The increasing internationalization of Chinese higher education necessitates improved English for Academic Purposes (EAP) skills among students. English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP) courses are being introduced to supplement General English (GE), focusing on academic listening, writing, and referencing skills. This study employs Hutchinson and Waters’ (1987) Target Needs Analysis (TNA) framework, encompassing necessities, lacks, and wants, to examine students’ needs. The study also investigates the relationship between these needs and learners’ self-efficacy, a key predictor of academic performance. Unlike prior research focusing on specific skills within a single major, this study examines general EGAP needs and self-efficacy across various majors and their interrelationship to improve EGAP performance.

The literature review examines existing research on language learner needs, differentiating between perceived and felt needs, goal-oriented and process-oriented needs. It highlights the limitations of previous needs analyses that primarily relied on expert judgment rather than learner perspectives. The review then focuses on needs analysis in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and EGAP, discussing different approaches like Munby's Target-Situation Analysis (TSA) and Richterich and Chancerel's Present-Situation Analysis (PSA). Hutchinson and Waters' TNA framework, integrating necessities, lacks, and wants, is presented as a comprehensive approach. Finally, the review explores the connection between academic self-efficacy—an individual's belief in their ability to succeed—and learner needs, emphasizing the importance of understanding this relationship for improving academic performance. The review highlights the four sources of self-efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, and emotional/physiological states, and the role of goal setting in enhancing self-efficacy.

This study used a convenience sample of 1340 undergraduate students from four universities in Shandong Province, China. Participants included students from both key research-oriented and ordinary teaching-oriented universities, representing various majors (arts, science, engineering, medicine) and academic years (freshmen, sophomores). Data were collected through an online questionnaire comprising two parts: a demographic section and two scales. The Target Needs Analysis (TNA) scale measured necessities, lacks, and wants based on Hutchinson and Waters (1987) and Cai (2012), using a 5-point Likert scale. The Learner Academic Self-efficacy (LAS) scale measured self-efficacy across five dimensions (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and study skills), drawing on the BALEAP Can Do Framework (2013), Smith and Thondhlana (2015), and Cai (2012). Data analysis included exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), descriptive statistics, correlations, independent-sample t-tests, ANOVA, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the validity, reliability, and relationships between variables. The SEM model examined the relationships between the three dimensions of target needs (necessities, lacks, wants) and the five dimensions of self-efficacy (listening, speaking, reading, writing, study skills).

EFA and CFA confirmed the validity and reliability of the TNA and LAS scales. Descriptive analysis revealed high mean scores for all three dimensions of target needs (necessities, lacks, wants), exceeding the median of the 5-point Likert scale, indicating a strong perceived need for EGAP. However, self-efficacy scores were generally low, except for study skills. Correlations showed that necessities were positively correlated with wants and negatively correlated with lacks. All self-efficacy dimensions were positively correlated with each other. Necessities were positively associated with all self-efficacy dimensions, while lacks were negatively associated with all dimensions. Wants showed inconsistent relationships with self-efficacy dimensions, with a positive correlation only for study skills showing a large effect size. Independent samples t-tests and ANOVA revealed significant differences in target needs and self-efficacy based on gender, university type, and major. Female students scored higher on necessities and wants. Students from key universities scored significantly higher on all three target needs dimensions and study skills self-efficacy than students from ordinary universities. Medical students scored higher on lacks and wants but lower on self-efficacy in listening and writing. The SEM analysis showed that necessities positively predicted all dimensions of self-efficacy, while lacks negatively predicted all dimensions. Wants had inconsistent effects, positively predicting only speaking, reading, and study skills self-efficacy.

The findings highlight the substantial need for EGAP among Chinese university EFL learners, driven by the increasing internationalization of higher education and the need for academic English proficiency for further studies or employment. The discrepancy between high target needs and low self-efficacy points to a gap between students' aspirations and their current abilities. The differences in needs and self-efficacy between key and ordinary universities and across majors reflect variations in institutional context and subject-specific requirements. The positive association between necessities and self-efficacy suggests that a strong perceived need for EGAP can boost students' confidence. Conversely, the negative relationship between lacks and self-efficacy emphasizes the detrimental effect of perceived deficiencies on students’ self-beliefs. The inconsistent relationship between wants and self-efficacy requires further investigation, but the positive relationship with study skills suggests that learners' self-set goals can positively influence their confidence.

This study demonstrates a significant need for EGAP courses in Chinese universities, but also reveals low self-efficacy among learners. The findings highlight the importance of addressing both objective needs (necessities) and perceived deficiencies (lacks) to enhance self-efficacy. Future research should explore the causal relationship between target needs and self-efficacy more deeply, and investigate the factors affecting self-efficacy in specific contexts. Furthermore, the study's focus on a specific region in China necessitates further research encompassing a broader geographical representation.

The convenience sampling method used in this study limits its generalizability to other regions in China with varying levels of economic development and educational resources. The study's cross-sectional design prevents establishing a causal relationship between target needs and self-efficacy. Future research could employ longitudinal studies to address this limitation. The specific instruments used may also influence the results, and employing alternative measures might provide a more comprehensive understanding.