The Mediating Role of Perceived Competence Between Choice and Writing Quality

• In Event: Motivation, Reading, and Writing

Abstract

In a clustered randomized control trial we tested the effect of dichotomous choice of writing position on the writing performance of 242 college students. The intervention occurred as part of the normal scope and sequence of nine sections of an introductory special education course as an authentic writing assignment. Using HLM analysis, the main effects of choice were not significant but there was a statistically significant interaction between choice and time. Furthermore, perceived competence mediated the relationship between choice at Time 1 and writing quality at Time 2. Findings from this study suggest that choice alone may not predict an increase in writing quality, but instead, choice influences students’ perceived competence which leads to improved writing performance.

Authors

• Angelique Aitken, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Daniel McNeish, Arizona State University

• Steve Graham, Arizona State University, Editor Journal of Educational Psychology