Students’ Metacognitive Weaknesses in Academic Writing: A Preliminary Research

Abstract

This article aims to explain the weaknesses of metacognition that affect writing skills. Weaknesses of writing like content development, the organization of writing, compatibility of content with themes and audience awareness are assumed from the weaknesses of student metacognition. By using a qualitative approach, data is collected through questionnaires and interviews. Using the questionnaire found the level of student metacognitive awareness. A total of 22 male and female students were randomly selected. Responses given through self-report questionnaires showed that as many as 15 students had high metacognitive awareness and as many as 7 students had low metacognitive awareness. Furthermore, through interviews found metacognitive skills in academic writing. The results of the data analysis show that there are three weaknesses of student metacognitive, namely: students are too dependent on feedback from lecturers and highly dependent on lecturers and colleagues when writing, students cannot assess their own understanding of the information they receive for writing assignments, students are not aware benefit from the strategies used during writing. Students need to be trained to plan, monitor and evaluate writing activities so that they are skilled in arranging words, concepts, and terminology used in writing. In addition, through the writing they produce, it can be seen how the process of produces the meaning and thinking skills of students in writing.