scholarly journals "I can't say it any better": Critical reading as a threshold concept in helping postgraduate Arab students become critical and original writers

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Radhika Iyer-O'Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Critical Reading ◽  
Critical Thought ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Critical Writing ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Threshold Concept

Many studies on plagiarism issues across the globe have arrived at the consensus that in dealing with plagiarism, universities need to do more than provide students with policies and procedures. Education, via academic support classes, has been touted as the way forward in teaching students to develop academic writing skills and avoid plagiarism. Teaching postgraduate students to produce academic writing that is analytical while retaining their individual expression has been a challenge at the British University in Dubai (BUiD). Most of the students at the university come from mainly Arab educational backgrounds. This could mean that their education may not have been in English but more importantly, that they may also have been entrenched in different learning and teaching styles. Previously encouraged to rely on restating exactly what they have read may contribute to students' inability to express critical thought through their writing. Based on analysis of students' critical writing through faculty feedback, samples of student writing and Turnitin reports, this paper seeks to demonstrate that teaching critical reading skills as a threshold concept that translates into critical thinking skills will help students adopt a different approach to reading, which will subsequently help develop critical writing skills. This paper will show how pedagogy was developed to enable students to read critically and produce coherent and thoughtful critical writing while retaining academic integrity.

scholarly journals International Postgraduate Students’ Perception of Challenges in Academic Writing in Malaysian Public Universities

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Sedigheh Shakib Kotamjani ◽  
Arshad Abd Samad ◽  
Mehrnaz Fahimirad
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Academic Language ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
English Medium Instruction ◽  
Lexical Phrases

The purpose of this study is to investigate international postgraduate students’ perceptions of difficulty with academic writing in Malaysian public universities. A survey was used to collect students’ perceptions of difficulties and challenges in general academic writing skills and language-related skills. The results revealed that students perceived greater difficulty in language-related problems than general academic writing skills. In terms of language-related skills, they ranked writing coherent paragraph, summarizing and paraphrasing, applying appropriate lexical phrases, utilizing proper academic language and vocabulary respectively as the most difficult areas in writing. However, with respect to general academic writing skills, they perceived the most difficulties in reviewing and criticizing the literature, writing introduction and research gap. The results of this study implied that international postgraduate students who graduated from non-English medium instruction universities should be supported in terms of English for Academic Purposes (EAP), critical thinking skills and language-related skills to become self-directed in learning to write.

scholarly journals Research in Writing Instruction and Assessment: Current and needed research to improve student writing

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
MJ Outcault Hill ◽  
Robert Caldwell
Keyword(s):  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Teaching Methods ◽  
Writing Process ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
National Commission ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Alternative Teaching

Discussions among educators at almost any level will invariably result in one point of agreement: students at all levels are under-prepared in writing skills. Unfortunately, this is a conclusion that also predominates much of the research literature on the improvement of student writing as well. Despite the importance attached to high-stakes academic writing skills, research has contributed little insight about the challenges students face with academic writing tasks. Llosa, Beck, and Zhao (2011) point out that the National Commission on Writing in America’s Schools and Colleges found that this lack of understanding of the writing process was so significant that they identified writing as, the “Neglected ‘R’ (National Commission on Writing, 2003; Llosa, Beck and Zhao, 2011). In the following paper, authors Caldwell and Outcault Hill present a broad review of the areas of research into the writing process and assessment of writing and suggest areas where further research is needed. Their discussion focuses on 1) Research related to the influence of Cognitive function on the writing process, 2) Research into teaching various genres such as exposition, argument, narrative, analysis, and creative writing, 3) Research on the assessment of writing, and finally, 4) Research on alternative teaching methods.

scholarly journals Educational Turning Point in Albania: No More Mechanic Parrots but Critical Thinkers

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Mirela Dubali Alhasani
Keyword(s):  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
University Graduates ◽  
Educational Transformation ◽  
Critical Writing ◽  
Writing Courses ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Shed Light

<p>Since 2004 Albanian academics have been making efforts to establish the best Western practices of academic writing associated with critical thinking and writing skills for university students. In this article, I will shed light upon the special challenges and peculiarities the establishment of Academic Writing discipline has encountered in Albania over the years of educational transformation in the broad framework of democratic political transition. I argue that the socio-political indoctrination of the society during five decades of communist dictatorship has delayed the cultivation of critical thinking, reading and, consequently, critical writing skills for academic and occupational opportunities. Moreover, the research will not be limited only to causal factors of delay, instead, it will pave the way to recommendations that accelerate the successful acquisition and possession of such crucial academic writing skills for Albanian university graduates and academia in general.</p><p>First, I provide literature on definition of critical thinking and its improvement through writing courses; next I depict the typical political indoctrination of students during communist dictatorship tracing the legacy of mechanic reading and the huge lack of critical discourse even among the academic staffs themselves; later on I discuss the contemporary academic focus being placed upon the need of critical academic writing to prepare independent thinkers successful to face the democratic transition. Finally, and most importantly, I offer substantial suggestions and recommendations how to implement successfully the Western Academic writing tradition in the higher education curricula by taking into consideration Albania’s educational legacy.</p>

scholarly journals Development and Validation of Academic Writing Textbook Based on Process Genre Approach for University Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1068-1079
Author(s):  
Helaluddin Helaluddin ◽  
Mohammed H. Al Aqad ◽  
Hengki Wijaya ◽  
Jusmianti Anwar ◽  
Nyayu Lulu Nadya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Tertiary Institutions ◽  
Assessment Design ◽  
Expert Input ◽  
Development And Validation

The textbook is a practical learning tool for improving student writing skills; however, not all students learn from a textbook. For this reason, a lecturer must be able to design a textbook according to the needs of students. This paper describes developing and validating academic writing textbooks with a process genre approach in tertiary institutions. This research is part of the research development process, which consists of three phases: need assessment, design, and validation. Five experts were appointed to validate this academic writing textbook. Content Validity Index (CVI) is used to calculate the validity of textbooks quantitatively, with a score above 0.79 considered to meet the criteria. The validity test results state that the CVI of an academic writing textbook is 0.9, with a few revisions based on expert input and suggestions. These findings indicate that this textbook has good validity and reliability and can be used to write in college.

scholarly journals The role of information literacy competence and higher order thinking skills to develop academic writing in Science and Engineering learners

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Kranthi Kumari
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Teaching Writing ◽  
Rhetorical Situation ◽  
Entry Level ◽  
Academic Texts ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Writing In Science

<p>The English syllabus for learners pursuing engineering courses includes teaching writing as one of the objectives. Learners who enroll for these courses are not equipped with the general writing skills that they should have mastered at the entry level. In this context, a study was organized to develop academic writing skills of the undergraduate learners who are pursuing engineering courses.  The study focused on raising awareness in the learners of the nature and characteristics of academic texts in order to develop academic writing skills. The study also emphasizes that involving the learners in the cognitive processes of writing that include defining the rhetorical problem, identifying the rhetorical situation, the audience and setting goals for writing, planning for the text by generating and organizing ideas is necessary. The study further suggests that discussions between learners and teachers regarding the construction of a text and the way language works in various text types facilitates better writing.</p>

scholarly journals Perceptions of Challenges in Writing Academically: Iranian Postgraduate Students’ Perspectives

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sedigheh Shakib Kotamjani ◽  
Habsah Hussin
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Doctoral Degree ◽  
Doctoral Degrees ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Academic Assignments

Academic writing skills are essential tools that postgraduate students reading for their doctoral degree have to master to be able to produce dissertations, research reports and academic assignments of quality in the course of their studies; and publish research-based articles in established journals. This paper discusses the perceptions of a group of Iranian postgraduate students pursuing their doctoral degrees at UPM (Universiti Putra Malaysia) on the challenges they face in writing academically. They provided the data for this paper via their responses to a survey.  The findings indicate that these postgraduate students perceived some academic writing skills to be more challenging than the others.  The paper concludes with a discussion on the implications of the findings; and recommendations on how the situation can be improved.

scholarly journals Written Feedback In Second Language Writing: Perceptions Of Vietnamese Teachers And Students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Phuong Anh Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Peer Feedback ◽  
L2 Writing ◽  
Written Feedback ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Teachers And Students

<p>Writing can be very challenging for ESL students since they need to overcome the changes associated with academic writing styles and their mechanics in order to improve their writing skills (Hyland & Hyland, 2006). In Vietnam, English is known as a foreign language in all public and private schools, and writing is a compulsory component. It is unavoidable that students will make errors in their writing development process, and feedback is a fundamental requirement to reduce these errors. Even if giving feedback costs a great deal of time, it can be the most significant investment of writing instructors (Ferris, 2002). In the last 20 years, many studies have examined a wide range of issues in academic writing, including the types of feedback, and stakeholders’ perceptions about feedback; however, the results have been contradictory. Mahmud (2016) revealed that teachers are often forced to use their own writing experience and intuitive criteria due to the lack of information on how to give feedback. Nevertheless, researchers tend to focus on either students’ or teachers’ perceptions, or both teachers’ and students’ perceptions, about different types of feedback in writing (Atmaca, 2016). In Vietnam, there are few studies about students’ and teachers’ perceptions of written feedback. This study investigated the views of both Vietnamese students and teachers on peer feedback, direct feedback, indirect coded feedback, indirect un-coded feedback, and self-feedback to fulfil the gap.  Thirty-six university students in Finance and Banking and two senior English teachers participated in this study. Due to the unexpected pandemic, the researcher changed the study from in-class to online. This qualitative research employs questionnaires and interviews. The pre-questionnaire in class before the outbreak of coronavirus in Vietnam, but the rest of the questionnaire surveys and interviews were collected online because the school had shut down. The students were grouped into two separate online groups on Facebook with their classmates, and they were asked to complete five surveys about five different types of feedback. The findings revealed some similarities between teachers’ and students’ perceptions of feedback in L2 writing. In terms of similarities, both teachers and students agreed that feedback played an important role in L2 writing learning and teaching. Teachers and students believed that feedback could affect L2 learners’ cognitive engagement in writing and some types of feedback could affect learners’ psychology. Moreover, training was necessary to improve peer feedback in both quality and quantity of feedback and to help students use this type of feedback more effectively. The results from teachers’ interviews and students’ surveys also revealed the discrepancies between teachers’ and students’ perceptions of feedback in L2 writing. This study concludes that using appropriate types of teacher feedback can boost students’ confidence to improve their writing skills in the long term.</p>

“Writing Back to the News”

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-309
Author(s):  
Kelly King-O'Brien
Keyword(s):  
Academic Writing ◽  
Real World ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Critical Reading ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Online Content ◽  
College Teachers ◽  
Reading And Writing ◽  
Real World Problems

Abstract As online content has rapidly proliferated in recent years, college teachers may find teaching students how to navigate their way to reputable sources both more challenging and more crucial. When we integrate reading the news into our curricula, we can engage our students, cultivate their critical reading and writing skills, harness digital tools and sources, and teach students how to transfer those skills to academic writing and other endeavors. To fight fake news, students must learn to interrogate sources and writing in the news, thereby empowering them to read, discuss, and engage with contemporary and real-world problems with compassion, complexity, and nuance.

WAC: A Strengths-Based Approach to Student Learning

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-94
Author(s):  
Jessica Kahn ◽  
Richard Holody
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Writing Across The Curriculum ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Critical Thinking Skills ◽  
Student Writing ◽  
Pedagogical Approach ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Work Education

As is reported in other undergraduate disciplines, many social work students struggle with developing their writing skills. In this article we explore the special relevancy to social work education of a pedagogical approach known as Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC), which provides a model for effective teaching based on the interrelationship of writing, learning, and thinking. We view improving student writing from a strengths perspective. Including students in the language of the profession and developing their critical thinking skills is a normative process accomplished through the instructor's conscious use of writing assignments in creative and integrative ways.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document