Clarifying an Elusive Construct: A Systematic Review of Writing Attitudes

• In Event: 66.057 - Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: 66.057-8 - Serious Writing: Preteen to Adolescent Writing Attitudes and Processes

Abstract

Though findings from several studies suggest a positive relationship between students’ writing attitudes and writing achievement (Author, 2010, Graham, Berninger, & Fan, 2007), there is no consensus as to what the construct “writing attitudes” actually represents. The purpose of this systematic review was not only to describe findings across prior investigations of writing attitudes but also to explain conceptualizations of the construct across the extant literature. Based on the findings, a clarified definition for writing attitude is proposed and suggestions are offered to help guide future research investigating student attitudes toward writing.

Authors

• Eric Ekholm, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Sharon Zumbrunn, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Morgan DeBusk-Lane, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education