The effects of two different goal setting processes on students' attitudes towards writing and towards a writing course

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effects of two different goal setting procedures on students’ attitudes towards writing in general and towards the English 102 course offered at METU. Three groups of students participated in this study. One group was the control group. The other two groups were experimental groups. One of the experimental groups was assigned goals by their teacher whereas the other set their own goals. To compare groups for the overall attitudes, attitudes towards writing and the writing course, the same survey was given as a pre- and post-treatment survey to the three groups. Six ANOVAs were used to analyze the comparisons between groups. Nine t-tests were used to investigate the attitude changes within groups. The between groups analyses indicated that the significant difference in overall attitudes and attitudes towards the writing course that existed between the control and the self-set goal setting groups disappeared after the treatment. The within groups analysis showed that the attitudes of the control and the assigned goal setting groups changed in a negative direction while attitudes for the self-set goal setting group moved in a positive direction. Reflections gathered from the self-set goal setting group indicated positive changes related to effort, self-study, and awareness resulting from the goal setting process.