Exploring Third Year Students’ Writing at Ibn Khaldoun University of Tiaret Using a Text Linguistic Approach

Abstract

As a characteristic unique to humans, language serves as a fundamental tool for communication. The language enables thought expression, emotion showing, and engagement with the other. Among the four language skills, writing holds paramount significance and considered as the most challenging to be developed. To deliver effective writing, one must not only be technically efficient but also efficient in terms of reader engagement and message conveyance. Different approaches were adopted to explore the different challenges the efficient writing presents among which is the text linguistic approach. As such, the present study opted for text analysis following a text linguistic approach involving evaluation of the seven textuality standards in the prime aim of identifying the standards that are the most challenging. To reach this aim, the study was conducted with Third-year student at IbnKhaldoun University and analyzed their written productions for the literature course. A qualitative and quantitative textual analysis of the textuality seven standards were performed and results were interpreted and discussed in relation with the advanced research questions. Results highlighted intertextuality as the most problematic immediately followed by cohesion, coherence, intentionality and informativeness. Therefore, in writing instruction, it is highly recommended to place more emphasis on the highlighted areas if more efficient student writing is to be reached.