Resumen de Experiences in writing in english for research publication purposes: a proposed framework on the relationships between metacognition and emotional constructs based on a mixed-method study
The current dominance of English as an academic language has a hefty impact in the way English as an Additional Language (EAL) academics across disciplines approach and understand Academic Writing for Research Publication Purposes (AWRPP). The impact of linguistic and cultural matters has been widely studied in the literature. However, psychological aspects also play a significant part in the academic writing process that has been traditionally overlooked regarding AWRPP. Similarly, the use of metacognitive writing strategies has been evidenced in numerous existing studies as a great predictor of high writing performance and better written outcomes. Still, little is known about how different emotional constructs and metacognition interact with each other during the AWRPP process in an additional language. The present thesis aims at starting to fill these gaps by creating a framework (the EMOWRI Framework) that encompasses the correlations between eight emotional constructs (i.e. achievement emotions, anxiety, core affect, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, leadership, motivation, and self-efficacy) and the use of metacognitive strategies in the academic writing process, more specifically focusing on AWRPP. A further aim of this thesis is to assess how the years of AWRPP experience influence the levels of these constructs. To do so, quantitative and qualitative data was obtained from 224 EAL scholars researching and publishing in numerous fields of study. These participants filled out the Emotional Constructs and Metacognition Questionnaire (ECMQ; α = 0.857), which was designed based on existing validated scales and widely accepted theoretical models. A selection of six participants completed a journey plot concerning the writing process of one of their research papers in order to triangulate questionnaire results. Findings suggest that all the emotional constructs have, to a greater or lesser extent, an impact in the AWRPP process. Particularly interesting is the discovery of some core affect feelings being more beneficial to AWRPP than others, both in the short and the long run. Furthermore, writing metacognition seems to be more common in the planning and revision stages of the AWRPP process. A wide number of strong and significant correlations were found between the constructs. Some less strong correlations are also addressed. Online journey plots (i.e. completed at the same time their writing process takes place) seem to gather richer and more detailed data regarding the emotional appraisals entailed in the writing process and the reasons behind them than retrospective and prospective journey plots. Finally, potential implications of the findings for the fields of education and artificial intelligence are suggested.
