The Affects of Assessment on Self-

Efficacy in the Writing Center

Rachael Kermath

Research Question

How does assessment influence writers and how does this affect writing centers?

Clearing up Definitions Writing self-efficacy: the belief in one’s abilities to

create an intelligent, apt, and important piece of writing on one’s own.

Assessment of writing: the evaluation of a work by the writer or a reader which gives feedback that can affect the writer. Innate abilities Attitude toward past writing Instructor comments

Assessment—Innate Abilities Type of self-assessment Students believe that if they aren’t good writers

now, they weren’t meant to write and can therefore never be good

How this affects self-efficacy Michael Palmquist and Richard Young study

Higher apprehension Lower self-efficacy

Palmquist, Michael, and Richard Young. "The Notion of Giftedness and Student Expectations about Writing." Written Communication 9 (1992): 137-68. Print.Wachholz, Patricia B., and Carol Etheridge. Speaking for Themselves: Writing Self-Efficacy Beliefs of High- and Low-Apprehensive Writers. Tech. Jackon, TN: n.p., 1996. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED403563. ERIC. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.Watson, Amber. “How Student Beliefs in Giftedness and Teacher Competence Affect Writing Self-Assessments.” Young Scholars in Writing 5 (Spring 2008): 74-80.

Assessment—Attitude Toward Past Writing Another type of self-assessment Previous grades, awards and honors

How this affects self-efficacy Patricia Wachholz and Carol Etheridge’s study

“These awards have helped me to feel better about my writing and helps me to do better” – student with high self-efficacy (9)

“I had an F on my first essay and I then knew my college career was doomed” – student with low self-efficacy (9)

Wachholz, Patricia B., and Carol P. Etheridge. "Speaking for Themselves: Writing Self-Efficacy Beliefs of High- and Low Apprehensive Writers." Educational Resources Information Center. N.p., 1996. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.

Assessment—Instructor Comments Other types of teacher involvement can affect

self-efficacy, too Teachers play an important role in student writing

development

How this affects self-efficacy Both positive and negative comments on past

writing can affect a student’s self-efficacy Patricia Wachholz and Carol Etheridge’s study

“My English teacher really red inked my papers a lot. I had no confidence in myself after that.” – student with low self-efficacy (12)

Wachholz, Patricia B., and Carol P. Etheridge. "Speaking for Themselves: Writing Self-Efficacy Beliefs of High- and Low Apprehensive Writers." Educational Resources Information Center. N.p., 1996. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.

Who Comes to a Writing Center? James D. Williams and Seiji Takaku’s study

Students with lower self-efficacy frequent the writing center

“adaptive help seeking was positively related to the students’ writing proficiency.” (12)

Williams, James D., and Seiji Takaku. "Help Seeking, Self-efficacy, and Writing Performance among College Students." Journal of Writing Research 3.1 (2011): 1-18. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.

What Tutors Can Do to Help Tutors need to take all of these sources of adapted

self-efficacy into account when tutoring. Students who believe they are not gifted in writing

need to be shown they can handle it by the use of new techniques

Asking what aspects of writing a student has had trouble with in the past and helping to overcome those issues can help a student who has had bad experiences with writing

Tutors can’t do anything about what a teacher writes on a student’s draft, but it is possible to find the constructive criticism in negative comments

What Tutors Can Do to Help (cont.) Emily Bullock suggests that praise, “for even the

smallest of achievements,” is beneficial to students at the writing center (15).

Katherine Schmidt and Joel Alexander’s research shows that visiting writing centers actually raises self-efficacy, as opposed to not seeking any help at all.

Bullock, Emily. "Addressing Apprehension: Approaching the Low Self-Efficacy Writer."Writing Lab Newsletter 37 (Nov.-Dec. 2012): 14-15. The Writing Lab Newsletter. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.Schmidt, Katherine M., and Joel E. Alexander. "The Empirical Development of an Instrument to Measure Writerly Self-Efficacy in Writing Centers." Journal of Writing Assessment 5.1 (2012): n. pag. Jan. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

Works CitedBullock, Emily. "Addressing Apprehension: Approaching the Low Self-Efficacy Writer."Writing Lab Newsletter 37 (Nov.-Dec. 2012): 14-15. The Writing Lab Newsletter. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.

Palmquist, Michael, and Richard Young. "The Notion of Giftedness and Student Expectations about Writing." Written Communication 9 (1992): 137-68. Print.

Schmidt, Katherine M., and Joel E. Alexander. "The Empirical Development of an Instrument to Measure Writerly Self-Efficacy in Writing Centers." Journal of Writing Assessment 5.1 (2012): n. pag. Jan. 2012. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

Wachholz, Patricia B. Speaking for Themselves: Writing Self-Efficacy Beliefs of High- and Low Apprehensive Writers. Tech. Jackon, TN: n.p., 1996. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED403563. ERIC. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.

Watson, Amber. “How Student Beliefs in Giftedness and Teacher Competence Affect Writing Self-Assessments.” Young Scholars in Writing 5 (Spring 2008): 74-80.

Williams, James D., and Seiji Takaku. "Help Seeking, Self-efficacy, and Writing Performance among College Students." Journal of Writing Research 3.1 (2011): 1-18. Web. 24 Oct. 2013.