Gaps in College Student Reader Identity: Issues of Reading Self-determination and Reading Self-efficacy

ABSTRACT How a student perceives or identifies themselves as a reader is their reader identity. There is a dearth of research on college student reader identity. Using assignment artifacts as data, we conducted a narrative inquiry analysis seeking evidence of the students’ reading self-efficacy, reading self-determination, reading self-regulation, reading success, and reading competency as indicators of reader identity. We found the students expressed lower levels of reading self-efficacy, struggled with reading self-regulation, and lacked reading self-determination. We also found lower reading success levels and few reading competency indicators. Interpreting the results, we concluded that the students tended not to hold a reader identity and, therefore, typically do not embrace reading as part of their intrinsic desire to learn.