Self-regulation, Motivation and Essay Writing Proficiency of English as a Second Language (ESL) University Students in Botswana

Abstract

The relationship between self-regulation, motivation, and essay writing proficiency was explored in this study essentially to extend information about these constructs, and to provide insights from tertiary level using Botswana as an example. A hybrid research approach or design was adopted by this study because it is neither a true quantitative nor a pure qualitative study. This is so because, among other reasons, the convenience sampling technique was used having been found by the author to be suitable or “applicable to both qualitative and quantitative studies” (Suen, et al. (2014). Specifically, motivation and self-regulation profiles in the current study were respectively measured using the Academic Writing Motivation Questionnaire (AWMQ) adapted from Payne (2012), and the Wilby (2020) questionnaire.  The students self-rated their essay writing proficiency. The above questionnaires were completed by a total of 174 students who participated in this study who had enrolled in different Social Sciences courses. Majority or these students were at first year level. The findings of this study, which were guided by the Self-regulation as well as the Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation theories, buttressed previous findings that there is a relationship between writing motivation, self-regulation, and proficiency. However, the self-regulation and motivation levels in the current study were moderate but positive, and thus suggesting that the students needed more assistance to improve their essay writing.