A Study of Status of Academic Writing Skills among Research Scholars

Abstract

Research, often defined as the systematic search for knowledge, plays a pivotal role in academic advancement, more specifically when writing a doctoral thesis. Academic writing skills are essential for research scholars to effectively communicate their findings and contribute original knowledge. This study investigates the status of academic writing skills among research scholars at Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, with a focus on gender and faculty-based differences. 100 research scholars were chosen using a stratified random sampling technique, and data were gathered using a self-constructed tool distributed via Google Forms. The results indicate that female research scholars exhibited higher academic writing skills than their male counterparts. Furthermore, no significant differences in writing skills were found between scholars from the humanities/social sciences and those from the science faculty, with the majority of scholars falling into the medium skill category. The findings underscore the necessity of academic writing in the research process, highlighting the value for enhanced training in various aspects of academic writing, including paraphrasing, formal writing techniques, critical thinking, and citation skills. This research contributes to the broader understanding of academic writing proficiency in Indian universities and emphasizes its critical role in the success of doctoral research. The study also aligns with the objectives of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which seeks to foster research excellence and educational development.