Abstract

This study seeks to investigate how punctuation marks are used in their right positions and the problems faced especially at the level of punctuation mastery by Level 400 students in the Department of English at the University of Buea. Questionnaires and test were administered to 30 students, it was noticed that English language students do not have a good mastery of punctuation marks.

From the questionnaire, students were ask, how many punctuation marks are there in English. 60% did not know while 40% gave the correct answer 16, but some could not list all of them. This is cause by negligence on the part of the students because they do not pay attention to punctuation marks in their writings to lay emphasis on the area of language.

Finally, the study recommended that punctuation marks should be taught as an important part of studies, teachers should give students enough motivation, encouragement to pay more attention to punctuation marks. It was also recommended that students practice more in order to improve on their level of punctuation mastery in particular and English language in general.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.0 Introduction

Punctuation is not only an essential part of written communication from academic essay but also has a powerful stylistic effect if well used. All writers have to understand the conversation of punctuation marks use if they are to write effectively. The importance of punctuation marks appears when it is assumed that syntactical structures are not enough to display the intended meaning.

1.1 Background to the study.

Writing is an essential skill for English learners because it is a means through which they develop their critical thinking and enhance their creativity. Specifically, it is crucial to university students as it helps them to excel in their academic courses due to interdisciplinary nature (Zahida, Farrah & Zaru, 2014). For example, it enables them to write their essays, answer questions, prepare their reports, write their research papers, and other writing assignments.

English students’ academic writing environment seems abound in subtle and insidious challenges for both teachers and learners. One of these challenges is orthographic errors made by learners of English as a second and foreign language. Such errors can be harmful, undermine the credibility of any piece of writing, and even raise questions related to the writer’s basic literacy skills. This is why analysing learner’s errors and mistakes has attracted the attention of many theoreticians and practitioners in the field of education. Such analysis if properly coined out is believed to enhance students’ performance in any English teaching classroom; it should provide teachers with the required information about their student’s performance in general and linguistic weaknesses, which hinder their improvement in particular.

The general consensus in the education field is that errors and mistakes are inevitable, that is errors cannot be avoided in the sense that they are inseparable part of the language learning process. Hence, eliminating or rather reducing the frequency of errors made by learners in English classrooms is largely associated with analysing types and causes of such errors and mistakes, such as those associated with spelling, punctuation, word emphasis, and capitalization. The present study is restricted to one type of orthographic error, which is punctuation and capitalization, to complete the aim of the work. It may prove fruitful to identity, discuss, and attempt a solution to these errors in the present study, as they are frequently made and commonly observed in students’ writings (400 level) at the University of Buea.

1.2. Statement of the problem

Writing is considered an important skill and probably the most difficult to master. It is central to the fulfilment of various writing prompt such as: assignments, projects, examination in varied field of human endeavour. However, English students (400 levels) of the University of Buea encounter numerous problems in writing.

Since we are all liable to mistakes and there are too many punctuation marks, to attest students’ knowledge, these Level 400 English language students have to master and use the marks correctly. It has been discovered that students with English as major in the University of Buea often face difficulties in mastering punctuation marks properly.

1.3. Aim/Goal/ Purpose

The research seeks to examine the degree to which Level 400 students of the Department of English at the University of Buea master the punctuation marks, with emphasis is on the comma, full stop, quotation marks, and capitalization.

1.4. Objectives.

1. To examine the use of punctuation marks by Level 400 English language students.
2. To find out the most frequent punctuation errors 400 Level students of the University of Buea.
3. To establish reasons for the misuse of punctuation marks by Level 400 students of the University of Buea.

1.5. Research Questions.

The study attempts to answer the following questions:

1. What is the extent of use of punctuation marks by Level 400 students of the Department of English at the University of Buea?
2. What are the most frequent punctuation errors made by Level 400 students of the Department of English at the University of Buea?
3. What are the plausible reasons behind making such errors in writing?