Academic writing during a pandemic: Using the writing meeting framework to develop self-efficacy.

Citation

Smith M, McLellan G, Murray R, Thow M & Hardy A (2021) Academic writing during a pandemic: Using the writing meeting framework to develop self-efficacy.. International SRHE Conference - (Re)connecting, (Re)building: Higher Education in Transformative Times, Virtual, 06.12.2021-10.12.2021.

Abstract
The pandemic brought new challenges to academics’ and researchers’ capacity regularly to produce quality writing, potentially impinging on their self-efficacy, the belief that they can achieve their writing goals. To address this challenge, we developed a Writing Meeting Framework (WMF), with embedded components of self-efficacy. The aim of this study was to determine if the WMF maintained writing self-efficacy for postgraduate students and Early Career Researchers during the COVID-19 pandemic. 70 participants completed baseline questionnaires, and 26 of those completed post-questionnaires. For those 26 participants, answers to seven of eleven questions showed significant improvements in self-efficacy: improved ability to set realistic and achievable writing goals when working on a specific project and increased confidence in completing their writing goals regularly. This study shows that the WMF can be of benefit when researchers’ self-efficacy in relation to their writing is challenged, as during the pandemic, and if maintained into the future.