Abstract
Academic writing remains one of the weakest skills among Nigerian History undergraduates, even though it is central to research, publication, and scholarly growth. This study draws on interviews with fourteen current History undergraduates to understand how this gap manifests and why it persists. Students tend to feel fairly confident writing essays and seminar papers, but that confidence drops sharply when they face more advanced tasks such as abstracts, journal articles, and conference papers. They also struggle to find credible primary sources, organize their arguments clearly, and move from descriptive historical narration to critical analysis. The problem is not simply individual weakness. It is also institutional: academic writing is rarely taught as a course in its own right, mentorship is inconsistent, and students get too few chances to write for real scholarly audiences. The study argues that these gaps reflect deeper curriculum limitations in Nigerian History education. It concludes with practical, curriculum-based suggestions, including dedicated academic writing courses, structured mentoring, and more exposure to real writing opportunities such as calls for papers and student journals.
Keywords: academic writing, writing skills gap, History undergraduates, Nigerian universities, curriculum reform
1. Introduction
Academic writing sits at the heart of History. It is how historians build arguments, present evidence, and communicate what they know about the past. For History undergraduates, writing clearly and analytically is not just another course requirement; it is the skill that allows them to engage seriously with the past and take part in scholarly conversations. Yet across Nigerian universities, there is a stubborn gap between what the students are expected to produce and what they can actually produce, especially as they move from basic coursework to more advanced academic writing.
This gap becomes clearer when students leave behind routine essays and exams and attempt abstracts, literature reviews, journal articles, and conference papers. Many History undergraduates, even those who do well in standard coursework, feel noticeably less confident and less prepared when they face these more demanding forms of academic communication.
This paper examines the writing skills gap among Nigerian History undergraduates. It pays close attention to why the gap exists, what it means for students' academic and research development, and what can be done through the curriculum to address it. Drawing on interviews with current History undergraduates, the study first clarifies key concepts, then examines how academic writing is currently taught and practised within Nigerian History education. It goes on to analyse how students themselves describe the gap and ends with practical recommendations for strengthening academic writing instruction in the discipline.
2. Methodology
This study used a qualitative approach to understand the writing skills gap among Nigerian History students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fourteen History students from four Nigerian universities from different regions: Federal university Oye, Ekiti (South west), Imo state university (Southeast), University of Nsukka (Southeast) and Bayero university, Kano (Northwest). Participants were selected across the levels and were reached online. The interview was conducted in English and focused on the challenges they faced, the support they received and their suggestions for improvement. The analysis found that students have low confidence in academic writing, struggle to develop arguments and organize ideas and have limited practise with advanced writing formats. Students rarely receive feedback and support systems are unorganized. Students have low experience at publishing or presenting at conferences.
3. Conceptual Clarifications
To ensure clarity, the following terms are defined as they are used in this study:
- Academic Writing: A formal, research-based way of writing that involves using credible sources, building arguments in a structured way, analyzing critically, and following the rules of the discipline. Unlike casual or descriptive writing, academic writing demands objectivity, claims backed by evidence, and a clear logical flow.
- Writing Skills Gap: The difference between what students are expected to be able to do in their writing at a given level and what they can actually do. In this study, the gap shows up most clearly when students move from familiar formats like essays and seminar papers to more advanced ones like abstracts, journal articles, and conference papers — and their confidence and skill drop.
- Curriculum-Based Solutions: Changes built directly into a course of study, including dedicated academic writing modules, required writing workshops, or research-methods training integrated into the programme. The point is to build students' writing skills systematically, rather than hoping they pick them up by chance or through informal mentoring.
- Call for Papers (CFP): A formal invitation from a journal, conference, or institution asking scholars and students to submit original research or writing on a particular theme. It usually comes with a deadline and specific formatting guidelines. Journal Article: A piece of scholarly writing that has been peer-reviewed and published in an academic journal. It usually follows a standard structure, abstract, introduction, literature review, methodology, findings, and conclusion. It goes through strict editorial and academic review
- Referencing: The practice of acknowledging and citing the sources used in writing, following a recognized style like APA, Chicago, or MLA. Good referencing gives work credibility, lets readers check claims, and helps avoid plagiarism.
4. Academic Writing in Nigerian History Education
Academic writing is part of the History curriculum in Nigerian universities. As students’ progress through their studies, they write essays, assignments, seminar papers, and research projects. Through these activities, they learn how to use sources, organize their ideas, reference materials, and explain historical events.
However, students tend to get more practice with these common forms of academic writing than with others. Many students are not very familiar with abstracts, literature reviews, journal articles, and conference papers. They may only begin to encounter these forms when they take on research projects or look for opportunities beyond their regular courses.
There is also a difference between knowing historical facts and knowing how to use those facts to build a solid academic argument.History students have to ask questions, examine evidence, compare different points of view, and explain the significance of their findings. Developing these skills requires regular practice.
Lecturers and supervisors play an important role in this process. Their feedback and guidance can help students improve their arguments, organize their work, use sources properly, and reference their materials. Students also learn through libraries, online resources, research groups, their peers, and personal research. However, these opportunities are not always available or experienced in the same way by all students. According to our interview with Victoria, a recent graduate of History and international studies from FUOYE, she said “Externally I will say there is no support because even while in school the books in the library are not complete. I could remember when I went to the library to get a book concerning one course I could not even find it and that pissed me off.” This explains the challenges which students encounter as a result of inability to access certain resources.
The issue, therefore, is not that academic writing is completely absent from History education. Rather, it is whether students receive enough practice, guidance, and opportunities to become familiar with the different forms of writing expected of emerging historians.
5. The Nature of the Writing Skills Gap
The gap in writing skills is not simply about problems with grammar or writing an essay. It is mainly seen in the difficulty some students have when moving from knowing historical information to using it to build a clear argument. Chisom, an 100 level student of History and international studies in Imo state, whom we interviewed stated “It is somewhat difficult for me because I find describing events easier than developing arguments and supporting them with evidence.” This explains that though students have the knowledge ideas, they find it difficult to convert it into an argument because they've really not been taught how to develop arguments.
One difficulty is formulating a research question from a general topic. Students may know what they want to study, but they can still struggle to narrow down the topic and decide exactly what they want to investigate. Blessing described developing historical research questions as a difficult aspect of the process of writing. Chidera, a recentgraduate of History and international studies in FUOYE, said in her interview, “ The most difficult part for me is usually narrowing a broad topic into a specific research question and developing a clear argument.” This explains the difficulty students encounter in developing research questions from topics.
Organizing information is another challenge. Historical research can involve different materials such as books, articles, interviews, archives, and other sources. Students have to decide which information is relevant and how the different pieces of information relate to one another. An interviewed student, Maryam, a student of History & International Studies from BAYERO UNIVERSITY, Kano, stated “The most difficult part for me is finding accurate and reliable historical information and bringing different ideas and sources together to form a well-organised abstract.”
There is also the challenge of moving from description to analysis. It is one thing to explain what happened and another to explain why it happened, why it was important, and what the evidence tells us. When building an argument, students have to choose evidence that is reliable and relevant rather than simply collecting information.
Literature reviews and referencing can also be difficult. Students need to know how to engage with the work of earlier scholars, summarize the study, and properly acknowledge the sources they use. Caleb, a recent graduate of History and international studies from FUOYE, in his interview argued “Generally, literature review is the most difficult aspect of most academic writers. Considering a host of them are unfamiliar with the right pattern to adopt while reviewing a literature work.” As a result of the lack of the right knowledge which is needed to review literatures, many find literature review difficult.
Part of this challenge can also be linked to student’s foundational education. The primary and secondary schools are expected to develop students’ writing skills through activities such as article writing, letter writing and essay writing. However, some students received limited exposure in this area.One participant, Victoria, which is a recent graduate from FUOYE, when explaining her journey said “I wasn't really prepared for academic writing in my secondary school until my SSS3, when I had an English teacher came who was intentional about our letter writing and essay writing.”
The issue is not a single problem. It covers research questions, organisation, source evaluation, argument, analysis, literature reviews, abstracts, referencing, and, most importantly, having enough practice to build confidence.
6. The Effects of the Writing Skills Gap
The gap in writing skills can affect students beyond their regular classroom activities. One significant consequence is reduced participation in academic opportunities. Conferences, journals, research competitions, and calls for papers often require students to submit articles or research papers. A student might have a good idea but hesitate to submit it because they are unsure how to present it. Mariam, stated in her interview “So far, I have not had many opportunities to submit my work to conferences, competitions, journals, or other academic platforms. This is mainly because I am still developing my confidence and skills in academic writing, and I have had limited exposure to such opportunities.” This makes us understand that the lack of exposure to academic writing can also limit student engagement in academic writing.
Confidence can also be affected. Students who have little experience with academic writing may find unfamiliar tasks such as articles and research papers difficult. In such cases, they may rely heavily on lecturers, senior students, or online resources to understand what is required. Kosarachi, a 300-level student of History and international studies in University of Nigeria, Nsukka said, “The reason why I could do academic writing was because I met Ngozi on LinkedIn and she taught me. She involved me in her academic writing. If not, I wouldn't even have known how to do academic writing. This implies that students have to be introduced in the process of academic writing in order to be able to understand and develop skills in academic writing.
The gap can also affect the quality of historical research. A student may have useful information but still struggle to organize it, evaluate the sources, or connect it to a clear argument. As a result, good historical ideas may not always become good historical writing. The issue also becomes important when students move on to postgraduate study and other research opportunities, where reading, writing, the use of evidence, and the construction of arguments are central.The gap, however, can be reduced through regular writing practice, useful feedback, mentorship, and opportunities to write for real academic audiences. These can help students build their confidence and prepare them to take part more fully in historical scholarship.
7. Strategies for Improving Academic Writing;
7.1 Introduction of Academic Writing as a Compulsory Course
Academic writing should be introduced as a compulsory course for History students. Students should start being exposed to academic writing right from the beginning of their academic journey in the higher institution; it should not be left until it is time for the students to write their final year project. Students should be taught through a gradual process how to write basic paragraphs and essays to abstracts, literature reviews, and research papers across levels. There should be practical assignments, drafting, and revision rather than theory alone. Lecturers should also ensure that every level has clear writing expectations and outcomes. A compulsory, credit-bearing Academic Writing for Historians course would ensure all students receive systematic instruction in academic writing (Adegbite & Odejide, 2015; Ajede et al., 2024).
7.2 Use of Writing Across the History Curriculum
Students are often open to little opportunity for practicing academic writing and receiving feedback. Chisom in her interview, explained that she has not had many opportunities to practice different types of historical writing. To make students familiar with academic writing, History courses should include at least one structured writing task such as an analytical essay, source analysis, or book review. Writing should be used as continuous assessment, not only for end-of-semester exams. Students should regularly practice writing, as writing is a skill that is acquired through practice (Bailey, 2018; ELbashir, 2023).
7.3 Teach Students How to Move from Description to Analysis
Rather than merely describing information, academic writing requires critical thinking (Kayode & Harry, 2026). Most students struggle to move beyond description to analysis, often producing narrative accounts of historical events without engaging with causes, significance, or interpretations. As Chisom stated in her interview, she finds describing events easier than developing arguments and supporting them with evidence. To address this problem, teachers should explicitly teach the difference between narrating events and analysing causes, significance, and interpretation. Students should be trained to ask: What happened? Why? How? Who was affected? What does the evidence show? Why do sources agree? They should also be engaged in activities which will help them learn how to convert descriptive paragraphs into analytical ones.
7.4 Teach Argument Development Directly
A thesis statement presents the main idea or position of the writer (Kayode & Harry, 2026). This implies that how well the reader understands the position of the writer depends on what is written in the thesis statement. Students should be taught how to move from topic to research questions, thesis, evidence, and conclusion. They should also be taught to practice turning answers into clear thesis statements. Lecturers should teach students to consider alternative interpretations and address counterarguments.
7.5 Provide illustrative examples of academic writing
Lecturers should share examples of strong articles, books, and so on. The structure, argument, use of evidence, and referencing of these academic writings should be taught line by line. Models should be used to show the difference between the various academic writings.
7.6 Introduce a Draft-and-Revision System in Courses
Introducing a draft-and-revision system requires topic proposals, outlines, first drafts, feedback, and revised drafts for major assignments. Lecturers should also show students that good writing develops through revision. Lecturers should identify and correct problems before final submission. This should not be done only when students are writing their final year thesis. For instance, Blessing, a recent graduate from FUOYE stated “As a recent graduate of history, we weren't really thought much about academic writing. We were only taught during our final year when we were to embark on our final year projects and during the process of the research writing.” Students are expected to be taught serially, gradually and not at the final stage (Vande-Guma & Kyungun, 2014).
7.7 Organise Regular Academic-Writing Workshops
The department should hold semesterly workshops in order to enlighten students about academic writing. Academic writing should be made practical by allowing students to write during the session and receive immediate feedback. These workshops should be linked with current course assignments so students apply what they learn immediately. Universities should organize regular workshops, seminars, and academic writing clinics for students and academic staff (Kayode & Harry, 2026).
7.8 Establish Peer-Review Groups and Writing Clubs
Writing groups where students read and comment on each other's work should be created. This will help students grow and learn to get feedback from their peers. Simple peer-review activities should be used. Writing clubs should be encouraged to practise presentations, share materials, and discuss conferences and competitions. Students' critical thinking will be strengthened when they review their peers' assignments (ELbashir, 2023).
7.9 Strengthen Lecturer Feedback on Student Writing
Lecturers should encourage students to embark on academic writing and submit it for correction and feedback. Lecturers should also ensure to give feedback on submitted assignments. This would serve as an encouragement for students and also build their courage in writing academic works. Timely and proper feedback improves students' writing competence (Kayode & Harry, 2026).
7.10 Address Time Management and Procrastination in Course Design
In order to keep students on track, large assignments should be split into stages with short deadlines. Lecturers should assist students in planning research, reading, drafting, and revision. Students need time to arrange their thoughts, compose rough drafts, edit them, and then write the final versions (ELbashir, 2023). Students should also be given financial aid in order to be able to present and publish their work. Caleb explained that the major cause why he hasn't been able to publish any article is as a result of financial constraints.
8. Institutional and Policy Recommendations
8.1 Establish Writing Centres or Writing-Support Units for Humanities
Regulators should establish writing centres staffed by trained tutors where students can get required assistance in academic writing. Offers like one-on-one consultations and group tutorials should be made available to students, which will help them grasp more understanding and develop their writing skills.
8.2 Improve and Expand Library Resources for History Programmes
Libraries should be improved to accommodate current and relevant books in line with the university's curriculum. Libraries should subscribe to relevant databases. Students should also be trained to use library catalogues and databases effectively. Expanding digital libraries and increasing subscriptions to international databases would greatly improve research and writing quality (Kayode & Harry, 2026).
8.3 Create Undergraduate Research Conferences, Competitions, and Student Journals
Annual undergraduate History conferences should be organized for paper presentations. Departmental or faculty-based journals should be launched periodically. Internal research competitions should be hosted with prizes to encourage quality writing. External conferences, competitions, and calls for papers should be publicized to students.
8.4 Provide Structured Mentorship Programmes Linking Students with Lecturers and Researchers
Formal mentorship schemes where lecturers or postgraduate students supervise small writing groups should be created. Regular mentor-mentee meetings to discuss writing progress and review drafts should be scheduled. Writing instructors should offer directions during the entire writing process (ELbashir, 2023). Effective writing requires continuous guidance from experienced supervisors and lecturers (Kayode & Harry, 2026).
8.5 Fund and Support Historical Excursions, Fieldwork, and Oral-History Projects
Fieldwork or oral-history projects should be included as part of the History curriculum. Research grants should be provided for undergraduate fieldwork and data collection. Institutions should partner with museums, cultural centers, and community historians.
8.6 Support Digital Research and Technology-Based Writing Training
Students should be trained on digital research skills, strong internet access, and computer facilities. Digital resources should also be included in teaching and research activities. Universities should leverage available technology to put in place rich databases and other electronic/digital library and information resources (National Universities Commission, 2014).
8.7 Make Academic Writing Compulsory
Institutions should ensure that all History students receive structured writing instruction. Writing requirements should be included in all levels of the programme. Participation and outcomes of the students should be monitored in order to ensure progress in learning. Tertiary institutions should make academic writing courses compulsory for all undergraduate and postgraduate students (Kayode & Harry, 2026).
9. Analysis and Implications
The interview study reveals that students are faced with many challenges such as late instructions on academic writing, historical analysis, limited opportunities, and limited library resources. If these challenges can be properly addressed by institutions, Nigerian History students will be able to gain mastery of academic writing. The interviews suggest certain high-impact actions that departments can adopt and advocate for, such as the introduction of academic writing as a course, expansion of library collections, and establishment of dedicated writing centers for humanities. These institutional and policy changes will help build students' writing confidence and competence.
Although this study focuses on History undergraduates, the findings have significant implications for other humanities and social-science disciplines in Nigeria. Solutions such as academic-writing courses tailored to each discipline; writing across the curriculum in all humanities and social-science programmes; departmental writing workshops; peer-review groups; and undergraduate research conferences can be adapted. The History case can be used as a framework for broader reforms in other related fields.
It is important to also acknowledge the limitations of the research. The interview involves a number of students from a few universities and would require further and broader research for this study to be generalized for all Nigerian History undergraduates. Also, the study does not include lecturers' perspectives, curriculum documents, or samples of student writing.
This research also suggests important directions for future studies such as larger studies across many universities, research including lecturers' views and curriculum documents, systematic analysis of actual student writing, long-term studies following students over time, policy and accreditation research, and many more.
Together, these future studies would give stronger proof for change and help universities pick the best ways to improve students' writing and research skills. For now, this study shows that the writing problem among Nigerian History undergraduates can be solved, and the best ideas come from the students themselves.
10. Conclusion
This study has examined the writing skills gap among Nigerian History undergraduates, focusing on its causes, consequences, and potential solutions. The findings reveal that while students may feel confident in basic essay writing, they struggle significantly with advanced academic writing. These struggles are not merely individual weaknesses but reflect deeper institutional and curricular limitations. The study argues that a systematic, curriculum-based approach, including compulsory academic writing courses, writing across the curriculum, structured mentorship, and practical writing opportunities can help bridge this gap. Addressing these challenges will not only improve students' academic performance but also prepare them for postgraduate study and meaningful participation in scholarly conversations.
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