Revising, Validating, and Interpreting Results From a Secondary Student, Writing Apprehension Survey Instrument

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 2:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: From Transactive to Transformative: Elevating the Reading Practices of Adolescent Youth (Table 8)

Abstract

Via this study, we revised and validated the Daly and Miller (1975) Writing Apprehension Test (WAT) to address contemporary writing practices among secondary students. Conducted across three high schools in two states, our research involved 285 participants with whom we explored their writing apprehension. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, including Cronbach’s Alpha for reliability and Principal Component Analysis for validity, our revised WAT yielded low-to-acceptable internal consistency and high validity. Hence, our findings indicate the instrument's potential to effectively measure writing apprehension. Our findings also include student’s perspectives and opinions about writing apprehension. Accordingly, our study offers valuable insights for secondary educators, while also underscoring the need for further research to continue to enhance this instrument and its instrument-related findings.

Authors

• Layne Ilderton, Arizona State University

• Audrey Amrein-Beardsley, Arizona State University