CORPUS-BASED ANALYSIS OF ERRORS COMMITTED BY FIRST YEAR TANZANIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN ACADEMIC WRITING: CASES FROM UDSM, SUA AND TUICO
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Date
2014-12
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Journal of Linguistics and Language in Education
Abstract
The study looked into errors committed by first year university students in three universities in Tanzania. While errors can be indicative of a developmental stage in the learning of a second language, in Tanzania formal English language learning culminates at the secondary school level, and for some at the university level. For many, at the University level a related subject is Communication Skills. As such one would expect students at this level to learn advanced communication skills. Students’ essays were analyzed and errors identified, and then discussed. The findings show that, besides errors in writing skills in terms of the mechanics and logic, there were many other types of errors from improperly learnt structures, language transfer and unclear expression. It is suggested here that something needs to be done with regard to the content of curricular and pedagogical processes both in secondary and tertiary education. Since the errors made were from first year university students, they must have their origins in secondary and primary schools where they had come from. We are of the view that when students come to the university they should be subjected to screening to identify their communication skills problems.
Description
This article discusses errors made by students in three Tanzanian universities. The authors classify the errors into writing mechanics, logic, grammar, language transfer, and unclear expression.
Keywords
errors, language transfer, fuzzy expression, education