Examining Gender and Major Differences in College Students’ Metacognitive Awareness of ESP Writing Skills

The aim of this research was to determine the levels of metacognitive awareness among college students in Saudi Arabia, with a focus on both academic majors and gender. There were 113 participants (58 females and 55 males) from the Information Technology (n = 68) and Human Resources (n = 45) majors. Using the Metacognitive Awareness of Writing Questionnaire (MAWQ), the study found moderate levels of metacognition awareness in writing skills, suggesting room to improve. The study found no significant differences between the academic majors, indicating the need for further research on the relationship between cognitive factors and writing skills. Similarly, the study found no significant gender differences in metacognitive awareness among applied college students. Differences in the Regulation of Cognition (RCOG) domain, however, may affect writing. Male students showed lower metacognitive awareness than female students. Instructors and policymakers can use these findings to improve students' metacognitive skills and writing strategies. In the future, researchers should explore other variables and identify effective strategies to improve college students' metacognitive awareness and writing skills.