Objective: This study aimed to identify and analyze the writing challenges in scientific articles authored by high school students, assess the quality of their writing, and propose strategies for improvement.
Method: Using a descriptive-analytical approach with a mixed-method perspective, this research examined the content of 100 selected articles from 504 archived papers in the National Astronomy Center. To evaluate the quality of writing, seven criteria were analyzed: structure, vocabulary, sentence composition, paragraph organization, punctuation, typographical errors, and referencing.
Findings: Data analysis revealed that students performed weakest in referencing (mean score: 1.86), article structure (2.43), and typographical errors (2.45). In contrast, punctuation (3.15), vocabulary (3.22), sentence composition (2.88), and paragraph organization (2.78) showed relatively stronger performance. Common writing errors included the lack of a cohesive structure, incorrect use of sources, failure to adhere to typing standards, and the use of informal and conversational language.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that, despite students possessing some fundamental language skills, their ability to write scientific articles does not meet expected standards. This issue primarily arises from the absence of systematic training in academic writing, scientific referencing, and text editing. Holding educational workshops, developing simplified learning resources, and incorporating scientific writing skills into school curricula could significantly enhance students' academic writing proficiency.