TITLE Group Membership and Writing Apprehension: Do They Affect Academic Writing? PUB DATE 1998-00-00

A study investigated whether the makeup of peer editing groups in a Japanese junior college Academic English writing class had an effect on students ' writing apprehension or grades over the course of a 10-week semester. Subjects were 29 first-year students from an intact Academic Writing class, with similar levels of English proficiency. Students were administered a 26-item writing apprehension questionnaire on the first and last days of the semester. The instrument assessed students ' enjoyment of writing, self-perceptions of ability, attitudes toward evaluation, and willingness to show their work to others. Based on the first administration of the questionnaire, students were placed in pee-: editing groups that were high-apprehensive, low-apprehensive, mixed-apprehensive, or control (moderate-apprehensive). Comparison of pre-semester and post-semester writing apprehension scores and final course grades revealed that while most groups' apprehension levels dropped, the low-apprehensive students ' apprehension rose. The mixed-apprehensive group attained the largest apprehension level decline. The high-apprehensive group's apprehension level also declined significantly. Further study of this issue is recommended. (MSE) * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * aGroup Membership and Writing Apprehension