A Quantitative Approach to Examining Academic Writing Errors Among EFL Undergraduates

Abstract

This study seeks to precisely identify and analyze common errors found in academic writing among undergraduate students. These errors might function as objective signals of writing problems at the tertiary education level in Jordan. This would enhance our knowledge of what shapes writing, and how might students develop in writing over time. This is the rationale for conducting this study. In Jordan, some undergraduate students face severe difficulty in conveying their ideas in writing; and this is a serious challenge in their writing classes. Therefore, the study intends to analyze and characterize the major writing obstacles experienced by Jordanian university students. The study sample comprises 35 undergraduate students registered in the English Department at a university in the northern part of Jordan in the academic year 2022, and have attended writing classes. In order to achieve the study's purpose, the researcher employed a quantitative approach to explore the various forms of writing mistakes. The needed data were gathered by adapting and designing a questionnaire as a tool for the study. The study's findings indicated that university students suffered from committing different errors in writing related to the lack of vocabulary, tense, mechanics of writing, relative clauses and articles. The study recommends taking advanced steps in developing writing curricula by concentrating on thought development, linguistic knowledge, and sensible and critical thinking. This study will undoubtedly enhance the current knowledge and catalyze extensive research on crucial aspects of academic writing.