Examining the relationship between middle school students' writing dispositions and their writing autonomy

Writing is the ability to transfer feelings and thoughts to the future within a plan within the framework of certain rules. Writing disposition is the predisposition to the act of writing, and writing autonomy is the ability of students to take responsibility for writing and manage the writing process, determine methods and techniques appropriate to the process, and develop and organize strategies. The aim of this study is to examine and explain the relationship between middle school students' writing dispositions and their writing autonomy. The population of the study consists of 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students at the middle school level in the 2023-2024 academic year. The sub-universe of the study consists of middle school students studying in four public schools in Kütahya city center in the 2023-2024 academic year. The sample of the study consists of 510 participants, 261 of whom are female and 249 of whom are male. Of these participants, 107 were 5th graders, 179 were 6th graders, 115 were 7th graders, and 109 were 8th graders. Participants were randomly selected. A correlational survey design, which is a quantitative research model, was used in the study. The data were analyzed using the "Writing Disposition Scale" developed by Piazza and Siebert (2008) and adapted into Turkish by İşeri and Ünal (2010) and the "Writing Autonomy Perception Scale" developed by Deniz (2018). While analyzing the data, participants' gender and grade level were used as variables. Analyses were carried out with the help of SPSS, LISREL and AMOS programs. In the analysis of the study data, firstly, in order to reveal the students' perceptions of writing disposition, statistics such as arithmetic mean and standard deviation of their responses to the Writing Disposition Scale and Writing Autonomy Perception scale were calculated. Then, it was examined whether students' writing dispositions and writing autonomy differed according to their grade levels and gender. Independent groups t-test was used in the comparisons made according to gender, and one-way variance (ANOVA) analysis was used in the comparisons made according to the grade level variable. The reliability of the measurement tools used in the study was analyzed by examining Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. The findings were interpreted by utilizing the literature. As a result of the study, a statistically significant mean difference was found between gender and writing autonomy and writing dispositions. When these differences were analyzed, it was seen that the level of writing autonomy of female participants was statistically significantly higher in terms of writing autonomy. In terms of writing dispositions, it was found that the writing disposition levels of female students were statistically significantly higher than male students. In terms of the writing autonomy dimension, it was determined that the writing autonomy levels of the participants at the 5th grade level were statistically significantly higher than those of the participants at the 6th grade level, 7th grade level and 8th grade level. For the writing dispositions dimension, it was found that the writing dispositions levels of the participants at the 5th grade level were statistically significantly higher than the participants at the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade levels. In addition, a statistically significant positive and average correlation relationship was found between writing autonomy and writing dispositions.