Examining the interplay Between Academic Motivation, Writing Anxiety and Writing Proficiency of Pakistani ESL Learners: A Correlational Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate correlation between the motivation, writing anxiety, and writing proficiency among the Pakistani ESL learners. The research design was exclusively of the quantitative type. The population of the study comprised the active students of Department of Animal Husbandry and Nutrition in University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Of the target population, a sample of hundred students was randomly selected using simple random sampling technique in which both boys and girls were included in equal proportions. The interactive data on motivation and writing anxiety was collected by two questionnaires namely the AWMQ (Academic Writing Motivation Questionnaire) (Payne, 2012) and the SLWAI (Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory) (Cheng, 2004). Writing test was adopted to assess writing ability among the students. Students’ essays were assessed with the help of IELTS rubrics writing task 2. The data collected were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Thus, while analysing the correlation value of the variables under consideration the Pearson correlation was used. The findings that are evident in the study were as follows; with a correlation value of r=.914, motivation positively correlates with writing competence, whereas writing anxiety negatively correlates with writing proficiency (r=-.721). Type of anxiety recognized for existing in high level among students is the cognitive anxiety. Therefore, the results of the study have significant implications for L2 teaching.