scholarly journals Developing an Understanding of The Sources of Some Graduate Students’ Perceptions of Academic Writing

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmad I. Alhojailan
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Saudi Students ◽  
Writing Practices ◽  
Fields Of Study ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
Perceived Effects ◽  
Negative Perceptions

An increasing number of Saudi students in American universities has generated a need to explore the Saudi students’ perceptions of academic writing and the sources of such perceptions. Further research can enable writing researchers and instructors to help Saudi students to be better writers in American contexts. This study, therefore, explored the sources of 12 Saudi graduate students' perceptions of academic writing. The findings collected from 12 semi-structured interviews revealed the sources of the participants’ perceptions of academic writing. These sources are the perceived effects of the participants’ professors, the perceived effects of their fields of study/occupations, the perceived effects of their peers, and the perceived effects of the Saudi culture. The findings suggest the creation of opportunities for writing practices that can help identify the origins of difficulties in academic writing and then help students overcome those difficulties and change the negative perceptions students have about academic writing. The findings also show that those sources are interrelated. A more in-depth study of student perceptions and their sources is needed because we need a broader picture of how such sources might interact with each other.

scholarly journals Hobson’s choice: the effects of research evaluation on academics’ writing practices in England

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 503-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon Mcculloch
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Research Evaluation ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Evaluation Systems ◽  
Writing Practices ◽  
Institutional Responses ◽  
Qualitative Data Analysis Software ◽  
And Mathematics

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of research evaluation policies and their interpretation on academics’ writing practices in three different higher education institutions and across three different disciplines. Specifically, the paper discusses how England’s national research excellence framework (REF) and institutional responses to it shape the decisions academics make about their writing. Design/methodology/approach In total, 49 academics at three English universities were interviewed. The academics were from one Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics discipline (mathematics), one humanities discipline (history) and one applied discipline (marketing). Repeated semi-structured interviews focussed on different aspects of academics’ writing practices. Heads of departments and administrative staff were also interviewed. Data were coded using the qualitative data analysis software, ATLAS.ti. Findings Academics’ ability to succeed in their career was closely tied to their ability to meet quantitative and qualitative targets driven by research evaluation systems, but these were predicated on an unrealistic understanding of knowledge creation. Research evaluation systems limited the epistemic choices available to academics, partly because they pushed academics’ writing towards genres and publication venues that conflicted with disciplinary traditions and partly because they were evenly distributed across institutions and age groups. Originality/value This work fills a gap in the literature by offering empirical and qualitative findings on the effects of research evaluation systems in context. It is also one of the only papers to focus on the ways in which individuals’ academic writing practices in particular are shaped by such systems.

scholarly journals Academic Writing at the Graduate Level: Improving the Curriculum through Faculty Collaboration

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-51
Author(s):  
Mary A. Bair ◽  
◽  
Cynthia E. Mader ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
College Of Education ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Writing Difficulties ◽  
Faculty Collaboration ◽  
Graduate Preparation ◽  
Self Study ◽  
Analyze Data

This article describes a collaborative self-study undertaken to identify the source of academic writing difficulties among graduate students and find ways to address them. Ten faculty members in a college of education came together to define the problem and to analyze data gleaned from faculty and student surveys, course documents, course assignments, and course assessments. We found discrepancies between faculty and student perceptions about graduate preparation for academic writing and between the espoused and enacted curriculum. Both faculty and students identified problems associated with synthesizing theory and research. We discuss the need for teacher-scholars in today's educational environment, the challenges facing curriculum improvement, and several program-specific measures being undertaken to address identified gaps in academic writing and critical thinking.

scholarly journals AN ANALYSIS OF FOCUSED METALINGUISTIC WRITTEN FEEDBACK: How would learners react?

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Rizqiyyah Rizqiyyah ◽  
Tanty Prianty
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Quantitative Data ◽  
Electronic Mail ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Mixed Method Study ◽  
Written Feedback ◽  
Constructive Feedback ◽  
Fields Of Study

Learners of higher education are encouraged to write a scholarly publication in that it helps corroborate them as professionals in their fields of study. Practices in academic writing are thus indispensable to do to achieve a higher level of competency. This study explores learners’ reactions towards focused metalinguistic written feedbacks provided by a lecturer. The lecturer used electronic mail to provide constructive feedback to her students. This mixed-method study involved 22 post-graduate students from an Indonesian university. In analyzing the qualitative data, the researchers employed Miles and Huberman’s qualitative data analysis approach. Meanwhile, the quantitative data, namely the basic analysis of focused metalinguistic written feedbacks were analyzed by employing Cumming’s writing approach. The findings reveal that: (1) learners revised and expanded their draft after getting back their paper; (2) lecturer’s feedbacks through email have reportedly motivated learners because such the feedbacks did not lead learners perplexity compared to the handwritten feedbacks; (3) the majority of participants used revising and responding, consulting a dictionary/grammar book, and referring to the previous composition as the ways to handle lecturer’s input.

Paraphrasing in English Academic Writing by Thai Graduate Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 48-54
Author(s):  
Buaboun Pinjaroenpan ◽  
Uthaivan Danvivath
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Jel Classification ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Coding Scheme ◽  
English Academic Writing

Objective - The primary objective of this study is to investigate the use of paraphrasing in writing, as practiced by graduate students who are majoring in English Language at a university in Thailand. Methodology/Technique - The research data was collected from multiple sources including a questionnaire survey, semi-structured interviews, and students' written assignments. The participants were graduate students majoring in English at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, at Khon Kaen University. Students' paraphrased texts were analysed using a coding scheme adapted from Campbell (1987), Keck (2006), and Shi (2004). The coding scheme focuses on textual transformation, which has been further analysed for retaining the original meaning of the paraphrased text. Findings - The results reveal that, generally, students had a sound appreciation and understanding of paraphrasing and plagiarism at a conceptual level. However, the students made clear errors when required to paraphrase. In many cases, their lack of skill and knowledge led to instances of plagiarism in a significant number of respondents. In conclusion, greater attention should be given to educating graduate students how to paraphrase, to reduce plagiarism as well as to improve the standard of academic writing. The findings of this study provide beneficial knowledge concerning the practice of paraphrasing by graduate students' in Thailand; this understanding may foster improved paraphrasing standards among students. Novelty – This study is specifically concerned with the examination of perception, knowledge, and paraphrasing typology of students' English within a foreign language context. Type of Paper - Empirical Keywords: Academic Writing; English as a Foreign Language; Graduate Students; Paraphrasing; Plagiarism. JEL Classification: I20, I21.

Perceptions and Experiences of E-Learning among On-Campus Students

2013 ◽  
pp. 45-64
Author(s):  
Michelle M. Kazmer ◽  
Amelia N. Gibson ◽  
Kathleen Shannon
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
State University ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Based Instruction

This chapter explores the experiences of on-campus graduate students in Library and Information Studies (LIS) who take online classes using the relevant literature and analyzing data from an exploratory study to begin to answer the overarching research question: What are the factors influencing the perceptions and affective experiences of on-campus graduate students who take courses taught via Web-based instruction? Specific subareas of the existing research literature addressing student perceptions of online learning and hybrid and blended learning provide direction and frame the discussion. Empirical evidence is provided via qualitative data from a study comprising face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 20 on-campus students at the Florida State University School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS), all of whom must take online courses to complete the Master’s degree at SLIS.

scholarly journals Chinese graduate students’ translanguaging practice in the context of academic writing in English

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuezi Zhang ◽  
Xenia Hadjioannou
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
English Writing ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Chinese Graduate Students ◽  
Literacy Knowledge ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
English Academic Writing

Abstract This study explores the complexity of the languaging processes of Chinese graduate students in the context of their English academic writing. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach, we found that translanguaging was ubiquitously present in the writing processes of the Chinese graduate student participants. The participants leveraged translanguaging tools and strategies to support their English writing by accessing and utilizing resources in Chinese, using Chinese to support thinking and drafting, and integrating literacy knowledge across their linguistic repertoires. However, negative perceptions of these practices contributed to ambivalent bilingual identities and hindered them as writers. Findings also revealed perceived barriers and process hindrances that challenged the participants when composing academic text in English. The study highlights the importance of creating translanguaging spaces to support international students in higher education, but also the need to provide instruction in academic writing to support their academic performance.

scholarly journals Exploring the Academic English Socialization of International Graduate Students in Taiwan

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu-Wen Lan
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Academic English ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Socialization Process ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Practice Framework ◽  
The University

Through 24 semi-structured interviews with non-native English-speaking (NNES) international graduate students, this study explores their academic English socialization experiences in Taiwan guided by Lave and Wenger’s (1991) community of practice framework and Lee and Rice’s (2007) concept of neo-racism. Throughout a complicated academic English socialization process, newcomers became increasingly competent in communicating with the university community in English. However, this process was not unproblematic; challenges included differential welcome and treatment, a relative lack of interaction with Taiwanese peers or students outside their own ethnic groups, and negative perceptions of their accents and non-fluent English. Findings suggest a need to stimulate deeper reflection on international students’ experiences in host communities, where they are increasingly the targets of nationality-based discrimination.

scholarly journals Writing Goes Back to School: Exploring the “Institutional Practice of Mystery” in a Graduate Education Program

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosamund K Stooke ◽  
Kathryn Hibbert
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Graduate Education ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Education Program ◽  
Academic Literacies ◽  
Extreme Stress ◽  
Writing Practices ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Writing Pedagogies ◽  
Pedagogical Framework

Drawing on a qualitative case study of writing practices and pedagogies in one Canadian graduate Education program, this article discusses roles and responsibilities of course instructors for teaching and supporting academic writing at the master’s level. Data were collected through individual, semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 14 graduate students and eight professors and they were analyzed thematically. The discussion is framed by the academic literacies pedagogical framework (ACLITS). The data suggest that academic writing expectations can be sources of extreme stress for graduate students. The students and instructors lacked a common language to discuss student texts. In the absence of explicit academic writing pedagogies, students and instructors sometimes turned to simplistic advice received at school. The paper also discusses pedagogical challenges associated with the teaching of disciplinary writing genres in multi-perspectival fields such as Curriculum Studies. Dans cet article, basé sur une étude de cas qualitative de pratiques et de pédagogies de rédaction menée dans un programme universitaire d’éducation de cycle supérieur dans une université canadienne, il est question des rôles et des responsabilités des instructeurs concernant l’enseignement et les travaux de rédaction universitaire de soutien au niveau de la maîtrise. Les données ont été recueillies à partir d’entrevues individuelles approfondies, semi structurées, auprès de 14 étudiants de cycle supérieur et de huit professeurs. Les entrevues ont ensuite été analysées de manière thématique. La discussion se place dans le cadre pédagogique des littéracies universitaires (ACLITS - Academic Literacies Pedagogical Framework). Les données suggèrent que les attentes en matière de travaux de rédaction universitaire peuvent être des sources de stress extrême pour les étudiants de cycle supérieur. Les étudiants et les instructeurs n’ont pas de langue commune pour discuter les textes produits par les étudiants. En l’absence de pédagogies explicites en matière de travaux de rédaction universitaire, les étudiants et les instructeurs se tournent parfois vers des avis simplistes obtenus à l’école. Cet article présente également les défis pédagogiques associés à l’enseignement des genres disciplinaires de travaux de rédaction dans des domaines qui présentent des perspectives multiples tels que les études du curriculum.

scholarly journals International EFL/ESL Master Students’ Adaptation Strategies for Academic Writing Practices at Tertiary Level

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 620-643
Author(s):  
Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
English Language ◽  
Adaptation Strategies ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Writing Practices ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
Group Interviews

The present research provides insights into the different forms of adaptation strategies employed by international graduate students to overcome the challenges faced in the academic writing practices and gain access to their disciplinary communities of practice at Master’s level. Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured in-depth focus group interviews. Respondents were 70 international graduate students enrolled in various Master-level programs. Semi-structured focus group interviews allowed the international graduate students to share their own experiences in the employment of suitable adaptation strategies to overcome the challenges faced in their academic writing practices in the Master programs. The adaptation strategies employed include enhancing their English language proficiency, referring to non-formal advisory services, and improving their academic writing style.

scholarly journals International Graduate Students’ Academic Writing Practices in Malaysia: Challenges and Solutions

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manjet Kaur Mehar Singh
Keyword(s):  
Academic Success ◽  
Graduate Students ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
International Graduate Students ◽  
Academic Literacies ◽  
Writing Practices ◽  
International Graduate ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking ◽  
Instructional Settings

This article focuses on the challenges faced by non-native English speaking international graduate students in their academic writing practices while they studied at a university in Malaysia as well as the solutions they employed when faced with the challenges. Academic Literacies Questionnaire was used to collect data. Based on 131 participants, the findings indicate that non-native English speaking international graduate students faced challenges in their academic writing practices in the instructional settings where English was used as a medium. In addition, the results revealed that some challenges those students face were mainly attributable to the fact that English in Malaysia is not the native or first language. This study suggests policies and programmes to meet the unique academic writing background needs of these students and ensure their academic success.

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