A Mixed Methods Study on Writing Skills and Experiences of College Students

Social Sciences

Writing is an important skill that acts as a foundation in shaping the academic, professional, and personal success of students. However, there are students who understand the mechanics of writing, but sometimes fail to connect with its deeper purpose such as the expression of thought, meaning, and intent beyond mere words. Several existing studies in larger institutions focus on wider problems related to writing, such as syntax, grammar and mechanics. These are all important aspects in evaluating writing proficiency, however, such studies often fail to address the unique educational backgrounds of using the English language that shapes the writing experiences of students with various backgrounds and school environments. This study aimed to investigate the elements, that is the experiences, difficulties, coping mechanisms, and insights of students using a mixed methods approach, a methodology that integrates both quantitative and qualitative research. Findings emphasize integrating the unique educational and language setting of ACN students, devise more individual-oriented instruction, and take note of the particular difficulties that learners from different educational institutions experience. The findings also revealed that students face challenges such as limited vocabulary, grammar issues, and lack of confidence that hinder their writing performance in school. These results highlight the importance of improving both the technical and emotional aspects of writing development of the students. Enhancing writing skills is a shared responsibility of teachers, organizations, and learners. Allocating resources to enable students to face the challenges and emerge as proficient writers assisted by the right environment and the encouraged proper approach to teaching first-year students. Further research should delve deep into the modern approaches and remedial programs aimed at enhancing effective instructional practices in writing to improve them further.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.