A Case Study on Writing Difficulties of Five Chinese English Majors

Writing ability is an essential skill for college students to improve their school performance and complete their academic writing tasks. Proficient English writing skills are also highly advantageous for their future career prospects and personal growth. However, many English learners face difficulties in various aspects of English writing. The study investigated the writing difficulties encountered by five Chinese undergraduates majoring in English; and discussed the primary causes of these writing difficulties. The research instruments included two writing tasks and the retrospective interviews. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. The findings showed that their writing difficulties are mainly manifested in constructing writing content, coherence and cohesion, insufficient linguistic knowledge, difficulties in applying writing theories to writing practices, and difficulties caused by time constraints. The participants also shared their perspectives about the English writing courses, emphasizing the addition of more genres other than argumentative writing, actual writing practice over objective examinations, and the need for improvement of the textbooks.