Students’ Challenges in Academic Writing; Evidence from the EFL Context of Papua Pegunungan

Abstract

This research reported a qualitative study investigating the challenges faced by university students in academic writing in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context of Papua Pegunungan, Indonesia. The study employed a qualitative case study design. There were 12 EFL students at STKIP Kristen Wamena who contributed to this study. Data were collected through a semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed thematically to identify recurring patterns of difficulties and their underlying causes. The findings revealed that students experience serious challenges in four interrelated areas: (1) linguistic aspects, particularly grammar, vocabulary, and sentence construction; (2) rhetorical and organizational aspects, including coherence, cohesion, and paragraph development; (3) cognitive aspects, such as difficulties in generating and developing ideas; and (4) affective aspects, especially low confidence and writing anxiety. These problems were further shaped by contextual constraints, including limited exposure to English and restricted access to academic resources. The study confirms previous findings in EFL writing research and provides contextualized evidence from Papua Pegunungan.