Accurate citation is important to maintain academic integrity and effective communication. Yet, many students

of English as a Second Language (ESL), especially those with diploma qualification, face considerable obstacles

in accurately using referencing rules, including those outlined by the American Psychological Association

(APA). This study, employing mixed methods approach, explores the in-text citation habits of twenty ESL

limited, procedural understanding of citation, viewed as a mechanical requirement rather than a strategic

rhetorical skill. This study argues that direct, genre-specific instruction on citations is important to help students

move from mere technical compliance to strategically using sources to build credible arguments.

Keywords: in-text citation, APA citation, problem solution essay, sources, writing instructions

Academic writing asks students to do more than share opinions. They must read, use, and credit other scholars’

ideas to show integrity and to build trust with readers. Studies indicate that numerous ESL writers employ

citations in a limited manner. They frequently cite to attribute information but seldom to assess or link ideas,

and they generally maintain cautious or neutral positions regarding sources (Lee et al., 2018; Zhang, 2022). This

makes it hard to use APA correctly and causes common mistakes like forgetting dates, getting author details

of evidence into their reasoning is often weak (Docherty, 2019). At the same time, corpus-based studies show

that expert writers choose between integral and non-integral citation forms depending on rhetorical purpose—a

choice that novice writers still struggle to master (Zhang, 2022). Together, these findings show why problem–

solution writing is an effective context for studying how diploma-level learners apply APA rules to build strong

arguments.

This study examines how ESL diploma students apply APA 7th in-text citation rules in problem–solution essays.

A mixed-methods design was applied for this study. First, a quantitative look at how often citations is correct or

incorrect, and then a qualitative analysis of how students use citation functionally, either to summarize, compare,

or evaluate. Previous studies support this approach. Reading-to-write instruction has been found to enhance

students' ability to synthesize sources and articulate their positions, rather than merely augmenting citation

In academic writing, the accurate use of in-text citations is a crucial competency for English as a Second

Language (ESL) students. Citations help writers show where their ideas came from and how their work fits into

that students articulate a position while proficiently using external evidence. Accurate APA in-text reference is

essential in this process, assisting authors in managing the ideas of others while developing their own personal

voice (Sun et al., 2022).

Numerous studies indicate that proper citation involves not only the recollection of rules but also the conveyance

of meaning and perspective. Sun et al. (2022) and Lee et al. (2018) found that students often use citations to

show what they know, but they don't use them very often to evaluate or connect ideas. This means that students

see citation as a mechanical task, not a rhetorical one. Friedman (2019) asserts that students perceive citation as

assessment regulation rather than a means of engaging in dialogue with writers of the source. Zhang (2022) also

found that professional writers use different types of citations in each part of a research paper. For example, they

use non-integral citations to introduce theories and integral citations to show how something is being evaluated.

A significant issue is the manner in which ESL students manage their use of source texts, namely the gathering

of words or concepts from these texts (Weigle & Parker, 2012). As a result, students often struggle to determine

whether citation is needed (Shi, 2012). When they do attempt to cite, more often than not, they will commit

either minor or major error.

The most common error is insufficient attribution. Errors at times stem from insufficient acknowledgment of the

original author, referred to as attribution (Davis, 2013). More novice student writings typically include content

taken from sources without appropriate citation (Weigle & Parker, 2012). Ahn and Oh (2024) and Wette (2010)

reported other rule-based errors that can affect attribution such as missing publication years, incorrect use of et

Another common oversight among students is rhetorical integration of source into their writing. As highlighted

Research indicates that ESL students often possess a lower proficiency in incorporating references relative to

experienced writers. Studies examining proficient and less proficient writers reveal distinct disparities. Baxter

and Neumann (2023) discovered that students with high proficiency employed citations more accurately and

established stronger connections to their ideas. Lee et al. (2018) also discovered that more robust essays exhibited

greater diversity in citation functions, such as attribution, evaluation, and linking, while weaker essays relied

solely on basic attribution. Amini Farsani et al. (2025) substantiated this trend in their analysis of 108 studies,

indicating that high-quality essays integrated accuracy with rhetorical intent.

ESL writers use a more limited variety of citation techniques and a limited set of narrative formats (Lee et al.,

2018; Mu, 2024). They may produce an acceptable number of correct citations, but a significant portion of their

source use may still be problematic or below the expected standard for academic work (Wette, 2017). Wette

The challenges encountered by ESL students indicate that training should emphasize both technical

requirements, such as APA format, and more profound rhetorical abilities. Several studies offer useful teaching

strategies for improving citation skills.

Firstly, teaching citation should be seen as an attempt at academic socialization. Teaching students how to cite

sources should be seen as a way to help them join the academic community (Friedman, 2019). The objective is

authorial voice that governs and integrates the source material (Sun et al., 2022).

focus on vocabulary growth and reading comprehension can help students a lot with their ability to put together

information from different sources (Neumann et al., 2020; Nikbakht & Miller, 2023).

Lastly, direct instruction on the rhetorical purpose of citations is also useful. Tools like corpus technology can

help new writers learn how to use reporting verbs more accurately and in different ways for different purposes

in their literature reviews (Yan & Ma, 2024; Atikhom Thienthong, 2025). Atikhom Thienthong (2025)

recommends showing how reporting verbs (e.g., argues, suggests, demonstrates) indicate stance. Teachers

This study adopted an explanatory and sequential mixed-method design. Numerical data and analysis were used

to determine how often support materials were cited and the accuracy of its incorporation. Afterwards, a

qualitative examination based on whole-text review and teacher insights were conducted in order to examine the

characteristics and conceptual origins of the recognized mistakes.

Participants were 20 diploma-level students (aged 18–19) enrolled in an English for Professional

Communication course at a Malaysian public university. Their English proficiency was assessed to be in the

range of CEFR level B1 to B2. The essays were submitted as a continuous assessment task focusing on essay

writing capabilities, focussing on problem and solution essay specifically. For the essay, the students must

produce a 5 paragraphs essay with a minimum of 3 instances of in-text citation from valid and reliable sources,

main ideas of their essays had already been established. This trend is evident in the high percentage of

parenthetical citations (78%) as opposed to narrative citation (22%). For example, Essay E12 included the

phrase: “The only way to ensure the long-term survival of marine life is to impose higher fines and encourage

biodegradable packaging (UNICEF, 2022).” The absence of a reporting phrase, for example, “UNICEF indicates

that...” or “According to UNICEF...” reflects the student’s avoidance of the challenging task of grammatically

and structurally incorporating the source into the argument in their writing, thus treating the citation as merely

an addition to fulfil a formatting obligation for the assessment.

data, such as "more than 50% of the local population does not have access to clean water", which were important

to demonstrate the extent of the problem. This inconsistent application indicates a failure to evaluate the

rhetorical significance and need for scholarly support for particular pieces of information.

reference is hindering understanding of current required guidelines. This underlines the need for up-to-date

teaching source that addresses outdated formatting practices.

The findings indicate that ESL diploma students may achieve basic citation frequency. Yet, they often encounter

difficulties with the procedural accuracy and rhetorical comprehension necessary for the efficient integration of

materials. This significantly influences the problem-solution writing approach, as readers anticipate a coherent,

research-based rationale.

Similar patterns are reported in studies of L1 and L2 source-based writing, where students can insert citations

but have difficulty integrating them in ways that support their own argument (Doolan, 2021; Davis, 2013;

citations in the solution sections, leaves students’ proposed solutions as mere personal opinions rather than being

supported by research. Studies of citation content and location indicate that where a citation appears in the text

shapes how readers interpret the strength of a claim (Chan & Kwan, 2024; Wette, 2017). Furthermore, new

research on "counterfeit" or erroneous citations indicates that improper or fabricated references may significantly

undermine the trustworthiness of academic work (Camp et al., 2025). ESL students must recognize that

appropriate citation transcends just adherence to norms and fulfilment of evaluation criteria.

Citation serves as a rhetorical mechanism that is important for demonstrating the validity and significance of the

identified problem and for rationalizing the logic and feasibility of the recommended solution. Longitudinal and

classroom-based studies have shown that as students gain experience and targeted instruction, they become more

able to use sources to build a logical chain of reasoning rather than simply “dropping in” quotations (Davis,

organization of author and date, reflect ESL students’ limited understanding of the processes behind accurate

Therefore, instruction during lessons should focus on how citations contribute to the overall structure of the

writing, either in the problem section or the solution section. Studies on source-based tasks and L2 argumentative

writing indicate that when citation work is intricately linked to genre transitions, such as “describing the

problem,” “explaining causes,” and “justifying a solution”, students gain a clearer understanding of the rationale

behind citing a specific study at a given juncture (Mochizuki, 2025; Amini Farsani et al., 2025). This adjustment

in how we educate helps students become more academically literate by improving their citation abilities in

terms of technical, conceptual, and rhetorical components at the same time as meeting assessment standards.

Studies on mindset intervention in L2 writing also show that when students are encouraged to see challenges

with citation as opportunities to develop expertise, their engagement and performance in writing tasks improve

solution essay. Evidence from EAP and source-based writing courses shows that integrated units on “writing

using sources” help students connect citation choices with the moves of the genre and with the expectations of

academic reading (Wette, 2010; Doolan, 2021). Rather than only offering a list of APA guidelines, the lesson

given by the instructor should be tied directly to the rhetorical purpose of a particular paragraph within a

problem–solution essay.

For example, when teaching how to write body paragraphs for a problem–solution essay, the instructor can

demonstrate how a narrative quotation style that includes the author’s name and a reporting verb, such as “Smith

(2022) claims that…,” supports the main idea of the solution and how this move reinforces the student-writer’s

stance. Studies of citation functions and content show that such choices influence whether the reader sees the

writer as merely reporting information or as using evidence to build an argument (Petrić, 2007; Chan & Kwan,

examples from different types of writing and think critically about why the author chose a given citation style,

either narrative or parenthetical, and why the citation is in that location. It is essential for students to examine

and understand how citations play different roles when used to highlight the seriousness of a problem, for

The third suggestion is the use of targeted practices to address the mechanical mistakes and reasoning

shortcomings uncovered in the analysis of the ESL students’ problem–solution essays. Exercises can focus on

restating the original material, such as transforming parenthetical references like “(Li & Chen, 2023)” into a

narrative style “Li and Chen (2023) noted that…,” forcing the learner to practise using reporting verbs and

grammatical blending. Research on paraphrasing and rewriting indicates that such transformations facilitate

learners' transition from mere copying to more adaptable use of sources (Shi, 2012; Weigle & Parker, 2012).

Students may also do more focused editing of in-text citations and reference list entries to make sure that the

only identifying mechanical mistakes (Wette, 2017). Marks for clarity, coherence, and logic should also look at

how effectively sources are used to back up statements and make them more credible. By rewarding students

who use sources well, for example, by always using citations to back up their proposed solutions, education

changes from just teaching technical skills and following rules to teaching students how to write better

academically (Neumann et al., 2019; Amini Farsani et al., 2025).

This study examined how ESL diploma learners use APA in-text citations in their problem–solution essays.

Although students met the required frequency standards, their accuracy was at a moderate rate of 63%. The

students’ ability to integrate citations rhetorically was also limited, as shown by their heavy use of parenthetical

citations and their failure to support the solutions they proposed. The main difficulty lies in their conceptual

2024). One corpus-driven research of first-year students in Hong Kong revealed that better-scoring problem-

solution essays had a more proficient and appropriate use of academic language, which was strongly associated

with overall writing competence (Chung & Wan, 2025). Research on approaches to engagement in argument

chains has shown that poorly performing EFL writers rely on a restricted array of engagement resources, hence

impairing its ability to link arguments, evidence, and possible counterarguments (Geng et al., 2024). Similarly,

study on verb argument constructions has shown that Asian L2 writers with lesser proficiency utilize fewer and

less complex construction patterns, which may make their written arguments less strong and clear (Li & Yu,

2024). Taken together, these studies support the present finding that both linguistic resources and rhetorical

control are needed for students to use citations effectively, especially in solution paragraphs.

The results therefore call for a teaching approach that integrates citation practice directly into genre-based writing

developing academic writers.