Linguistic Errors and Writing Challenges in Thesis Manuscripts of Undergraduate Agriculture Students

<p>The study identified and analyzed the common linguistic errors found in the thesis manuscripts of undergraduate students from Pangasinan State University, as well as the challenges they encountered during the thesis writing process. Employing a mixed-method research design, the study combined quantitative analysis of linguistic errors with qualitative insights into students’ writing experiences, thereby enhancing the rigor of the investigation. A total of twenty-nine undergraduate thesis manuscripts were analyzed using the Grammarly software, after which the identified errors were manually codified for accuracy. Findings revealed that the most frequent linguistic errors involved improper use of articles, followed by formatting errors, misuse of commas within clauses, subject–verb agreement errors, and incorrect noun number usage. Moreover, the study found that many students lacked confidence in writing their thesis manuscripts due to a weak foundation in research writing and limited knowledge of English grammar. Based on these findings, the study recommends a refresher course on thesis writing and the development of a comprehensive thesis writing manual to better support undergraduate students.</p>