Motivation in English language learning: A study on preparatory school students at universities

This study aimed to investigate the role of motivation in English language learning, taking into consideration age groups and genders, and shed light on their effects. Additionally, this study attempted to determine whether the type of high school they attended and the current university they were enrolled in (public or private) had influence on students' internal and external motivation. The study was conducted at foundation and public universities in Ankara, with a total of 212 student participants. Among the participants, 108 were studying at private universities, and 104 were studying at public universities' preparatory schools. The students were at least at the pre-Intermediate level in the preparatory schools of their universities. The participants' ages ranged from 18-40, with an average age of 29, and there were 103 males and 108 females. Language Learning Orientations Scale (Noels et al. 2003) was used to measure students' motivation type. The Social Sciences Statistics Program was used for result analysis, and the validity was assessed through Cronbach's Alpha Coefficient (Cronbach, 1951). The results indicated no significant difference between genders and age groups, while differences were observed based on the type of high school they graduated and university they were currently studying at.