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Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria
Open accessAbstract
This study investigated the influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety among doctoral students in library and information science (LIS) programmes across six universities in Southwest Nigeria. Adopting a survey research design, the study employed a structured and validated questionnaire to collect data from a census population of 375 MPhil/PhD. and PhD students. The instrument measured thesis writing anxiety through cognitive, somatic, and avoidance dimensions, and assessed mastery and vicarious experiences as sub-constructs of selfefficacy. In all, 315 copies of questionnaire were retrieved, accounting for 84.0% response rate. Data were analyzed with both descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (regression analysis) using SPSS statistical software. Findings revealed that doctoral LIS students rarely experienced thesis writing anxiety, with cognitive anxiety being the most frequently experienced subcomponent. The results further showed a high level of mastery and vicarious experiences among doctoral students. Study findings further revealed that both mastery and vicarious experiences significantly influenced thesis writing anxiety individually and jointly, with mastery experience exerting a slightly stronger negative influence. These findings underscore the importance of enhancing doctoral students’ self-efficacy through targeted interventions to mitigate writing-related anxiety. The study recommends institutional support for structured mentorship, peer modelling, and self-regulated learning strategies to foster academic resilience among doctoral candidates.
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TL;DR
This survey of 315 doctoral library and information science (LIS) students across six universities in Southwest Nigeria found that thesis writing anxiety was rarely experienced (overall mean 2.17 on a 4-point scale), with cognitive anxiety the most frequent sub-dimension. Mastery experience significantly reduced anxiety, while vicarious experience had no significant individual effect and a significant positive effect in the composite model.
Key findings
- Thesis writing anxiety was rarely experienced overall (Mean = 2.17, SD = 0.90); cognitive anxiety was highest (Mean = 2.32, SD = 0.91), followed by somatic (Mean = 2.11, SD = 0.87) and avoidance behaviour (Mean = 2.09, SD = 0.88).
- Mastery experience was high (average mean = 3.24) and vicarious experience was high (average mean = 3.36, highest item 3.40 for learning from other researchers).
- Mastery experience significantly negatively influenced anxiety (β = −0.214, t = −3.870, p = 0.000; R² = 0.046; F = 14.975, p = 0.000).
- Vicarious experience alone was non-significant (β = −0.065, t = −1.156, p = 0.249; R² = 0.0046; F = 1.335, p = 0.249), but the composite model was significant (F(2, 312) = 11.462, p < 0.001, R² = 0.068), with mastery negative (β = −0.391, t = −4.637, p < 0.001) and vicarious positive (β = 0.233, t = 2.762, p = 0.006).
Methods
- Survey research design using a structured, validated questionnaire; total enumeration (census) of 375 MPhil/PhD and PhD LIS students across six public and private universities in Southwest Nigeria; 315 questionnaires retrieved (84.0% response rate).
- Instrument: Section A demographics; Section B thesis writing anxiety via a modified Cheng (2004) Writing Anxiety Scale (cognitive, somatic, avoidance) on a 4-point scale; Section C self-efficacy adapted from Kabir and Rabby (2023), 20 items across four sub-constructs, on a 4-point scale.
- Validity by expert review at Olabisi Onabanjo University; pre-test with 39 LIS doctoral students from University of Ilorin and Kwara State University; Cronbach's alphas 0.932 (anxiety), 0.906 (mastery), 0.885 (vicarious). Analysis in SPSS v23 using descriptive statistics and regression at 0.05 significance.
Limitations
- The paper contains no explicit limitations section; none are stated.
- Evident from the text: the design is cross-sectional and self-report, and the regression models explain little variance (R² = 0.046 for mastery, 0.0046 for vicarious, 0.068 composite), so effect sizes are small.
- Evident from the text: the census is confined to LIS doctoral students in Southwest Nigeria, limiting generalizability; and the abstract's claim that vicarious experience significantly influenced anxiety individually conflicts with the reported non-significant individual regression result (p = 0.249).
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Claims the paper makes
16 Own result · 12 Sources not found · 7 Own interpretation · 4 Own method · 3 Not checked yet
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Table 3 revealed that the level of mastery experience among doctoral LIS students in Southwest Nigeria was high, with an average mean of 3.24 and standard deviations ranging between 0.56 and 0.63.”
- Also stated in: § Discussion · plain
“Regarding mastery experience, the results reveal a high level of self-efficacy among doctoral LIS students, who frequently draw upon past academic experiences and apply familiar skills to build confidence during thesis writing.”
§ Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria > Research question two:
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- Also stated in: § Discussion · plain
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Study findings further revealed that both mastery and vicarious experiences significantly influenced thesis writing anxiety individually and jointly, with mastery experience exerting a slightly stronger negative influence.”
§ Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria > Abstract
plainstates a cause- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The model was statistically significant, F(2, 312) = 11.462,p < 0.001, with an R² of 0.068, indicating that the predictors jointly explained 6.8% of the variance in thesis writing anxiety.”
§ Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria > Hypothesis three:
hedgedstates an association- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“Study findings further revealed that both mastery and vicarious experiences significantly influenced thesis writing anxiety individually and jointly, with mastery experience exerting a slightly stronger negative influence.”
§ Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria > Abstract
plainstates a cause- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: passes — The paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
A result the paper reports from its own data — it cites no other source for it, so there is none to check. The quote shows it is in the paper.
In the paper
“The results further showed a high level of mastery and vicarious experiences among doctoral students.”
§ Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria > Abstract
plain- Asserted: passes — The authors put it forward as true.
- Checkable: passes — It can be checked against evidence.
- Load-bearing: unclear — It is unclear whether the paper’s conclusions depend on it.
- Based: passes — The paper gives a reason why it holds.
- The quote only partly states this claim. 4
- It may state two separate claims as one. 9
- Probably not a substantial claim. 8
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Statistics recomputed
Every reported test result, recomputed from its test statistic and degrees of freedom. A result shows as not adding up only once an independent check has confirmed it.
- ConsistentF(2, 312) = 11.462reported p < .001 · recomputed p < .001
“F(2, 312) = 11.462,p < .001”
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.
Rated major: it would touch a result — a value a result rests on, reported and recomputed p-values on opposite sides of the significance level, two passages that conflict with no sign which is right, or a cited work retracted before this paper was published.
In the paper
§ Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria > Abstract
“Study findings further revealed that both mastery and vicarious experiences significantly influenced thesis writing anxiety individually and jointly, with mastery experience exerting a slightly stronger negative influence.”
§ Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria > Hypothesis two:
“Table 6 indicates that vicarious experience does not significantly influence thesis writing anxiety among LIS doctoral students in Southwest Nigeria (β = -0.065,t = -1.156,p = 0.249).”
Rated minor: it would not touch a result — a value no result rests on, a p-value that stays on the same side of the significance level, or a conflict that is clerical, resolved elsewhere in the paper, or outside its own findings.
In the paper
“60 years or more 15 3.8 Total 315 100”
§ Influence of mastery and vicarious experiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral students in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria > Results
Reported 3.8 · recomputed 4.761905
Citations
Cites
Self-Efficacy: An Essential Motive to Learn
Zimmerman, B. J. (2000) · Contemporary Educational Psychology · doi:10.1006/ceps.1999.1016 · Cited by 4,294
The effect of occupational self-efficacy on work performance through intrinsic work motivation
Çetin, F., & Aşkun, D. (2018) · Management Research Review · doi:10.1108/mrr-03-2017-0062 · Cited by 319
Exploring Writing Anxiety and Self-Efficacy among EFL Graduate Students in Taiwan
Ho, M.-C. (2015) · Higher Education Studies · doi:10.5539/hes.v6n1p24 · Cited by 66
Hampel, N., Sassenberg, K., Scholl, A., & Ditrich, L. (2023) · Behaviour and Information Technology · doi:10.1080/0144929x.2022.2162436 · Cited by 52
The Relationship Between Research Anxiety and Self-Efficacy
Razavi, S., Shahrabi, A., & Siamian, H. (2017) · Materia Socio Medica · doi:10.5455/msm.2017.29.247-250 · Cited by 42
Pravita, A. R., & Kuswandono, P. (2022) · JEELS (Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studies) · doi:10.30762/jeels.v9i1.4010 · Cited by 16
Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Teaching Cost Accounting
Kwarteng, J. T., & Sappor, P. (2021) · Education Research International · doi:10.1155/2021/9140161 · Cited by 15
Effect of Academic Self-Efficacy on Students’ Thesis Writing Resilience
Sasferi, N. (2022) · Tarbawi Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan · doi:10.32939/tarbawi.v18i1.1689 · Cited by 4
Exploring Anxiety and Self-Efficacy in Writing: a Case of an English Preparatory Program
Göncü, S., & Mede, E. (2022) · Journal of English Studies · doi:10.18172/jes.4746 · Cited by 3
Vleeschauwer, J. D. (2023) · European Journal of English Language Studies · doi:10.12973/ejels.3.1.23
Research works printed but not linked: 13
- Olayinka Buraimo, Yemisi T. Babalola and Yacob Haliso: Influence of mastery and vicarious eperiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral studnets in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria Journal of Library Services and Technologies, Volume 7, Number 3, September 2025
- Göncü, S., & Mede, E. (2022). Exploring anxiety and self-efficacy in writing: A case of an English preparatory program. Journal of English Studies, 20, 137-159. https://doi. org/10.18172/jes.4746. · DOI · Paper page
- Kabir, E. B., & Rabby, S. K. M. A. H. (2023). Self-efficacy as a predictor of cyberloafing: The role of mastery experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and physiological states. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 4(6), 1691-1701.
- Khairah, H. U., & Fatimah, S. (2022). Students' writing anxiety levels, types, and causes in writing undergraduate thesis proposal: A study at English Language and Literature Department. Journal of English Language Teaching, 11(2), 272-285. https://doi.org/10.24036/ jelt.v11i2.117430. · DOI
- Kwarteng, J. T., & Sappor, P. D. (2021). Preservice teachers' self-efficacy in teaching cost accounting. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 5(11), 459-464. https://www.researchgate.net/publica tion/356582529.
- Marselina, D. F., Arumsari, C., & Sulistiana, D. (2023). The relationship between self-efficacy and adolescent academic anxiety. Psikoeduko: Journal of Guidance and Counseling, 3(2), 39-46. https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/Ps ikoeduko/article/view/55523.
- Olayinka Buraimo, Yemisi T. Babalola and Yacob Haliso: Influence of mastery and vicarious eperiences on thesis writing anxiety of doctoral studnets in library and information science, Southwest Nigeria Journal of Library Services and Technologies, Volume 7, Number 3, September 2025 selected Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology students: Basis in the development of motivation-induced research program. International Journal of Advanced Research, 8(8), 508-513. https://www.journalijar.com/upload s/5f31d9b183550_IJAR-32650.pdf.
- Olodude, I. I., Anuodo, A. O., & Owoeye, O. M. (2020). Self-efficacy as a determinant of academic resilience among postgraduate students. Ife Social Sciences Review, 28(1), 120- 129.
- Rezaei, M., & Zamani-Miandashti, N. (2013). The relationship between research self-efficacy, research anxiety and attitude toward research: A study of agricultural graduate students. Journal of Educational and Instructional Studies in the World, 3(4), 69-80.
- Stewart, G., Seifert, T. A., & Rolheiser, C. (2015). Anxiety and self-efficacy's relationship with undergraduate students' perceptions of the use of metacognitive writing strategies. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 6(1), Article 4. https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotl- rcacea.2015.1.41`-19. · DOI
- Wardani, F. R. W. (2021). A comparative study between Indonesian undergraduate and graduate students' perceived anxiety and self-efficacy in critical writing. Magister Scientiae, 49(2), 90-104.
- Wardani, F. R. W. (2021). A comparative study between Indonesian undergraduate and graduate students' perceived anxiety and self-efficacy in critical writing. Magister Scientiae, 49(2), 90-104.
- Wu, D., & Buripakdi, A. (2022). Narratives of EFL postgraduate thesis writing at a university in Thailand. Journal of Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(1), 495-523.
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Metadata
- Authors
- Buraimo, O., Babalola, Y. T., & Haliso, Y.
- Affiliations
- Olabisi Onabanjo University (NG)
- Babcock University (NG)
- Venue
- Journal of Library Services and Technologies
- Publisher
- Credence Publishing
- Published
- 2025
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 3
- ISSN
- 2616-1354 (ISSN-L)
- 2636-7424
- OpenAlex
- W7084620955
- Cited by
- 0
- References
- 2
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Library Services and Technologies (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Doctoral Education Challenges and Solutions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Student Stress and Coping
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies
- Keywords
- mastery experiences, vicarious experience, self-efficacy, doctoral students, library and information science education, cognitive anxiety, somatic anxiety, academic resilience, mentoring, peer modeling, student self-regulation
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