This qualitative-dominant mixed study used content analysis, interviews, and survey to examine if first-year university undergraduates taking English language academic writing courses consider prior knowledge from hig...This qualitative-dominant mixed study used content analysis, interviews, and survey to examine if first-year university undergraduates taking English language academic writing courses consider prior knowledge from high school English language five-paragraph essay writing style helpful. Sample included 67 first year university undergraduates. All the 67 students considered prior knowledge of the high school five-paragraph essay writing style helpful. They believed that it facilitated a transfer of learning in the first-year university undergraduate academic writing course. However, only 15 out of the respondents, who reported that prior knowledge of the high school English language five-paragraph essay writing style was helpful, also reported that they are level-appropriate competent in the first-year university undergraduate English language academic writing courses after one academic year. As such, essay-writing in high school offers students some foundation-knowledge to succeed in academic writing in universities. Further findings showed that students often delve into essay or academic writing without proper planning. Thus, it is recommended that universities introduce a bridge course specifically to address academic deficiency in reading and writing for all first year undergraduates upon admission into the university.展开更多
文摘This qualitative-dominant mixed study used content analysis, interviews, and survey to examine if first-year university undergraduates taking English language academic writing courses consider prior knowledge from high school English language five-paragraph essay writing style helpful. Sample included 67 first year university undergraduates. All the 67 students considered prior knowledge of the high school five-paragraph essay writing style helpful. They believed that it facilitated a transfer of learning in the first-year university undergraduate academic writing course. However, only 15 out of the respondents, who reported that prior knowledge of the high school English language five-paragraph essay writing style was helpful, also reported that they are level-appropriate competent in the first-year university undergraduate English language academic writing courses after one academic year. As such, essay-writing in high school offers students some foundation-knowledge to succeed in academic writing in universities. Further findings showed that students often delve into essay or academic writing without proper planning. Thus, it is recommended that universities introduce a bridge course specifically to address academic deficiency in reading and writing for all first year undergraduates upon admission into the university.
