Kan våra studenter svenska? : En undersökning av gymnasisters lösningar av det centrala/nationella provets skrivdel

There is a popular discourse in Sweden describing student writing as defective. In the article, the writing part of the national test in Swedish for upper secondary school is analysed, in order to discuss the state and possible change of student writing. Student texts from 1976, 1986, 1996, 2005, and 2012 are investigated. Drawing on Hultman and Westman (1977), in the quantitative part nominality is analysed, in particular the use of nouns and pronouns, and correctness distinguishing between different kinds of mistakes. The qualitative part is an analysis of rhetoric competence in the student essays. The results show that the student texts have become somewhat more verbal, or speech-like, over the years. The study also indicates that the number of mistakes has increased slightly, especially grave mistakes, which may make the texts difficult to comprehend. On the other hand, the rhetoric competence of today’s students seems, comparatively, good. The popular discourse, then, is right in some respects, but the situation is more nuanced than the detractors claim