The challenge of academic writing for Chinese students within ...

version of the SBQ inventory – Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) – distinguished
three dimensions of study process as utilising, internalising and achieving (Biggs
1979). According to Biggs (1979) each dimensions incorporate a cognitive (strategic)
and affective (motivational) component. In other words, students‘ motives influence
their approaches to learning. The utilising factor stresses rote learning, memorization,
and reproduction of learning materials, with extrinsic motives such as pragmatic
reasons for learning (e.g. to obtain a better job), and avoiding failure; the internalising
factor emphasizes the understanding of the meaning by investigating inter-relations of
the learning materials, with intrinsic motives like personal satisfaction; and the
achieving factor highlights cognitive strategies of organizing study, managing time,
gathering sufficient learning materials and ensuring the completion of assignments,
with achieving motives as higher marks and excellence (Biggs, 1979). Apparently
there are correspondences between these three factors and characteristics of surface,
deep and strategic approaches to learning.
Based on the work by Pask (1976), Marton and Saljo (1976) and Biggs (1976),
Entwistle and his colleagues (1979) developed an inventory for evaluating students‘
approaches to learning. Over the years five version of the inventory have been
developed: the Approaches to Studying Inventory (ASI) (1981); the Course
Perception Questionnaire (CPQ) (1981); the Revised Approaches to Studying
Inventory (RASI) (1995); the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students
(ASSIST) (1997); and the Approaches to Learning and Studying Inventory (ALSI).
ASSIST, a 52-item inventory, describes approaches to learning as deep, strategic and
surface apathetic approaches. Meta-cognition and self-regulation are included in the
strategic approach. The characteristics of three approaches are summarized as:
Deep approach – seeking meaning, relating ideas, use of evidence, interest in
ideas and monitoring understanding
Strategic approach – organised studying, time management, alertness to
assessment demands, Achieving, and monitoring effectiveness
Surface apathetic approach – lack of purpose, unrelated memorising, syllabusbound
focus on minimum requirements, and fear of failure (ELT, 2005)
An evaluation of the ASSIST has confirmed the satisfactory results of reliability,
validity and internal consistency (ELT 2005; Coffield et al., 2004). Haggis (2003) has
81