Errors in written texts of learners of Turkish as a foreign language: A systematic review

Error analysis is a method for identifying the frequency, distribution and sources of errors users make while learning a foreign/second language. Analyzing errors in language learning provides guidance to researchers and teachers in preparing materials and developing programs. There are many studies where error analysis was performed in teaching Turkish as a foreign language. The present study aims to re-classify and integrate the findings from these studies and determine the general distribution and frequency of errors. The study adopted the systematic review method. Accordingly, first, literature review was conducted and the studies conducted on the errors in written texts by students were compiled. A database consisting of the findings of 48 studies published between 2000 and 2021 was created following the process of identifying, sorting out and incorporating the findings. The compiled data were assessed using content analysis. First, the data were examined as quantitative findings and qualitative findings. Then, they were evaluated in terms of phonological, morphological, syntactical, lexical-semantic errors and misspellings. When the data from the studies with qualitative findings were merged, it was found that morphology was the area when the highest number of errors was made with 18.750 errors (45 percent). According to the studies examined, there were 9.805 misspellings, (24 percent), 5.631 lexical-semantic errors (14 percent), 4.839 phonological errors (11 percent), and 2.517 syntactical errors (6 percent).