This case study explored how the way academic journal articles are written affects how well engineering students understand them. It focused on two student groups: younger undergraduates and mature, workplace-based learners (40 students in total). 

To see what helps or hinders comprehension, researchers took a real article from the students’ reading list and modified different sections by changing three key features: sentence structure (syntax), vocabulary (lexis), and flow (cohesion). The students then read these revised sections and took a comprehension test. Afterward, they shared their thoughts on the readability of the texts through a short questionnaire. 

The results? Students performed better when improvements were made to sentence structure and text cohesion. Vocabulary changes, on the other hand, had little effect. Their feedback confirmed these findings – students found syntax and cohesion to have the biggest impact on how easy or difficult the different parts of the article felt. 

These insights can help teachers and academics choose and adapt reading materials more effectively, ensuring that texts are accessible and support student success, especially when teaching diverse learner groups.

Citation

Haghi, I., & Tuersley, I. (2022). An investigation into how various textual features of academic journals can interact with students’ engagement with these texts: A case of novice and non-traditional learners in STEM subjects. British Council. https://doi.org/10.57884/SH6C-J668