Digital Literacy Competence for Scientific Writing: Students' Perceptions and Skills

Abstract

In this digital era, digital literacy skills must be owned by students to write a good scientific writing. Therefore, this study aims to obtain students' perceptions and skills toward digital literacy in scientific writing. This study was a descriptive study. The data were collected by administering closed-ended questionnaires and conducting semi-structured interviews with the thirty-three students in the seventh semester of the English Language Education Study Program of Teaching Training and Education Faculty of Mahasaraswati University, Denpasar. Data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed quantitatively, and the data from the interviews were analyzed qualitatively. The result of the study indicated that students had a positive perception of digital literacy and had good digital literacy skills in scientific writing. Students believed having digital literacy skills was essential to help them write good scientific writing. In addition, students have good skills in the digital literacy dimension of critical thinking, finding online information, online writing attitude, and digital function. These skills helped them construct and develop ideas and also avoid plagiarism. However, students' digital literacy skills can be classified as sufficient in the dimensions of online communication, creativity and collaboration, and digital academic culture. Lack of knowledge, competence, and confidence leads students to be less creative and not actively join the online collaboration and digital academic culture.