Fear of Writing and Motivation to Write among Engineering Undergraduates

Writing is difficult and takes motivation to succeed. Despite the increased requirement for English writing skills, many ESL engineering students fear and struggle with it. Lack of motivation to write might further hinder students' writing development. Writers need motivation to express themselves, communicate meaningfully, and fascinate their audience. This research examines learners' perspectives of their writing fear and motivation, as well as the link between the two. A purposive sample of 41 participants replied to the survey. A 5 Likert-scale survey was adapted based on SLWAI and SRW-Writing Motivation questionnaires. Results showed that students usually experience somatic symptoms and value English writing. Their desire to do well academically and satisfaction in their accomplishments show controlled motivation. The correlation analysis indicates a modest positive association between the fear of writing and the motivation to write. Further research could explore potential interventions aimed at alleviating anxiety and reducing students' fear towards writing.