Examination of students' story completion processes in terms of various variables

In this study, the initiation and conclusion processes of incomplete stories by students at three different educational levels 5th and 8th grades in middle school, 9th and 12th grades in high school, and 1th and 4th years in university were examined. The impact of gender, age, and grade level variables on the initiation and conclusion processes was investigated. Research data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and content analysis, qualitative methods. The study was conducted in state schools in Tokat, with a total of 150 students, including 90 girls and 60 boys. Students' initiation processes for incomplete stories were evaluated from two perspectives: starting with story elements (time, place, character, and event) and starting styles (dramatic, stagnant/static, hopeful, and ambiguous). The process of students completing the story was evaluated unilaterally in terms of story conclusion styles (returning to the initial state, happy ending, hopeless tragic ending, tragic yet hopeful ending, continuation-possible ending, thought-provoking ending). During the examination of research data, an evaluation rubric consisting of categories for story initiation elements, story initiation and conclusion styles was prepared, and the data were analyzed according to this rubric. Subsequently, these findings were reanalyzed using chi-square analysis. The analysis aimed to determine the distribution of story initiation elements, initiation and conclusion styles concerning gender, age, and grade level variables and whether there was a significant difference between these variables and story initiation elements, initiation, and conclusion styles. The analysis revealed no significant difference between gender and story initiation elements and initiation styles, but a significant difference was found between gender and story conclusion styles, favoring a tragic yet hopeful ending. However, no significant difference was found in terms of age and grade level variables in all three categories: story initiation elements, initiation and conclusion styles. Keywords: Writing Skill, Story Completion, Story Initiation Elements, Story Initiation Styles, Story Conclusion Styles.