Factors Influencing Students’ Performance in Second Language Writing Skills

Abstract

The ability to articulate ideas, convey information, and engage stakeholders through written mediums has become a vital competency. This study delves into the Factors influencing Engineering students’ performance in second language writing skills at two private higher education institutions. The research aims to analyze the issues surrounding students’ writing skills comprehensively. To conduct this investigation, a quantitative methodology was employed. A sample of 247 students was randomly selected, and their opinions were gathered through a survey questionnaire. The findings of the research revealed that the majority of the students struggle to master the art of effective writing. The results show that the majority of students exhibited poor writing performance because of the errors that occurred such as: prepositions, articles, spelling, concord, verb tense, word choice, structure, organization, omission, repetition and cohesion. To enhance their writing skills, students need more chances to practice writing in structured ways. Activities that require crafting complete sentences, experimenting with sentence variation, and incorporating fresh vocabulary will help. In addition, constructive feedback is crucial for pinpointing mistakes and offering strategies for improvement, guiding students toward more polished writing. Reading and writing are deeply connected, so teachers shold increase students' exposure to diverse reading materials which will help them better understand grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary.