Error Analysis in Academic Writing among Master Students of English

Abstract

This paper identified and analysed various types of writing errors performed by 23 English foreign language Master students, purposely, selected from the Department of English at the university of Ain-Temouchent, Algeria. During their second year of Master level, students are required to write and submit a thesis on a topic related to their field of study as partial fulfilment of the prerequisites for getting the Master’s degree.  Content analysis was employed to examine and analyze the students’ theses, and to elicit their feedback about the mistakes and errors committed during academic writing. The errors in the theses were identified and classified accordingly. The results of this study revealed that of the four common English language errors committed by the respondents were grammar, syntax, substance and lexis. Additionally, the current study shed light on the way in which students assumed the rules of English to that of their native language. Such insight is useful for both instructors and students because it provides significant information on the building blocks experienced by EFL learners in academic writing. Finally, the present study recommends that a thesis writing guide or writing handbook be prepared, with an abundance of examples, practice exercises and writing activities for instructors’ and students’ use.