Examining Writing Styles in EFL Contexts: A Systematic Litearture Review

PROPOSAL

Presented to:

State Islamic Institute of Kediri

In Partial Fullfilment of Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana in English Educations

Created by:

Silviana Safitri (22202012)

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF TARBIYAH

STATE ISLAMIC INSTITUTE OF KEDIRI

2024

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 INTRODUCTION

A. Research Background

Writing is one of the basic abilities to be acquired in EFL education, which

requires an integrated set of linguistic knowledge, cognitive capability, and cultural
awareness. Writing is one of the four English skills that is used to deliver ideas,
opinions, thoughts and feelinfs in written form (Indrawati & Uzer, 2021). In the
context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning, writing is often considered
the most challenging skill for students to master (Anh & Ngoc.; Arochman et al.,
2024; Chen, 2022; Pardede, 2024). Writing also crucial skill that will benefit the rest
of the students’ lives (Moses & Mohamad, 2019). For most EFL learners, writing in
English often turns out to be a highly complicated task because mastery of grammar,
vocabulary, and coherence has to be developed, taking into consideration the
interference from a mother tongue and a cultural background. (Toba et al., 2019)
stated that writing in English often turns out to be a highly complicated task because
mastery of grammar, vocabulary, and coherence has to be developed. All of these
factors turn the study of writing styles into an important area of academic
investigation.

In recent years, there has grown more interest in understanding how writing styles
are developed among EFL learners. The style of writing may pertain to diverse
aspects such as structure, tone, and purpose, which are often dictated by educational
practices, individual preferences, and socio-cultural context. These styles have been
studied by researchers to identify prevalent problems, successful teaching methods,
and how technology might improve EFL writing abilities.

Although significant progress has been made in understanding writing styles

among EFL learners, existing studies primarily focus on specific elements such as
structure, tone, and purpose, often limited to general teaching methods or the
integration of technology. However, there remains a lack of systematic synthesis that
critically reviews and consolidates these findings to uncover overarching trends and
gaps in the field. Furthermore, while individual studies address particular challenges

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 and strategies, there is insufficient emphasis on developing innovative and
contextually appropriate teaching approaches for diverse EFL classrooms. This gap
highlights the need for a comprehensive systematic literature review (SLR) that
synthesizes existing research to inform more effective, localized, and practical
teaching methods for enhancing writing skills among EFL learners.

B. Research Question

1. What are the predominant writing styles observed among EFL learners, and how
do they vary based on individual and cultural factors?
2. What challenges do EFL students encounter in developing their writing skills,
particularly regarding grammar, vocabulary, and coherence?

C. Research Objectives

1. To identify and analyze the predominant writing styles observed among EFL
learners, with a focus on how these styles vary according to individual and
cultural factors.
2. To explore the challenges faced by EFL students in developing their writing skills,
particularly concerning grammar, vocabulary, and coherence.

D. Research Significance

The research significance of this study lies in its potential to contribute

valuable insights to both theory and practice in the field of EFL education. By
analyzing predominant writing styles among EFL learners and exploring the
challenges they face, particularly regarding grammar, vocabulary, and coherence, this
research can deepen our understanding of the specific needs and difficulties
encountered by learners in developing writing proficiency.
The findings can inform the development of more effective, contextually
appropriate teaching strategies and methods that address these challenges.
Additionally, this study can highlight the impact of individual and cultural factors on
writing styles, providing educators with a more nuanced approach to teaching writing.
The research also fills a gap in the literature by offering a comprehensive synthesis of

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 existing studies on EFL writing styles and challenges, ultimately guiding future
research and practices in language education.

E. Definition of Key Term

Here are the definiton of key term that is exist in this reasearch:
a. Systematic Literature Review (SLR): A research method used to collect, evaluate,
and synthesize existing studies on a particular topic in a systematic, transparent,
and replicable way. SLR aims to provide an overview of the current state of
knowledge, identify trends, gaps, and inconsistencies, and highlight areas for
future research.
b. Writing Styles: The characteristic ways in which EFL learners approach writing,
influenced by factors such as their educational background, cultural context, and
personal preferences. In an SLR context, writing styles are identified through a
review of existing studies that explore how learners' writing varies in structure,
tone, and purpose.
c. EFL (English as a Foreign Language): Refers to the teaching and learning of
English in non-English-speaking countries or settings, where English is not the
native language. This term is used within the SLR to describe the context in which
writing skills are developed by non-native English speakers.
d. Grammar: The set of rules that govern the structure of sentences in a language,
including word order, verb tenses, and the agreement between subjects and verbs.
In the context of this SLR, grammar is a key factor influencing the writing
difficulties of EFL learners, and various studies will be reviewed to understand
common challenges faced.
e. Vocabulary: The range of words a learner knows and uses in writing. In this SLR,
vocabulary challenges are explored to understand how limitations in vocabulary
affect writing proficiency and coherence in EFL learners’ written outputs.
f. Cultural Factors: Elements such as beliefs, values, and practices that shape how
EFL learners approach writing tasks. Cultural differences can influence aspects
such as the structure, tone, and argumentation in writing, which are explored
through the synthesis of existing studies in the SLR.

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 Literature Review

The English language plays a crucial role as a medium language for people
around the world (Suraprajit, 2021). In line with Zou (2014) argue that English is
widespreadly used as the uncontested lingua franca. It bridges communication gaps
across the societes and attend as a worldwide tool for acessing knowledge and
opportunities. Considering the four primary language skills; listening, speaking,
reading, and writing stands out as an crucial competence for students internationally.
However, writing in English is often considered to be one of the most challenging in
language skills. For non-native English speakers, mastering these competencies is
further complicated. In relation to the (Lin et al., 2018) opinion that English business
writing is an important and challenging course for English as Foreign Language
(EFL) students since it is not only related to English writing skills, but also to
business knowledge. Related to this challenge of compartmentalization is the issue
that students often fail to see the relevance of stand-alone modules that teach
scientific communication and writing skills (Rootman-le Grange & Retief, 2018).
Moreover, writing is considered a difficult skill, particularly in English as a second
language (ESL) contexts where students face many challenges in writing (Baharudin
et al., 2023; Fareed et al., 2016; Moses & Mohamad, 2019; Nasser, n.d.).

In order to improve writing quality, understanding as well as developing

writing methods for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students has received a lot
of scholarly attention. Studies in this field emphasize approach such as social
strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective straegies, cognitive strategies,
compensation strategies, and memory strategies (Agustin et al., 2021). During these
strategies have proven effective to improve the performance of writing in EFL
students which is study in the English language, such as those majoring in English or
admit in intensive language courses.

In contrast, little did we know about the difficulties non-English major

students experienced (Arihasta, 2023; Yuan, 2023; Zou, 2014). Dissimilar with
students who were study in English major, these students deal with various issues, the
most common trouble is in the use of appropriate grammar (Gao, 2024; Nasser, 2016;

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 Nuruzzaman et al., 2018). Nasser (2016) and Yuan (2023) also state that writing
anxiety is additionally among the most common challenges.

Research Method

A. Research Design

This study employs a qualitative systematic literature review (SLR) design to

examine writing styles in EFL contexts. The Although significant progress has been
made in understanding writing styles among EFL learners, existing studies primarily
focus on specific elements such as structure, tone, and purpose, often limited to
general teaching methods or the integration of technology. However, there remains a
lack of systematic synthesis that critically reviews and consolidates these findings to
uncover overarching trends and gaps in the field. Furthermore, while individual
studies address particular challenges and strategies, there is insufficient emphasis on
developing innovative and contextually appropriate teaching approaches for diverse
EFL classrooms. This gap highlights the need for a comprehensive systematic
literature review (SLR) that synthesizes existing research to inform more effective,
localized, and practical teaching methods for enhancing writing skills among EFL
learners. approach is chosen because it allows for a comprehensive and structured
synthesis of existing research, identifying patterns, gaps, and trends in the field. This
research is exploratory and descriptive in nature, aiming to consolidate insights from
previous studies rather than testing hypotheses or generating primary data.

B. Data Sources

The data sources for this study are derived from secondary data, specifically
scholarly articles, journals, conference papers, and other academic publications
related to writing styles among EFL learners. These sources are selected based on
their relevance to the research questions, publication within the past ten years, and
alignment with the objectives of the study. The research focuses on synthesizing
findings from these documents to identify trends, challenges, and teaching strategies.
No primary data, such as writing samples from EFL learners, is used in this study.

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C. Research Stages
The research follows the framework of a systematic literature review (SLR)
and is conducted in five stages: analysis, design, development, implementation, and
evaluation.

The analysis stage involves identifying the research questions and objectives
as the foundation of the study. It also includes defining inclusion and exclusion
criteria to ensure that only relevant literature is selected for review. Keywords and
search strings are carefully formulated for systematic searches in academic databases
such as Google Scholar and Scopus. The articles are then screened and assessed based
on their titles, abstracts, and keywords to determine their relevance to the study’s
objectives.

In the design stage, a protocol for conducting the SLR is developed, detailing
search strategies, data extraction processes, and analysis methods. This stage also
involves creating a blueprint for categorizing and coding key information from the
selected articles. The focus is on organizing data related to writing styles, challenges
faced by EFL learners, and effective teaching strategies to ensure a structured
approach to data collection and analysis.

The development stage entails extracting data from the selected articles based
on the predefined research framework. The extracted data is organized into themes
related to predominant writing styles, challenges such as grammar, vocabulary, and
coherence, as well as effective teaching approaches. Tools like NVivo or Excel are
used to assist in data coding and organization, ensuring the systematic handling of the
data.

In the implementation stage, the extracted data is analyzed and synthesized to

identify trends, gaps, and strategies presented in existing research. Insights and
thematic summaries are generated to address the research objectives, providing a
comprehensive understanding of the literature reviewed.

Finally, the evaluation stage involves critically reviewing the synthesized data
to ensure that it aligns with the research questions and objectives. The findings are
validated by cross-referencing them with the broader body of literature to ensure

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 consistency and reliability in the interpretations. This stage ensures that the
conclusions drawn are credible and grounded in the data.

D. Research Instrument

To systematically analyze the literature, a comprehensive instrument in the form

of a data extraction sheet was developed. This instrument facilitated the organization
and synthesis of data from the reviewed articles. Key components included
bibliographic details, research objectives, and contextual information about the
participants and settings. The instrument categorized into the writing strategy for
English students major and non-English students major. Additionally, methodological
details, such as research design and data collection techniques, were recorded to
evaluate the rigor and reliability of each study. Key findings, theoretical frameworks,
and practical implications were extracted to identify patterns and gaps in the
literature. A quality assessment component was incorporated to ensure only high-
quality studies were included in the review. This systematic approach ensured the
consistency and validity of the data analysis process, providing a reliable foundation
for the synthesis of findings.

E. Data Analysis

The data analysis process involves qualitative synthesis using thematic

analysis. Extracted data are coded and categorized into themes such as predominant
writing styles, challenges faced by EFL learners (grammar, vocabulary, coherence),
and effective teaching strategies. Thematic summaries are then constructed to identify
overarching patterns and gaps. Tools like NVivo or Excel may be used to organize
and analyze the data systematically.

F. Trustworthiness of Data

To ensure the trustworthiness of the data, several methods are used.

Credibility is maintained by selecting only reliable, relevant articles from reputable
academic sources. Findings are compared and cross-referenced across these articles to
verify their accuracy and consistency. Dependability is ensured by following a clear

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and consistent process in selecting and analyzing the articles. The research methods,
including how articles are chosen and data is extracted, are documented to allow for
transparency and consistency in the process. For confirmability, the study remains
objective by focusing on existing literature rather than personal opinions or biases.
The entire process is transparent, and the steps taken in analyzing the articles are
thoroughly recorded. Finally, transferability is achieved by providing sufficient detail
about the research context and methods, so that the findings can be applied to similar
studies or contexts.

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