HomePsychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journalvol. 49 no. 8 (2025)

Extent of Challenges in Learning Writing Skills Among Freshmen Students in a Private Higher Education Institution

Marc Anthony Jacob | Oceannee Tolentino | Zylene Villanoza | Loulie Michelle Dinglasan | Richelle Fernandez | Marijule Parungao

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

writing challenges, freshmen students, writing proficiency, L1 interference, instructional support, targeted intervention, academic literacy



References:

  1. American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
  2. Bacatan, J. R., Joven, A. M. A., Manulat, K. R., & Monredondo, M. B. (2025). Grammar gaps: An error analysis of grammar difficulties in academic writing among senior high school students. International Journal of Social Sciences and English Literature, 9(8), 9–18.
  3. Berkenkotter, C., Huckin, T. N., & Ackerman, J. (1995). Social context and socially constructed texts: The initiation of a graduate student into a writing research community. In Landmark essays on writing across the curriculum (pp. 22–37). Routledge.
  4. Budjalemba, A. S., & Listyani, L. (2020). Factors contributing to students' difficulties in academic writing class: Students' perceptions. Utamax: Journal of Ultimate Research and Trends in Education, 1(2), 89–102. https://doi.org/10.24071/uc.v1i2.2966
  5. Bulqiyah, S., Mahbub, M. A., & Nugraheni, D. A. (2021). Investigating writing difficulties in essay writing: Tertiary students' perspectives. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 4(1), 61–73.
  6. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
  7. Field, A. (2018). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
  8. Flower, L., & Hayes, J. R. (1981). A cognitive process theory of writing. College Composition and Communication, 32(4), 365–387.
  9. Jokhio, A. A., Raza, S. S., Younus, M., & Soomro, A. H. (2020). Teaching writing skills in university large classes in Pakistan: Issues, challenges and solutions. Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studies, 7(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.30762/jeels.v7i1.1355
  10. Lin, L. H. F., & Morison, B. (2021). Challenges in academic writing: Perspectives of engineering faculty and L2 postgraduate research students. English for Specific Purposes, 62, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2021.03.004
  11. Lobo, J. (2023). Students' challenges and barriers in the completion of an undergraduate thesis in the case of a premier local college in the Philippines. International Journal of Development and Social Humanities Studies, 6(1), 38–52. https://doi.org/10.33438/ijdshs.1230630
  12. Noori, A. (2020). An investigation of Afghan undergraduate English major students' academic writing difficulties. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 5(2), 99–114.
  13. Pallant, J. (2020). SPSS survival manual: A step-by-step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS (7th ed.). Routledge.
  14. Quiñones, T. F. (2023). A study on the in-depth knowledge of grammar among English major students at the University of Makati: Basis for worktext development. E-Journals Philippines.
  15. Rada, K. S. D. (2025). The syntactic analysis of the written outputs of the engineering students of Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges. Research and Analysis Journals, 8(4), 1–5.
  16. Robertson, S. M. C., Short, S. D., Sawyer, L., & Sweazy, S. (2020). Randomized controlled trial assessing the efficacy of expressive writing in reducing anxiety in first-year college students: The role of linguistic features. Journal of Health Psychology, 25(8), 1041–1065.
  17. Ruecker, T. (2021). Retention and persistence in writing programs: A survey of students repeating first-year writing. Composition Forum, 46.
  18. Saldo, J., Atonen, A. M., Ben-at, N., Sagang, A. J., & Pelila, J. R. (2025). English as a medium of instruction in Asia: Examining roles, opportunities and challenges, and effective practices. Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Development, 2(1).
  19. Senefrota, M. (2025). Academic practices in selected schools of Ormoc City Division. FCIC Insights, 3(1).
  20. Shah, R. N., Zeeshan, M., & Palwasha, B. (2025). Undergraduate research writing in higher education: Challenges and perspectives from Pakistan and beyond. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Studies, 3(3).
  21. Sionicio, J. B. (2025). Examining the impact of writing strategies in enhancing pre-service teachers' mathematical problem-solving skills. Journal of Progressive Pedagogy, 15(1), 756–768.
  22. Urago, A. (2016). Challenges of teaching writing skills in EFL classrooms: The case of two preparatory schools in Wolaita Zone (Unpublished master’s thesis). Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia.
  23. Wells, A. (2020). Writing confidence and self-identity: A phenomenological study of the lived experiences of first-year composition students that self-identify as "bad writers" Doctoral dissertation, Kennesaw State University]. Digital Commons @ Kennesaw State University.

William, B., Olamide, T., & Dami, F. (2025). The role of teacher competence and training in enhancing literacy proficiency in Philippine public schools.