Critical Realism and Research on Students’ Self-efficacy Beliefs

This chapter explores what Critical Realism (CR) can bring to research on students’ self-efficacy beliefs in relation to academic writing and assessment genres. It follows from a quantitative investigation into students’ self-efficacy beliefs and understanding of writing and assessment genres, which found associations between students’ familiarity with assessment genres, confidence for academic writing, and course grades. The chapter presents new insights emerging from the analysis of interviews with international postgraduate students, particularly around students’ views of the differences between the types of assessment genres they had experienced prior to coming to the United Kingdom and the examination practices in their current degree programme, their own understanding, capability, or preparedness towards these assessment genres, and the impact this had on their self-efficacy beliefs, and their own agency in terms of seeking support.