Diagnosis of academic writing among electrical engineering teachers at a public university in Lima

Abstract

This research seeks to diagnose the current state of academic writing among first-year electrical engineering professors at a public university in Lima. The study is educational in nature; it is framed within the interpretive sociocritical paradigm, using a mixed (qualitative and quantitative) approach and a non-experimental design. The sample consists of six professors, 26 students, and the director of the School of Electrical Engineering. A survey technique is applied to students and teachers, as well as semi-structured interviews with the director and three professors. Six criteria were considered in the design of the instruments, which were validated by expert judgment: spelling and grammar, coherence, cohesion, textual composition, reliable sources, and APA standards. The data analysis detects deficiencies in the professors' writing and the presence of a negative attitude toward academic writing. It also shows that teachers give few suggestions to their students about academic writing and identifies that there is no educational proposal to correct these deficiencies.