Acquiring writing revision skill: Shifting from process to outcome self-regulatory goals

Eighty-four high school girls practiced combining a series of kernel sentences into a single nonredundant sentence. The outcome goal focused on minimizing the number of words in the combined sentence, whereas process goal emphasized a 3-step method for combining kernel sentences. It was found that girls who shifted goals sequentially from process to outcome goals surpassed classmates who adhered to only process goals who, in turn, exceeded classmates using only outcome goals in posttest writing revision skill, self-reactions, self-efficacy perceptions, and intrinsic interest in this skill. Attributions of deficient performance to strategy choice was positively correlated with self-reactions, self-efficacy beliefs, and intrinsic interest whereas attributions to ability or effort were negatively correlated with these measures. Self-recording enhanced writing skill, self-efficacy, and self-reaction beliefs significantly.