Date of Award
9-26-2000
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Teaching & Learning
First Advisor
Kathleen Gershman
Abstract
Each discipline has unique conventions and discourse, which new writers in that area must learn to gain entry and credibility in that discipline. Learning of a new discourse is not automatic. This dissertation explores how undergraduate students in two psychology classes have achieved that learning. In doing so it considers the following questions: “What strategies do students use to learn to write in psychology?” “How do students discern what an instructor's definitions of good writing are?” “How does that instructor convey the discourse and expectations to the students?” “What skills and knowledge are transferable from previous classes?” “What from previous course work causes interference?” As my purpose was to understand how students interpret and respond to the literacy demands made on them in psychology, I observed classes for two semesters in a midwestern state university. Then I interviewed the students in the classes about their interpretations and responses. The present study was conducted in a 400-level psychology seminar designed to give students experience in psychological research and report writing. In this study, all participants, including the professor, were interviewed individually at least three times. The interviews were taped and transcribed for my investigation. In addition, I conducted a document analysis of the instructor's instructions on writing and the students' writing in response to those instructions. The data resulting from the observations, interviews, and document analysis were analyzed qualitatively by coding and organizing into categories. I searched for patterns within categories and for themes or connections between the various categories. The study revealed six major assertions: (1) Students' perceptions of instruction may not correspond with the professor's intentions for or perceptions of instruction. (2) Students find some kinds of instruction more helpful than others. (3) Other classes or instruction may influence a student's interpretations and development of an assignment or development as a writer. (4) Students' writing processes affect their success in writing. (5) Students' perceptions of their professor and the criteria can affect their process and performance. (6) Writing in psychology differs from writing in other disciplines.
Recommended Citation
Shaw, SuEllen, "Writing in a psychology classroom: Learning and adopting the APA epistemology." (2000). Theses and Dissertations. 7822.
https://commons.und.edu/theses/7822