WRITING IN CONTEXT: DEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS ON ACADEMIC WRITING PROFICIENCY AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Education

This study aimed to examine the academic writing proficiency of Senior High School students at Father Saturnino Urios College of Trento, Inc., with a specific focus on how selected demographic factors influence writing performance. Guided by the Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) model, Social Cognitive Theory, Constructivist Theory, and Halliday’s Functionalist Theory of Language, the research employed a descriptive-correlational design. A total of 70 students across various academic strands were selected using quota sampling. Data were collected through a validated Demographic Profile Questionnaire and a Standardized Essay Writing Assessment Tool adapted from the Transparent Academic Writing Rubric (TAWR), covering components such as grammar, citation, academic style, idea presentation, and mechanics. The findings revealed that students demonstrated moderate proficiency in areas such as academic writing style and idea presentation, but showed significant weaknesses in citation, abstract writing, and the use of multimodal elements like tables and figures. Statistical analysis showed no significant relationship between writing proficiency and fixed factors such as age, gender, or academic strand. However, socioeconomic status, parental educational attainment, English language proficiency, access to learning resources, parental involvement, and time management showed strong correlations with writing performance. The study concludes that contextual and environmental factors have a more substantial influence on students’ writing skills than personal demographics or academic track. The results highlight the need for a school-wide, inclusive, and process-based academic writing program that incorporates digital literacy, structured modeling, and equitable resource access. Such initiatives can bridge performance gaps and empower all students to become proficient academic writers.

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