An Investigation into the Challenges and Difficulties of Academic Writing: A Study of the Perceptions of Saudi Postgraduate Students Studying in the UK

Abstract

This research is an in-depth investigation of academic writing difficulties as perceived by Saudi postgraduate students who are studying different disciplines at the University of Sheffield in the UK. It also aims to investigate their perceptions regarding the contribution of their previous educational background in the KSA to these difficulties and the strategies they used to overcome them as master’s students. In line with the exploratory nature of this research, a qualitative methodology is employed in this study. The data for the study comes from two types of interviews: semi-structured interviews and talk-around text interviews. Ten interviews were conducted with five male and female master’s students. A thematic analysis approach was used to analyse the data. The findings revealed that Saudi master’s students faced 10 difficulties when writing their essays/ assignments for their courses. These difficulties include insufficient academic vocabulary, lack of disciplinary knowledge, problems with using sources, problems with L2 proficiency, understanding task requirements, writing in a direct and clear style, writing in a critical style, writing in an argumentative style, establishing cohesion and coherence, and receiving undetailed written feedback. The findings also indicated that several features of Saudi education largely contributed to these academic writing difficulties. The key features are rote learning and memorisation, passive learning and lack of argumentation, lack of L1 and L2 writing practices, and lack of academic preparation. The participants mentioned 11 coping strategies to overcome their academic writing difficulties. However, the key coping strategies are attending a pre-sessional course in the UK, imitating the writing style and structure of their academic communities, socialising with their L1 and L2 peers from inside and outside the classroom, and reading academic papers. This dissertation ends by presenting pedagogical implications for Saudi policymakers based on the findings of the study.