A Survey of University Composition Education in Turkey

Abstract

Composition studies is often associated with universities in the United States and is characterized by elements such as FYC (First-Year Composition), writing centers, and advanced writing training for graduate students. Composition is by no means limited to any one country, but research on how it manifests itself in other contexts is limited. This is the case for Turkey as well, a nation that possesses a unique infrastructure of composition education that is influenced by its own challenges and lived environment. In this paper, Turkey’s composition studies infrastructure is analyzed with regard to its context, purpose, aims, and outcomes. It was found that a framework for writing education exists in both public and private universities and is a central focus of various university language education programs. However, even up till the graduate level, issues are evident that draw attention to the educational experience that students receive. The small-scale studies that have been done to date give clues that often correspond with each other on where the problems lie, including in the need for more feedback, instruction in writing and mechanics, and more specific attention to early university writing education.