Self Regulated Strategy Development: Effects of Writing Outcomes and Affective Factors

Writing is a complex task which "involves focusing attention on a topic and on producing a written script to effect the communication and performing of a range of dictionary and proofreading skills" (Medcalf, Glynn & Moore, 2003, p.160).

Self Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD), which was developed by Graham and Harris (1996), is an instructional model which has been used to support pupils with writing.

This thesis investigates the impact of SRSD on children's written compositions and affective factors.

The focus of the systematic literature review was on the impact that SRSD has in relation to writing quality and the number of essay elements included by pupils.

The review incorporates ten studies which had been published from 2007 onwards, providing an update from a previous systematic literature review which evaluated studies published up until December 2006 (Baker, Ketterlin-Geller, Chard, Apichatubutra & Doabler, 2009).

The studies reviewed varied in quality, however overall the findings provided support for SRSD in relation to both writing quality and the number of essay elements included.

The empirical paper evaluates the effectiveness of an SRSD intervention in relation to writing composition, writing apprehension, self efficacy for writing, academic self concept and self esteem.

The research design adopted was an experimental between subjects wait list control design. There were 55 participants, across the intervention and control groups.

Significant results were found in relation to writing composition (quality and number of essay elements includes) and self efficacy for writing.

However, the effect sizes found were small and the reasons for this, such as the size of the intervention groups, were considered.