An Investigation into the Proficiency in Academic WrittenLanguage: The Case of ThirdYear BA English Students at LaarbiTébessiUniversity -Tébessa

Abstract

Academic writing goes beyond being a mere skill; it functions as a means of engaging intellectually and fostering critical thinking. As a result, having expertise in academic writing is crucial for university students. This expertise not only facilitates the effective expression of ideas but also cultivates the ability to write academically, synthesize, and evaluate information. The main objective of this study is to reveal the academic writing proficiency and its extent among university students, specifically third year license English learners. The study adopted both the quantitative and qualitative research method. Quantitative explanation focuses on numerical data and measurable variables, while a qualitative explanation emphasizes descriptive, non-numerical insights and subjective analysis. Hence, a content analysis has been conducted to answer the research questions which are: 1) Do third year license English students possess the skills necessary to be proficient in their academic writings? And 2) To what extent do third year English learners write academically in their exam papers? The analysis of the students’ exam papers yielded several findings; first, a mixed level of proficiency among university students in academic writing, with strengths observed in areas such as objectivity, maintaining formal tone, and coherence, but weaknesses noted in clarity of ideas, adherence to grammar rules, formal language conventions, and spelling accuracy. Second, despite the mixed proficiency level, students' exam essays demonstrate a degree of proficiency in academic writing, encompassing key features such as objectivity, accuracy, coherence, and cohesion. Third, students exhibit varying levels of proficiency across different aspects of academic writing, including formality, accuracy, objectivity, coherence, and clarity, however, there are noticeable gaps in adhering to formal language conventions, grammatical precision, and spelling accuracy. Finally, these findings can be used as raw model for future research.