THE JOURNAL OF ASIA TEFL Vol. 16, No. 3, Fall 2019, 1005-1012 http://dx.doi.org/10.18823/asiatefl.2019.16.3.17.1005 1005 The Journal of Asia TEFL http://journal.asiatefl.org/ e-ISSN 2466-1511 © 2004 AsiaTEFL.org. All rights reserved. Four-Factor Analysis of L2 Writers’ Emotional Experiences in the Various Stages of Research Writing in English Ma. Joahna Mante-Estacio De La Salle University-Manila, Philippines Jerome A. Ouano De La Salle University-Manila, Philippines Edna S. Miraflores De La Salle University-Manila, Philippines Introduction Academic Emotions In the classroom, learners are subject to what Goetz, Zirogibl, Pekrun, and Hall (2003) call “academic emotions” (p. 11). These academic emotions are also dependent on the nature of the tasks that need to be completed, whether the task is enjoyable or not, and on the expected task outcome, getting a good grade or not (Pekrun, Goetz, Titz, & Perry, 2002a, cited in Goetz et al., 2003). According to Goetz et al. (2003) academic emotions may also have a social or individual nature. The social nature of emotions is evident when learners feel that they are competing with other learners, while the individual nature is seen when learners feel disappointed about not meeting their personal goals. With the long hours spent by students attending classes and doing several activities, it can be said that academic emotions pervade the classroom (Pekrun & Stephens, 2010). Emotions can affect how learners absorb learning tasks and if these emotions, particularly the negative ones, are not managed appropriately or completely neglected, they could create anxiety towards learners’ school work (Dobson & Dobson, 1981, cited in Thayamani, Fathima, & Mohan, 2013). Students who may be experiencing emotional distress could feel helpless in handling their academic requirements. On the other hand, students who are generally feeling good about their life or simply enjoying a sense of well-being about themselves may handle their school work positivity and with confidence. How a learner feels will most likely influence how he/she thinks (Lawson, 2002), and could even determine if he/she continues or ends the learning process (Mendez Lopez, 2012). The feelings and emotions engendered in educational contexts are said to be a result of the evaluations learners make of particular situations while learning (Pekrun, 2000, cited in Mendez Lopez, 2011). These evaluations are influenced by previous experiences, the social context, and learners’ personal goals (Pekrun et al., 2002, cited in Goetz et al., 2003; Sansone & Thoman, 2005). Also, negative emotions of