The methodology and results of a research study on the use of discursive and rhetorical strategies in the academic writing practices of students at a private university in Lambayeque, Peru, are presented. The study is descriptive, of non-experimental and transversal design. A total of 220 evaluations were collected, taken from the written work of students in the first academic cycle in the Faculties of Engineering, Business, Law, Architecture and Psychology. The results show that 86.37% of students have difficulties in writing academic texts in university writing situations. It is concluded that the writing limitations are specifically manifested in actions of planning, adequacy, use of connectors, pertinence and thematic development. © 2022, Associacao Iberica de Sistemas e Tecnologias de Informacao. All rights reserved.