The Relationship between Risk taking and Self-assessment of EFL Learners in Writing Ability

Year 2013, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 125 - 136, 30.06.2013

Sima Khezrlou Zeinab Hıvechı

Abstract

The present study investigates the relationship between risk-taking and self-assessment of EFL learners in writing ability. To this end, 31 Iranian senior students completed a risk-taking questionnaire based upon the Venturesomeness subscale of Eysenck’s IVE modified by Kiany and Pournia (2006), to rate their risk-taking levels. Based on their answers, the students were divided into two groups: high risk- takers and low risk-takers. They were then given a topic about which to write an essay and also to assess their writing skills. Two intra-raters were chosen to rate the students' writings based on just the correct structure of essay writing, not grammar or word correction or other details since the aim of study was to investigate students' risk-taking in their academic life in comparison to their social life. To analyse the obtained data, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Multi-variance Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) were used as statistical procedures. The results did not show any significant relationship between risk- taking and students' self-assessment in writing. In other words, the high risk-takers and low risk-takers were the same in assessing their writings. Also high risk-takers did not show any risks in their writings, such as using complicated sentences, new structures, and so forth. The implications of the study are further discussed.

Keywords

Assessment, essay writing, risk-taking, self-assessment

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