ERIC Number: ED564557
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 296
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-3036-1375-3
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Perceptions and Writing Experiences of Nursing Students: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Writing Self-Efficacy
Sprenger, Lori
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Capella University
The investigated research problem was the need to identify the facilitators and barriers to competent academic writing by examining writing self-efficacy and academic writing experiences of entry-level BSN students. The study's participants included entry-level bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) students in a Midwestern state. The mixed methods study, using a concurrent triangulation design, incorporated a quantitative writing self-efficacy survey and focus group interviews for data collection. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyze the quantitative data. Content analysis with identification of categories and themes was used to analyze the qualitative data. A statistically significant (p = 0.05) difference was found related to the gender demographic variable. No statistically significant differences were found related to the demographic variables of age, nursing student status, employment status, primary care provider status, support system status, first speaking language, and prior college-level writing course. Findings indicated that a variety of facilitators and barriers hindered the achievement of academic writing for entry-level BSN students: environmental factors, personal factors, and behavioral factors as shown in the reciprocal determinism model (Bandura, 1977, 1986). Three main implications for nursing education included the following: increase writing self-efficacy, decrease hindrances to achieving competent academic writing, and increase facilitators to achieving competent academic writing. The achievement of competent academic writing for entry-level BSN students is imperative for academic student success and for the scientific sustainability of the nursing profession. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Nursing, Nursing Students, Mixed Methods Research, Self Efficacy, Student Attitudes, Writing Instruction, Writing (Composition), Writing Improvement, Academic Discourse, Student Surveys, Focus Groups, Data Collection, Interviews, Statistical Analysis, Bachelors Degrees, Nursing Education, Content Analysis, Academic Achievement
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A