Student and faculty perceptions of writing in a foreign language studies major

Writing occupies a central position in university foreign language studies programs, yet little is known about the nature of writing instruction in upper-division content courses. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data, this study, which was part of an internal program assessment, explores faculty and student perceptions of students’ writing abilities as well as students’ perceptions of the quality, focus, and components of writing instruction. Findings point to a lack of clarity in expectations and students’ uncertainty about the relationship between content and language in writing. In addition, contradicting reports of students’ writing abilities suggest that process-oriented instruction that incorporates faculty feedback supports and improves university students’ writing within the discipline. Suggestions for improving writing instruction and students’ outcomes are discussed in the context of previous scholarship on university curricula and faculty professional development.