Research article | Open Access
International Journal of Language and Education Research 2025, Vol. 7(3) 68-96
The Factors Affecting Writing Skills to Non-Degree Students in Higher Learning with References from University of Iringa
pp. 68 - 96
Publish Date: December 31, 2025 | Single/Total View: 4/3 | Single/Total Download: 4/3
Abstract
This study assesses the factors that affect certificate students at the University of Iringa in acquiring writing skills. The study employed case study under qualitative approach to data collection, whereby open-ended questionnaires in the form of free comprehension writing were used to collect data. The purposive sampling technique helped to select ninety respondents from the class of communication skills combining certificate students from community, journalism, and tourism. The content analysis was used to analyse the collected data.The finding revealed that several students were facing difficulties with writing skills caused by grammatical problems, including misuse of subject-verb agreement, tenses, prepositions, and spelling errors. Sentences’ structural construction were found to be a challenge to non-degree students; hence, their essays’ paragraphs were composed with rambling and fragmented sentences. For examle period, was used to punctuate fragment sentences as complete sentences; semicolon was misused interchangeably with the colon, and hyphen was used to punctuate even word that does not require the use of hyphen. Lastly, students faced difficulties on utilizing their cognitive, and creative thinking in the writing process due to lack of English language proficiency. These problems affected the quality and credibility of students’ essays. Some students’ messages presented were found to be choppy, lacking proper flow of argument, leading to miscommunication and between the student and reader. The ineffective written works were found to be among the sources of lowering students’ grades and performances. Generally, the study recommends that creative writing skills should be introduced as independent course at the primary and secondary levels to enhance effective application of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains in writing . This will enable learners to be equipped with writing skills from the elementary level of learning.
Keywords: writting, academic writing, writing skills, language, language competence
APA 7th edition
Chaula, N. (2025). The Factors Affecting Writing Skills to Non-Degree Students in Higher Learning with References from University of Iringa. International Journal of Language and Education Research, 7(3), 68-96.
Harvard
Chaula, N. (2025). The Factors Affecting Writing Skills to Non-Degree Students in Higher Learning with References from University of Iringa. International Journal of Language and Education Research, 7(3), pp. 68-96.
Chicago 16th edition
Chaula, Neema (2025). "The Factors Affecting Writing Skills to Non-Degree Students in Higher Learning with References from University of Iringa". International Journal of Language and Education Research 7 (3):68-96.
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