Students' Translation Strategies in Writing

Abstract

This study aims to explore students' beliefs and strategies when using translation in writing. Translation plays a significant role in language learning, particularly in the writing process. Therefore, it is important to investigate the translation strategies employed by students in their writing. The study adopted a qualitative approach and utilized a questionnaire with a Likert Scale, given to 28 participants from across different English proficiency levels enrolled in the Academic Writing course at a private university’ English Language Education Program in Central Java. The findings indicate that most students have a positive attitude towards using translation in writing, although negative beliefs and feelings still exist. The study also reveals that the most commonly used translation strategy among students is mental translation, which they find helpful in saving time and facilitating effective writing. Supporting previous studies, this research showed that some students had a negative feeling towards translation even though they believed it had assisted them in their learning process. These results emphasize the need for teachers to be aware of translation as a predominant strategy employed by students, and for the study program to offer adequate translation training to further support their learning process.