Date of Award
Fall 1980
Document Type
Dissertation - Restricted
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Bardwell, Rebecca
Second Advisor
Topetzes, Nich J.
Third Advisor
Kipfmueller, Mark K.
Abstract
While a number of studies have addressed singly the effects of social stratification, motivation, or persistence on writing achievement, their results, taken in the aggregate, have proven inconclusive. Few studies could be located which undertook to establish the interrelationships among these variables in the determination of individual differences in writing achievement. This study has sought to apply the Atkinson-Raynor general theory of cumulative achievement to the writing behavior of two-year college students in order to ascertain the relative unique and interactive effects of verbal ability, socioeconomic status, locus of control, achievement motivation, and persistence on the writing achievement of those students. Specifically, the following experimental hypotheses were tested: Hypothesis 1: Writing achievement is significantly related to the combined effects of socioeconomic status, verbal ability, locus of control, achievement motivation, and persistence. Hypothesis 2: Socioeconomic status significantly affects writing achievement directly and affects it indirectly through its effects on locus of control and achievement motivation. Hypothesis 3: Verbal ability significantly affects writing achievement directly and affects it indirectly through its effects on locus of control and achievement motivation. Hypothesis 4: Locus of control significantly affects writing achievement indirectly through its effect on achievement motivation. Hypothesis 5: Achievement motivation significantly affects writing achievement indirectly through its effect on persistence. Hypothesis 6: Persistence significantly affects writing achievement directly...