The table and pie charts below show the number of research students in Australian universities in 2001 and 2010.

Number of research students in Australian universities in 2001 and 2010 - IELTS Writing Task 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words.

A student's answer to this task, and the feedback on it

Written by an IELTSX user under exam conditions and published unedited and anonymously. Band 7.5 · 203 words.

The provided table and two pie charts illustrate the shifts in the number of research students in Australian universities between 2001 and 2010. Overall, it is evident that the total number of research students considerably increased, mainly because the enrollment of international students nearly tripled over the decade. While both genders of local students remained majority portions across both years, the shares for international male and female students saw an increase, albeit at different rates.

Focusing on the table information first, the total number of research students experienced a significant increase from 38,849 to 54,081 by 2010 while the local research students remained dominant across both years with a slight increase from 33,657 in 2001 to 39,448 in 2010. By contrast, the figure of international research students almost tripled from 5,192 to 12,593 over the decade.

Regarding pie charts, both portions of local male and female research students remained majority segments over the period although it experienced a modest decrease from 44% to 38% and 43% to 35% respectively. On the other hand, the share of international female students nearly quadrupled from 4% to 15% by 2010 whereas the segment of non-local male slightly increased by 3% over the decade, ending at 12%.

Examiner feedback

This is a strong, well-structured response that effectively handles both the table and the pie chart data. The writing is clear and the trends are easy to follow, though minor improvements in lexical choice and grammatical consistency would elevate the score.

Task Achievement - 8

- All parts of the task are addressed, and key features are clearly identified. - The overview is strong, highlighting the significant growth in international enrollment versus the steady local figures. - Data is used correctly and adequately supports the main points described.

Coherence & Cohesion - 8

- The response is well-organized with a clear introduction, overview, and body paragraphs that correspond to the data sources. - Logical progression is evident throughout, and cohesive devices are used appropriately to link ideas. - Paragraphing is managed effectively to separate the numerical data from the proportional distribution.

Lexical Resource - 7

- The vocabulary is relevant and demonstrates an ability to describe trends and percentages with a variety of terms. - Occasional awkward phrasing (e.g., 'remained majority portions' or 'figure of international students') slightly impacts precision. - Overall, the range is sufficient to convey precise meanings effectively.

Grammatical Range & Accuracy - 7

- The candidate uses a range of sentence structures, including complex ones, with generally good accuracy. - Some minor errors persist, such as 'remained majority portions' or missing pluralization on 'non-local male'. - Punctuation is generally correct and supports the flow of the text.

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