Effects of Ethnicity in Attitudes toward Writing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of ethnicity (as culture) on attitudes toward writing of students in Grades 4 to 8. A 19-item survey was administered to 1798 students in Grades 4 to 8 in ten schools in three school districts. There was no significant effect of ethnicity on the Total score, but there were significant main effects for grade and for gender and a significant interaction only for ethnicity by grade. Follow-up of significant main effects using Scheffé tests indicated that older students have higher scores than younger ones, suggesting their attitudes are less positive and girls have lower scores than boys, indicating their attitudes are more positive. The interaction of ethnicity by grade points to a pattern of Anglo-American and Hispanic students having higher (less positive) scores at each grade. This pattern is similar for black and Asian students, but in Grade 7 black and Asian students have lower scores than those in Grade 6. Competing hypotheses to explain the main effects are discussed. Results of analyses of the three factors reported in the development of this instrument in addition to the analysis of the total score are also discussed.