Comparison between the essay writing of mature age students and students entering university straight from school

In this study, the essay writing strategies and metacognitive writing abilities of mature age students and students who have commenced their university study straight-from-school (SFS) are compared; and relationships between writing strategy, metacognition and essay quality, and between approach to essay writing and approach to study in general, are investigated. The subjects were six mature age students enrolled in a preparation course involving two university level subjects and six first year students who commenced university SFS. Detailed case studies were derived from questionnaires, interviews and video taping which were administered at appropriate stages in the writing of essays set as part of the students' course work. These instruments were based on a general model of writing which was designed to cover the different aspects of writing. This study provides information on the characteristics of mature age students and their initial difficulties and illustrates areas in which mature age students and SFS students need writing instruction. The mature age students showed ability to engage in metacognitive activity while writing. Some SFS students engaged in metacognitive activity prior to writing. In both groups of subjects there was a significant relationship between writing strategy and essay quality and metacognition and essay quality, there was no evidence of a relationship between approach to writing and approach to study in general, and there was no significant difference between the quality of mature age and SFS students' essays. The consideration of metacognition in writing suggests an alternative and more refined categorization of approach to writing than previously defined.