among American fifth‐grade students.…”

The Study of the Correlation between EFL University Students’ L2WTC in English Class and Achievement Attribution

“…Weiner's attribution theory has been applied to various educational contexts. EFL students with different academic performances in English learning have proven to exhibit different attributional patterns (e.g., Chen, 2021;Gobel & Mori, 2007;Li, 2004;Qin, 2002;Zhao & Lu, 2007;Zhang, 2002). To give but some examples, Rasekh and associates (2012) indicated that the students who attributed the outcome of their test to the difficulty of the task received lower grades on the Self-Perceived Communication Competence scale; Gobel and colleagues (2013) found that the more study-wise and confident students have a greater belief in their own ability to take control of their successes in the language classroom after comparing Malaysian urban and rural undergraduates' English learning; Pishghadam and Zabihi (2011) discovered that students who attributed the outcome of their test to effort received higher grades on the final exam.…”