Effectiveness Of Task-based Training To Develop Technical Academic Writing Competencies

Abstract

English was introduced into PhD programs to meet students’ needs. Yet, it was observed that even after receiving training in ESP, researchers in the fields of science and technology still find language and strategic difficulties to report their research outcomes and publish their scientific papers in English; a case in point, PhD students in the department of mechanical engineering in the University of Ain Temouchent- Algeria. Therefore, to explore the nature of these difficulties two research instruments were used namely a questionnaire and an interview. The analysis of data revealed that PhD students are challenged by language and strategic problems. Hence, an academic writing course relying on task-based approach was experimented and evaluated using a writing test. The results asserted that the suggested course enabled the students to overcome relatively their major difficulties.