Structure and coherence as challenges in composition: A study of assessing less proficient EFL writers’ text quality

Understanding the interplay between text quality, writing self-efficacy and writing anxiety in learners with and without migration background

“…We hypothesized that feedback might have destroyed students’ illusions of competence ( Kruger and Dunning, 1999 ). In another study, we observed increasing self-efficacy beliefs after a feedback intervention, although writing attainment did not improve ( Siekmann et al, 2023 ). As both studies were conducted with low-proficient EFL learners, one may also assume that less proficient writers generally have difficulties adequately judging their capabilities, which may explain the discordance between self-efficacy and writing performance found in other studies with struggling writers ( Graham et al, 2005 ; Anastasiou and Michail, 2013 ).…”

“…The failure to find significant differences between students with and without migration background’s self-efficacy was unexpected since the self-efficacy measures and writing outcomes were closely matched. Text quality was measured by assessing structure and coherence (see Siekmann et al, 2022 ; Müller and Busse, 2023 ), and self-efficacy focused on establishing structure and coherence and evaluating and revising . These results were inconsistent with prior investigations showing low self-efficacy beliefs among minority students ( Pajares and Johnson, 1996 ) but align with research showing a relative disjuncture between low attainment and high self-beliefs and aspirations by students with MB ( Kao and Tienda, 1998 ; McElvany et al, 2018 ).…”

“…This focus draws on findings that structure and coherence are key aspects of text quality (e.g., Plakans and Gebril, 2017 ). The instrument to assess text structure and coherence in the present study was described in detail in previous works ( Siekmann et al, 2022 ; Müller and Busse, 2023 ). Students could obtain a theoretical maximum of 17 points of which 8 points were administered for structure (for dividing the text into introduction, main body, and conclusion with relevant content and paragraph breaks) and 9 points were administered for coherence (for consistently referencing a thesis statement throughout the text, for providing ideas supported by appropriate explanations, and for logical connecting words).…”

“…Furthermore, a study with secondary students in Germany revealed that academic self-efficacy did not predict attainment in reading and mathematics in students with MB, as opposed to students without MB ( McElvany et al, 2018 ). Comparable data for writing self-efficacy is unavailable, but mismatches between generally positive writing self-efficacy beliefs and weak writing performance have been observed with low-proficient EFL writers in secondary school ( Siekmann et al, 2023 ) as well as with minority children in primary school ( Graham et al, 2005 ). One may thus assume that students with lower proficiency and/ or students with MB are not always able to assess their capabilities accurately ( Graham and Harris, 1989 ).…”

“…Addressing this critical gap in the literature, our study was designed to examine patterns of interplay between text quality, writing self-efficacy, and writing anxiety in students with and without MB. We draw on data from a larger feedback intervention project revealing that secondary students experience difficulties with establishing deep-level features in writing, such as text structure and coherence ( Siekmann et al, 2022 ; Müller and Busse, 2023 ). In the current study, we were particularly interested in investigating the associated role of writing self-efficacy and anxiety as possible antecedents of writing performance prior to the intervention.…”