Search

Engaging second language (L2) students in multimodal academic writing that leverages multiple semiotic resources has the potential to foster their awareness of audience, purpose, and other rhetorical features. This case study explores L2 students’ engagement in a multimodal digital storytelling (DST) project. The study reports on how DST was integrated into an undergraduate writing curriculum and how students’ engagement in multimodal composition fostered their rhetorical awareness and influenced their perceptions of academic writing. The findings suggest that the process of transmediation (a process of translating meaning from one sign system into another) facilitated students’ revision, directing their attention to rhetorical features of writing. Creating digital stories enabled students to make sophisticated and deliberate rhetorical choices to bolster their arguments and transmit their messages effectively. Students exhibited positive attitudes toward the integration of multimedia. The results suggest that thoughtful integration of DST and multimodality have unique affordances for L2 students’ writing development.

Purpose: Peer review is one teaching activity that is gaining ground in academic writing training. Studies have addressed the variety of benefits involved and students are able to identify peer review's positive aspects. However, it is still unknown whether the impact peer review has on texts is aligned with what students believe. This research investigates the correlation between students' perceived benefits of peer review and the impact this practice has on their texts. Design: This mixed-methods study involves 45 freshmen attending a compulsory course on communicative competence in the largest university in the Basque Country (Spain). The students created two versions of the introduction of a scientific paper in their mother tongue: one before and one after receiving peers' feedback. They also answered a questionnaire about their beliefs regarding the efficacy of this activity. Findings: Results show that, overall, peer review has a significant effect on students' academic writing. Specifically, the effect is relevant to the use of resources and structure. Questionnaires show that students trust their peers and believe that the peer-review activity helps to improve the quality of their texts. Value: These results highlight the importance of making students aware of how to improve their texts to get more out of peer review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic writing has been a widely substantial course in higher education as it plays a vital role in cultivating students' academic writing skills. Drawing on qualitative descriptive study, this study aims to explore the fundamental requirements for academic writing to base the creation of an effective learning framework. Data consisted of teaching materials, semester learning plan (SLP), assessment tools, and guidelines for academic writing from three universities in Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia. Findings reveal that learning materials and the SLP have both strengths and weaknesses. Despite these, there is diversity in learning and assessment methods. Adopted teaching methods encompass project-based learning, problemsolving, and lectures, while learning assessment includes portfolio techniques, project assessment, and written exams. These findings provide insight into the imperative of academic writing in the academic setting. This serves as a basis for the development of more effective learning methods. Thus, the proposed model for academic writing adopts a project-based approach to improve students' writing by integrating indigenous wisdom to promote students' character development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper provides an overview of an online module for formative assessment of summary writing skills for second language (L2) introductory academic writing instruction in Japan and presents initial empirical results on how Japanese undergraduate students' summary writing performance changed with a series of automated summary content feedback delivered in the module. A key feature of this module was the provision of fine-grained feedback delivered as scaffolding during revisions in terms of two key aspects of summary content: main idea representation and paraphrasing. Participants were 64 Japanese undergraduate engineering majors in introductory academic writing courses at a private university in Tokyo. The students completed two summary writing tasks provided through the online module. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance showed significant improvement of the content analytic score on revision on the initial summary task, and that this improved performance level was retained on a transfer task. The language use analytic score also improved significantly on the transfer task. Detailed analyses of learner-produced summaries based on descriptive statistics further suggested that the learners made substantively meaningful changes concerning main idea coverage and verbatim copying of the source text while still meeting the length requirement, although the results differed somewhat across the source texts assigned. Despite some study limitations, these results provide initial support for immediate content feedback provision for the development of basic summary writing skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study inquires into the experiences of 15 doctoral students from universities in the United Kingdom and Hong Kong to examine the factors that contribute to publishing first-authored academic papers and explores their self-perceptions of their scholarly identities. Using Leadership for Learning as a theoretical framework, the research findings show that successful academic publishing is underpinned by powerful learning experiences, the sharing of leadership and a shared sense of accountability. The study demonstrates that student agency, which links leadership and learning, is manifested through purposeful action, relational engagement and self-transformation. The research results acknowledge the unequal power dynamics in different research collaborations and reveal that doctoral students’ identity development is interlinked with a passion for research, strong learning experiences, the way that others position themselves and autonomy. The study highlights the need for robust learning experiences, tailored support for academic publishing and leadership development opportunities that facilitate academic collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative social scientists working in medical faculties have to meet multiple expectations. On the one hand, they are expected to comply with the philosophical and theoretical expectations of the social sciences. On the other hand, they may also be expected to produce publications which align with biomedical definitions and framings of quality. As interdisciplinary scholars, they must handle (at least) two sets of journal editors, peer reviewers, grant-awarding panels, and conference audiences. In this paper, we extend the current knowledge base on the 'dual expectations' challenge by drawing on Orlikowski and Yates' theoretical concept of communicative genres. A 'genre' in this context is a format of communication (e.g. letter, email, academic paper, and conference presentation) aimed at a particular audience, having a particular material form and socio-linguistic style, and governed by both formal requirements and unwritten social rules. Becoming a member of any community of practice involves becoming familiar with its accepted communicative genres and adept in using them. Academic writing, for example, is a craft that is learned through participation in the social process of communicating one's ideas to one's peers in journal articles and other formats. In this reflective paper, we show how the concept of a communicative genre can sensitise us to the conflicting and often dissonant expectations and rule systems governing different academic fields. We use this key concept to suggest ways in which the faculty can support early-career researchers to progress in careers which straddle qualitative social science and medical science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aided by big-data technology and artificial intelligence, automated writing evaluation (AWE) systems aim to help students engage in self-regulated learning and improve their academic writing in the digital era. While much research on student engagement with AWE systems has been conducted in mainstream classrooms, little attention has been paid to ethnic minority students who have different educational experiences and sociocultural backgrounds. This study investigates how a group of ethnic minority students from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region engaged with an AWE system in academic writing during an 18-week semester at a comprehensive Chinese university. Data were collected from multiple sources including student multiple-draft assignments, AWE feedback, and retrospective interviews with the students. The participants were found to engage with the AWE system behaviourally, cognitively, and affectively in their writing and revision, but the extent to which they engaged in the process is influenced by their multilingual proficiency, familiarity with digital technologies, learning beliefs and sociocultural identities. Those who were more actively engaged and obtained more learning gains tended to capitalise on their linguistic and cultural capital in their engagement with AWE feedback in their writing. The article concludes with educational implications for ethnic minority students in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of international doctoral students choose to study in China, a non-traditional learning destination. However, relatively few studies have investigated these students' academic writing practices while undertaking their studies in China. This study draws upon Bourdieu's concepts of field, habitus, and capital, and the notion of global-national-local imbrications, to explore 20 international doctoral students' language-engagement experiences in a Chinese university. Our analysis found that English and Chinese co-exist to varying and sometimes shifting degrees in doctoral students' academic writing practices. As a result, some students potentially developed a hybrid, 'in-between', cosmopolitan habitus. Notably, however, other students felt disempowered in the Chinese HE 'sub-field', with its unique logics of practice. Students' experiences indicate that multifarious language practices potentially create a heavily hybridised 'sub-field' characterised by a multitude of imbricating global, national, and local influences, and highlight the need to ensure that the language of instruction is indeed oriented to student learning – a language for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims (a) to identify the types of grammatical cohesion used in the discussion sections of undergraduate theses and (b) to quantify the usage of these cohesive devices by EFL students in Aceh, Indonesia. Data were collected using an analytical sheet to identify instances of grammatical cohesion. The analysis revealed three types of grammatical cohesion in the discussion sections, with a total of 561 cohesive devices identified. The theses demonstrate a strong dependence on conjunctions (48.66%) and references (42.78%). Meanwhile, substitution is employed less often (8.56%), and ellipsis is entirely absent. Conjunctions and reference were the most frequently used due to their role in linking ideas and maintaining coherence, whereas substitutions were the least used because they are less effective for connecting larger segments of text. The findings of this study highlight students' understanding of the importance of grammatical cohesion as it helps ensure logical and clear sentence flow in academic writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for proficiency in academic writing has never been more important due to its significance for academic success and professional growth. The skills required in academic writing range from research to critical thinking and communication skills. It develops holistic intellectual development and will help one run a successful professional life, more so in highly researchoriented areas where publications become highly valued. This paper has attempted to fill up the research gaps created by the lack of research into corpus linguistic and corpus-based studies in general within the parameters of Philippine academic writing, with its insufficiency of known studies on metadiscourse markers in particular. This paper examined the use of metadiscourse markers in a researcher-constructed 120,000-word corpus of academic papers written by Grade 11 Senior High School students, namely, concept papers, position papers, reaction papers, and scientific reports. Specifically, the research determined the metadiscourse markers used by students and their frequency across text types, as well as qualitative analysis of their contextual usage. In the current study, it is revealed that students utilize a wide array of interactive and interactional markers, drawing on Hyland's taxonomy of metadiscourse markers (2005) and AntConc V. 3.5.8, a corpus analysis software. The study revealed a predominant use of interactive over interactional metadiscourse markers, with a notable emphasis on transitions within the interactive category. Qualitative analysis also showed that transitions and engagement markers serve various functions, such as clarifying relationships within the text, structuring arguments, and providing additional information for better understanding. Interactional resources were also employed to convey the writer's stance, engage the reader, and present a balanced view by acknowledging different perspectives. Hence, the findings highlighted that text type, rhetorical purpose, and the use of metadiscourse markers interact closely in shaping how the writer communicates and accomplishes their purpose effectively. Future research should address writing ability and experience as factors influencing the choice of metadiscourse markers and examine their variation of use across academic and nonacademic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic assessment (DA) integrates assessment and instruction between the instructor and learners. It emphasizes the learning process. DA was introduced to 24 undergraduates and 9 graduate students in two academic writing courses in Taiwan. The analysis of the pre- and post-tests, writing portfolios, observations, and interviews reached the following major conclusions. First, participants had a positive attitude toward DA, particularly regarding expert evaluation as the mediation for identifying global and local errors. Secondly, the integration of DA influenced the participants' academic writing on research proposals, particularly the structure and the use of the APA format. Thirdly, participants regarded the instructor's model writing and the exemplary journal articles as useful mediations. Suggestions on the effective integration of DA into academic writing courses are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This groundbreaking study addresses a significant research gap in modern pedagogy by examining the revolutionary effects of hybrid project-based learning (HPBL) on high-order thinking skills (HOTS) in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing instruction. By employing a quasi-experimental design and incorporating the participation of 85 students as a population, this study addresses two crucial inquiries: i) the degree to which HPBL impacts the overall writing abilities of EFL students enrolled in an academic writing course and ii) how HPBL enhances the analytical capabilities of the students. The argumentative writing test was employed as a research instrument. The research demonstrates a significant writing and analytical mastery enhancement through rigorous paired sample testing and validation. This research not only makes substantial contributions to the ongoing scholarly discourse but also underscores the critical significance of further exploring the dynamic attributes of HPBL, thus further establishing its position as an indispensable element of modern language instructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Writing skills are the most difficult language skills for students, especially those students with English as a Second Language (ESL) and as an English Foreign Language (EFL) in various academic institutions. This situation has made most college students fail to write effective academic works. This study assessed the effectiveness of the Editing and Proofreading Skills Course in improving the academic writing of law students in Tanzania. Specifically, the study assessed the common errors made by law students in academic writing. The study involved the action research design consisting of pre- and post-interventions. Data were collected through observations and questionnaire methods. Data were analysed statistically through the Wilcoxon Signed-rank test and the McNemar exact test at 95% confidence intervals to analyse the before and after intervention data. The study found that law students had a limited basic understanding of the editing and proofreading techniques before the intervention. After the intervention, there was a significant improvement in students' writing skills as the results showed an exact p-value of 0.000. It recommends the inclusion of specific instructions on Editing and Proofreading Skills Courses as part of the Legal Education Curriculum in Tanzania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates persuasive strategies used in the writings of Iranian university students in the field of teaching English as foreign language (TEFL). The study utilized the 7 principles of persuasive strategies presented by Cialdini (The psychology of persuasion, Quill William Morrow, New York 1984; Pre-suasion: A revolutionary way to influence and persuade, Simon & Schuster, New York 2016), which include 'reciprocity', 'commitment and consistency', 'social proof', 'liking', 'authority', 'scarcity', and 'unity'. The results indicate that strategies such as 'liking', 'unity', and 'authority' were used more frequently than other persuasive strategies. On the other hand, 'scarcity' was the least used strategy by the participants. Significant gender differences were also observed in the data. These findings have important pedagogical implications and suggest the need to incorporate persuasive strategies into instructional materials and teaching practices to enhance the persuasive writing skills of university students. Furthermore, gender differences highlight the importance of considering individual differences when teaching persuasive writing. Finally, the study discusses the pedagogical implications of these findings in the context of learning and teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plagiarism is a highly discussed issue in higher education institutions in recent times. Turnitin text-matching software has widely been adopted by many academic institutions in Ghana as one of the solutions to improving students' and faculty academic writing and a solution for detecting incidences of plagiarism. There has been little empirical research into what students actually know about plagiarism and their lived experiences of text-matching technology, despite the fact that a lot of research has looked at attitudes, motivations, and demographic characteristics related to academic dishonesty. This study used an online Google form for data collection. We enrolled 1054 postgraduate students of the University of Cape Coast. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 21.0, and the proposed hypothesis was tested using Structural Equation Modeling. Findings show that there was no statistically significant relationship between postgraduate students' academic levels and their perception of plagiarism. However, there is significant relationship between postgraduate students' perception of plagiarism and their use of Turnitin. There is also statistically significant relationship between postgraduate students' awareness of Turnitin and its use. This calls for increased awareness creation and sensitization, which can be accomplished through scientific writing workshops, focused on inculcating ethical research practices into students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rapid adoption of ChatGPT in academic settings has raised concerns about its impact on learning, research, and academic integrity. This study aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive ChatGPT Usage Scale specifically tailored to postgraduate students, addressing the need for a psychometrically sound instrument to assess the multidimensional nature of ChatGPT usage in higher education. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving 443 postgraduate students from two Egyptian universities. The initial 39-item scale underwent Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) using principal component analysis with Varimax rotation. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the model fit and psychometric properties of the final 15-item measure. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. Results: EFA revealed a three-factor structure explaining 49.186% of the total variance: Academic Writing Aid (20.438%), Academic Task Support (14.410%), and Reliance and Trust (14.338%). CFA confirmed the three-factor structure with acceptable fit indices (χ2(87) = 223.604, p <.001; CMIN/DF = 2.570; CFI = 0.917; TLI = 0.900; RMSEA = 0.060). All standardized factor loadings were statistically significant (p <.001), ranging from 0.434 to 0.728. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.848, McDonald's ω = 0.849) and composite reliability (CR = 0.855). The average variance extracted (AVE) was 0.664, supporting convergent validity. Conclusions: The validated ChatGPT Usage Scale provides a reliable and valid instrument for assessing postgraduate students' engagement with ChatGPT across multiple dimensions. This tool offers valuable insights into AI-assisted academic practices, enabling more nuanced investigations into the effects of ChatGPT on postgraduate education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The value of generative AI tools in higher education has received considerable attention. Although there are many proponents of its value as a learning tool, many are concerned with the issues regarding academic integrity and its use by students to compose written assessments. This study evaluates and compares the output of three commonly used generative AI tools, ChatGPT, Bing and Bard. Each AI tool was prompted with an essay question from undergraduate (UG) level 4 (year 1), level 5 (year 2), level 6 (year 3) and postgraduate (PG) level 7 biomedical sciences courses. Anonymised AI generated output was then evaluated by four independent markers, according to specifed marking criteria and matched to the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifcations (FHEQ) of UK level descriptors. Percentage scores and ordinal grades were given for each marking criteria across AI generated papers, inter-rater reliability was calculated using Kendall's coefcient of concordance and generative AI performance ranked. Across all UG and PG levels, ChatGPT performed better than Bing or Bard in areas of scientifc accuracy, scientifc detail and context. All AI tools performed consistently well at PG level compared to UG level, although only ChatGPT consistently met levels of high attainment at all UG levels. ChatGPT and Bing did not provide adequate references, while Bing falsifed references. In conclusion, generative AI tools are useful for providing scientifc information consistent with the academic standards required of students in written assignments. These fndings have broad implications for the design, implementation and grading of written assessments in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic writing aims to disseminate scholarly knowledge to a target audience in concise language. During this process, translators sometimes translate academic texts into foreign languages, so that the output of scholarly research can be read by speakers of different languages. In such cases, translators are to translate the source text into the target language in a clear and comprehensible language. This paper discusses how the authors of scholarly texts can structure their writing properly, so that they can help translators compose clear and concise translation output. Although the knowledge and skills of the translator are a key consideration in ensuring the quality of translated texts, the source text itself is highly influential in the quality of the output. Furthermore, although they might partially differ from one language to another, academic writing has some well-established conventions. Therefore, translators might experience some problems when they translate scholarly texts. This study aims to pinpoint such issues and to offer viable strategies that could be used for solving them before the translation process. Commonly encountered problems that impair the quality of the translation output are as follows: wordiness, ambiguous expressions, failing to consider the discourse structure of the target language while organising the source text, using conjunctions carelessly, using the passive voice unnecessarily, using indirect language to express ideas, using synonymous words sequentially, typos, and other similar problems. Though experience in academic translation can help solve some of these issues, it might not be possible to produce good translation output if the source text is poorly written. Success in academic translation can be achieved through collaboration between the author of an academic text and its translator. For this reason, it is necessary to raise the awareness of writers and translators on this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the successful implementation of the DISCOVERY METHOD in an undergraduate Generative Syntax course. Rather than reading textbooks on syntactic analysis and doing exercises to apply what was read, students embark on a nine-stage learning cycle consisting of interactive, guided, and independent work. They engage with problem sets to build their own analyses of syntactic phenomena step by step. This method--meant to resemble the work of real-life scientists--allows students to hypothesize, experiment, and build knowledge from trial and error (Kolb 1984, Prince 2004). To measure the effectiveness of our pedagogy, we analyzed course evaluations submitted from 2012 to the present. Learner feedback shows that they find the assignments and activities helpful, that the course challenges them to think and learn, and that they consider the weekly write-ups demanding, yet highly beneficial for their learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the academic English writing challenges faced by EFL learners at Najran University, Saudi Arabia. It aims to identify the specific difficulties encountered, explore the underlying factors contributing to these challenges, and propose effective strategies to mitigate them. Using a descriptive research design, the study surveyed 48 fourth-year English major students through a comprehensive questionnaire. The findings reveal that EFL learners struggle most with vocabulary, organization, paraphrasing, grammar, and referencing. Key factors exacerbating these challenges include inadequate English language foundation, overreliance on Arabic, limited writing practice opportunities, and insufficient writing-focused courses. To address these issues, the study suggests incorporating technology-aided instruction, providing targeted feedback, and expanding writingintensive curricula. The results offer valuable insights for English language instructors and curriculum designers, equipping them to tailor their approaches and better support EFL students in developing robust academic writing proficiency. By identifying the specific hurdles and proposing practical solutions, this research contributes to enhancing the quality of English language education at Najran University and similar EFL contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While research on postgraduate thesis writing has investigated how students cope with institutional assessment criteria, this study explores how students form their own criteria for self-assessment through the writing process, aiming to account for the development of their independent thinking in academic socialisation. Based on in-depth interviews with 10 Chinese master's students, the study found that their self-assessment criteria not only represented solutions to problems identified by their supervisors and examiners, but also embodied aims established by students themselves. Those criteria were not fixed textual properties of a 'good' thesis, but were dynamic representations of textual and social realities constituting students' lifeworlds. Viewed from this perspective, self-assessment is a situated process whereby students re-experience and re-interpret multiple sets of realities juxtaposed against their writing. Pedagogically, the study implies that postgraduate thesis supervision could facilitate the expansion of students' self-assessment criteria to develop their capacity for making independent judgements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of English Teaching & Learning is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Nietzsche (1844–1900) struggles with complexity and many-sidedness throughout his life. He is a nuanced thinker who offers fragments instead of a rigid philosophical system, yet he admires the 'virtuous energy' with which systematic thinkers, especially the pre-Socratic philosophers, express themselves. His ability to write with comparable energy is hindered by university philosophy, which privileges restraint and consistency. Therefore, he adopts a practice of spontaneous life writing in order to become simple and honest in thought and life. Inspired by figures such as Emerson, Diogenes, and Sterne, he grasps the 'nearest shoddy words' and continually produces new insights in disjointed monologues and aphorisms. Nietzsche's vague metaphors, loose language, inconsistency, and hyperbole stem from this practice, and his autobiography, Ecce Homo (1888), is the closest that he ever comes to rekindling the energy of the pre-Socratics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher educators struggle to balance heavy teaching loads, research, writing, and institutional service. This qualitative study uses institutional ethnography to question how college leadership understand the significance of academic scholarship in the professional lives of college-based teacher educators in Israel. Data from interviews with eight college position holders shed light on the working lives of college-based teacher educators and how they are positioned as researcher-writers in an institution where scholarship expectations are blurry. Findings reveal three themes: the importance of academic activity for institutional prosperity, the difficulties in academic scholarship experienced by teacher educators, and the support the institution provides to encourage and maintain academic activity. The discussion contemplates the tensions between institutional and individual teacher educator advancement. The complexity of the institutional structure deserves attention to achieve institutional aims and attend to individual faculty's professional needs and desires. The implications of this study are significant for leadership in teacher education and higher education around the world, prompting leaders to rethink ways of supporting faculty involved in research and writing alongside teaching and additional roles. Balancing conflicting roles, providing clear expectations, and maintaining an ongoing dialogue between teacher educators and leadership regarding professional development needs can lead to institutional prosperity alongside individual professional advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present paper provides an overview of an online module for formative assessment of summary writing skills for second language (L2) introductory academic writing instruction in Japan and presents initial empirical results on how Japanese undergraduate students’ summary writing performance changed with a series of automated summary content feedback delivered in the module. A key feature of this module was the provision of fine-grained feedback delivered as scaffolding during revisions in terms of two key aspects of summary content: main idea representation and paraphrasing. Participants were 64 Japanese undergraduate engineering majors in introductory academic writing courses at a private university in Tokyo. The students completed two summary writing tasks provided through the online module. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance showed significant improvement of the content analytic score on revision on the initial summary task, and that this improved performance level was retained on a transfer task. The language use analytic score also improved significantly on the transfer task. Detailed analyses of learner-produced summaries based on descriptive statistics further suggested that the learners made substantively meaningful changes concerning main idea coverage and verbatim copying of the source text while still meeting the length requirement, although the results differed somewhat across the source texts assigned. Despite some study limitations, these results provide initial support for immediate content feedback provision for the development of basic summary writing skills.

This conceptual article delves into the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academia, focusing on its potential to decolonise academic writing for inclusive knowledge production. The paper begins with an overview of decolonisation in academic discourse and introduces AI's emerging role in this field. It then reviews the literature on decolonial perspectives in academia, the challenges faced by non-native English speakers in academic writing, and previous AI research in education, highlighting gaps that necessitate a decolonial and critical approach. The theoretical framework combines decoloniality and critical theory, linking these to empower non-native English-speaking academics. Using a theory synthesis design, the discussion explores this group's unique challenges in academic writing and how AI, specifically applications like ChatGPT, can be a transformative tool for inclusivity in publication spaces. It critically examines how AI can contribute to decolonising academic knowledge writing. However, it also addresses potential challenges and ethical considerations in merging AI with decolonial perspectives. The article forecasts future AI developments and their implications for decolonising academic experiences, emphasising the need for inclusive technological advancements. In conclusion, the article stresses AI's potential role in decolonising academic practices and calls for further interdisciplinary dialogue and exploration. Recommendations for universities, academics, policymakers, and curriculum designers, as well as implications for decolonial and critical discourses, are provided.

Abstract Background Report writing in class provides basic training for academic writing. However, report writing education in medical schools in Japan has rarely been reported and no teaching strategy has been established for it. Methods This study developed a report writing program using peer review for first-year medical students consisting of two 120-minute classes. The goal of being able to write reports appropriately was established and presented to students at the beginning of the program. In session 1, students decided on a topic, gathered information, and structured their report. In session 2, students’ written reports were peer reviewed. The reports were improved based on the peer reviews. The responses of the pre- and post-program questionnaires were evaluated to determine the program’s effectiveness. The other reports that were assigned one month after the program were used as comparison with the reports of students who did not participate. Furthermore, the long-term effects of the program were also evaluated by comparing the results of students from the previous year who did not participate in the program with those of program participants six months after the program. Results A total of 106 students completed the questionnaire evaluation. The program was rated as being acceptable for the students. Self-assessment of report writing significantly improved after the program. The report scores of program participants (n = 99) were significantly higher overall and in all domains than were those of non-participants (n = 99). The self-assessment of students who participated (n = 96) was significantly higher than that of non-participants (n = 109). No difference was observed for students’ sense of burden in report writing. Conclusions The report writing skills of medical students can be improved by clearly establishing the goals of report writing and practicing the basic skills of report writing step-by-step. Moreover, the use of peer review may enhance the effectiveness of learning opportunities for report writing.

There has long been a widespread belief that academic writing has to maintain a high degree of formality and impersonality. Despite this, it has been observed that there is a general tendency to use informal style in academic writing by writers from different disciplines. This informality manifests itself in the use of various linguistic devices that were previously observed only in spoken discourse or in informal communication. The aim of the study is to identify common informal features in English academic writing used by Arabic and British scholars and compare the level of informality used in English academic writing by representatives of the two lingua-cultures. The study adopts the corpus linguistics method. The one-million-word Arab Scholar Written English Corpus (ASAWEC) was compiled and analysed for informality features. The results were then compared to the British Academic Written English (BAWE) corpus. We focused on the use of informal features, such as broad references, initial conjunctions, first-person singular, second person pronouns, final preposition, listing expressions, split infinitive, and contractions. The results revealed a significant difference in the use of informality features in favour of the native speakers. The findings showed that Arabic scholars tend to use broad references and initial conjunctions, however, they rarely use contractions and split infinitives. Contrary to this, British scholars used the whole spectrum of informality features. The findings can provide insightful implications for researchers, journal editors and peer reviewers to account for informality levels in academic writing in different linguacultures. They may also be used in teaching English academic writing.

This study analyzes the types of reporting verbs employed in the literature review chapters of Master of Philosophy theses from the Agriculture, English and Mathematics departments at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. The mixed method technique was employed for data collection. Using both purposive and simple random sampling, forty-five (45) Master of Philosophy (MPhil) theses constituted the study’s dataset. Employing a descriptive, content, and inductive analysis, the study found that discourse act verbs, research act verbs, and cognitive acts verbs were all used in the literature review chapters of MPhil theses in Mathematics, English and Agriculture. Overall, it was observed that the verbs were employed in varying degrees and that reporting verb usage is a discourse-defined attribute, influenced by the idiosyncrasies of the discipline in question. The contribution of this study lies in the light it throws on the usefulness of reporting verbs in research works and how reporting verbs ought to be selected carefully. The study also contributes to the body of knowledge on academic discourse in general, and particularly on citation and reporting verbs in Africa. Finally, the study also has pedagogic implications since it highlights the need for more emphasis on the nuances of reporting verbs in teaching Research Methods to (post-graduate) students.

Abstract Background The rapid adoption of ChatGPT in academic settings has raised concerns about its impact on learning, research, and academic integrity. This study aimed to develop and validate a comprehensive ChatGPT Usage Scale specifically tailored to postgraduate students, addressing the need for a psychometrically sound instrument to assess the multidimensional nature of ChatGPT usage in higher education. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving 443 postgraduate students from two Egyptian universities. The initial 39-item scale underwent Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) using principal component analysis with Varimax rotation. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the model fit and psychometric properties of the final 15-item measure. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Results EFA revealed a three-factor structure explaining 49.186% of the total variance: Academic Writing Aid (20.438%), Academic Task Support (14.410%), and Reliance and Trust (14.338%). CFA confirmed the three-factor structure with acceptable fit indices (χ2(87) = 223.604, p

Abstract The value of generative AI tools in higher education has received considerable attention. Although there are many proponents of its value as a learning tool, many are concerned with the issues regarding academic integrity and its use by students to compose written assessments. This study evaluates and compares the output of three commonly used generative AI tools, ChatGPT, Bing and Bard. Each AI tool was prompted with an essay question from undergraduate (UG) level 4 (year 1), level 5 (year 2), level 6 (year 3) and postgraduate (PG) level 7 biomedical sciences courses. Anonymised AI generated output was then evaluated by four independent markers, according to specified marking criteria and matched to the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) of UK level descriptors. Percentage scores and ordinal grades were given for each marking criteria across AI generated papers, inter-rater reliability was calculated using Kendall’s coefficient of concordance and generative AI performance ranked. Across all UG and PG levels, ChatGPT performed better than Bing or Bard in areas of scientific accuracy, scientific detail and context. All AI tools performed consistently well at PG level compared to UG level, although only ChatGPT consistently met levels of high attainment at all UG levels. ChatGPT and Bing did not provide adequate references, while Bing falsified references. In conclusion, generative AI tools are useful for providing scientific information consistent with the academic standards required of students in written assignments. These findings have broad implications for the design, implementation and grading of written assessments in higher education.

Academic writing is a significant component of all graduate programs, but the majority of students lack basic writing skills. This problem is especially frustrating for M.A. students of TEFL who have to write academic articles in English because it necessitates time-consuming, extracurricular work that can occasionally be infuriating. The present study was carried out in the form of an action research project to explore the impact of process-based teaching of writing on the attitudes of 10 Iranian M. A. candidates of TEFL towards writing academically. The participants were TEFL candidates in Gonbad Kavoos, Iran. A qualitative method employing a collaborative action research model was used to find out how Iranian M. A. students of TEFL viewed the process writing approach. Phases of the course's procedure included receiving and putting into practice the instructor’s feedback on the texts' rationality, content, consistency, tone, and grammar and sending their finished writing assignments by deadlines. Each student had a schedule for in-person discussions about their progress. According to the results, the students believed that the teaching method helped them improve their writing abilities. The implications include creating a forum for oral feedback between teachers and students to supplement written feedback, fostering a sense of responsibility in students by helping them to self-organize, and recognizing that graduate students may require assistance with very fundamental writing abilities and knowledge.

This study explores the decolonial potential of Chinese bilingual postgraduate students' translanguaging practices in English academic writing. It investigates the ways that students enact translanguaging to delink from monolingual standard English norms and integrate their authentic bilingual voices in the writing process. A case study was conducted to collect the students' written products and record and analyze their approaches and views to language use in academic writing in an English for academic purpose course. The findings reveal that students could employ the integrated multilingual repertoires to enhance learning outcomes, negotiate deficit linguistic views, and voice cultural identities in the writing process. Their translanguaging enactment transcends linguistic boundaries and English-dominated norms, providing empirical support for the decolonization of academic writing in Chinese higher education. The study underscores the importance of student-led negotiation of linguistic and cultural differences, advocating for critical engagement with translanguaging to deconstruct social inequalities perpetuated by hegemonic ideologies and promote bilingual subjectivities in non-Anglophone academic contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstrak Penelitian ini menekankan pentingnya norma penulisan akademik yang tepat dan memperkenalkan pengelola referensi, seperti Mendeley dan Publish or Perish, sebagai alat untuk membantu mahasiswa dalam mengatur referensi dan mencari metadata karya ilmiah. Keefektifan alat bantu ini dieksplorasi dalam meningkatkan kejelasan, kemudahan belajar, pengoperasian, dan daya tarik karya ilmiah mahasiswa. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dan inisiatif pelibatan masyarakat untuk melatih mahasiswa semester akhir dalam menggunakan Mendeley dan Publish or Perish untuk skripsi mereka. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tanggapan positif dari mayoritas responden, yang menegaskan kegunaan aplikasi-aplikasi ini dalam penyelesaian tesis, terutama dalam pembuatan daftar pustaka. Namun, tantangan, seperti masalah yang berkaitan dengan pemahaman, kemudahan dipelajari, dan pengoperasian, diidentifikasi di antara sebagian kecil pengguna. Rekomendasi yang diberikan mencakup peningkatan kejelasan dokumentasi, mempromosikan perilaku pencarian informasi yang proaktif, dan memberikan pelatihan lanjutan mengenai kemampuan Mendeley dan Publish or Perish. Sebagai kesimpulan, penelitian ini menyoroti potensi Mendeley dan Publish or Perish dalam meningkatkan kualitas karya ilmiah. Dengan mengatasi tantangan melalui intervensi pendidikan yang ditargetkan, alat-alat ini dapat memainkan peran penting dalam memaksimalkan efektivitas proses penulisan akademis bagi siswa. Penelitian lebih lanjut disarankan untuk mempelajari tantangan spesifik yang dihadapi oleh pengguna, sebagai bahan masukan untuk perbaikan yang sedang berlangsung. Kata Kunci: Penulisan Akademik, Mendeley and Publish or Perish, Pengabdian Masyarakat. Abstract This study emphasizes the importance of proper academic writing norms and introduces reference managers, such as Mendeley and Publish or Perish, as tools to assist students in organizing references and search engine of scientific papers. The effectiveness of these tools is explored in enhancing the clarity, learnability, operability, and attractiveness of students' scientific works. The research employs a quantitative approach and community engagement initiatives to train final-semester students in utilizing Mendeley and Publish or Perish for their theses. The Results indicate positive responses from the majority of respondents, affirming the utility of these applications in thesis completion, especially in bibliography creation. However, challenges, such as issues related to understandability, learnability, and operability, are identified among a minority of users. Recommendations include enhancing documentation clarity, promoting proactive information-seeking behaviour, and providing advanced training on the capabilities of Mendeley and Publish or Perish. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the potential in improving the quality of scientific works. By addressing challenges through targeted educational interventions, these tools can play a significant role in maximizing the effectiveness of academic writing processes for students. Further research is recommended to delve into specific challenges faced by users, informing ongoing improvements. Keywords: Academic Writing, Mendeley and Publish or Perish, Community Service.

This systematic review focused on higher education teachers’ and students’ perceptions and practices of written feedback, as well as their relationships and differences in English as a foreign/second language and academic writing. This study aimed to identify empirical studies, describe their characteristics, summarize the findings, and make recommendations for future research. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol was used. Electronic searches produced 2,398 references, of which 30 articles met the inclusion criteria. Studies primarily focused on students’ perceptions, with few concentrating on students’ and teachers’ reported practices and the relationships between their perceptions and practices. This review suggests that future research should focus on multiple comparisons between teachers’ and students’ perceptions and practices of written feedback.

This study was aimed at understanding graduate students' preferences in applying AI when dealing with their class papers and projects in Indonesia. It also sought to understand how students who have used AI in previous writing feel about such experience. This study adopted a phenomenological research method in order to elicit in-depth insights into the concerns of the students. The participants included graduate students from four universities in Indonesia. These data were gathered using semi-structured interviews of 30 students who had experience using AI for their academic writing. Guided by understanding the decision-making process, perceived benefits, and drawbacks of AI, and overall experiences, interview questions were prepared. One-way thematic analysis was conducted with the interview data. Students seemed to view AI applications as only helping with formatting and editing tasks, as most of them would like to have the opportunity to do the major work by themselves for better learning. Another underlying strong theme emerging here is related to AI overdependency and unequal access to it. The results offer insights into the respective areas that can be used by educators and institutions to provide a balance between the rising AI in use and support for independent learning within academics.

Abstract Background Academic paper writing holds significant importance in the education of medical students, and poses a clear challenge for those whose first language is not English. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of employing large language models, particularly ChatGPT, in improving the English academic writing skills of these students. Methods A cohort of 25 third-year medical students from China was recruited. The study consisted of two stages. Firstly, the students were asked to write a mini paper. Secondly, the students were asked to revise the mini paper using ChatGPT within two weeks. The evaluation of the mini papers focused on three key dimensions, including structure, logic, and language. The evaluation method incorporated both manual scoring and AI scoring utilizing the ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 models. Additionally, we employed a questionnaire to gather feedback on students’ experience in using ChatGPT. Results After implementing ChatGPT for writing assistance, there was a notable increase in manual scoring by 4.23 points. Similarly, AI scoring based on the ChatGPT-3.5 model showed an increase of 4.82 points, while the ChatGPT-4 model showed an increase of 3.84 points. These results highlight the potential of large language models in supporting academic writing. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between manual scoring and ChatGPT-4 scoring, indicating the potential of ChatGPT-4 to assist teachers in the grading process. Feedback from the questionnaire indicated a generally positive response from students, with 92% acknowledging an improvement in the quality of their writing, 84% noting advancements in their language skills, and 76% recognizing the contribution of ChatGPT in supporting academic research. Conclusion The study highlighted the efficacy of large language models like ChatGPT in augmenting the English academic writing proficiency of non-native speakers in medical education. Furthermore, it illustrated the potential of these models to make a contribution to the educational evaluation process, particularly in environments where English is not the primary language.

Academic writing necessitates the presence of captivating ideas, which are presented clearly and persuasively through well-organized analysis. Within the context of Dong Nai Technology University, numerous English majors frequently encounter difficulties in generating ideas in their argumentative essays. Although there is no prescribed method for creating ideas, collaborative brainstorming can be a useful pre-writing activity to support the generation and organization of students’ ideas. The current study seeks to investigate 80 English major students' perceptions on the use of collaborative brainstorming during the initial stage of their essay-writing process. The data were subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis, which was reinforced by the use of closed-ended questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The majority of students expressed their enthusiasm for this pre-writing activity and highlighted numerous benefits associated with the usage of this method. This study shows the need for group brainstorming as a typical activity in English classes.

Introduction. The issue of lexical redundancy in academic writing remains crucial. Research based on Russian-language corpora is vital for the development of effective targeted academic writing courses that meet the unique needs of universities. This paper aims to identify factors through examples of wordiness in the Conclusion sections of theses to alter the design of courses broadening academic writing skills to fight against textual redundancy at various educational levels. Materials and Methods. A corpus of 72 theses across three educational levels (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Candidate degrees) was analyzed. We selected theses from the repositories of the HSE University and Moscow City University. We focused on Conclusion section due to its highest level of conciseness: textual redundancy critically impacts its effectiveness. The analysis included a comprehensive procedure of raw data extraction, coding, conceptualization during iterative discussions, and classification according to Brohaugh’s taxonomy. Results. “Invisible” type of wordiness is a prevalent issue in academic writing across all levels of education. Such types as “overkill”, “weak-kneed” and “empty” occur more frequently in research in Master’s and Candidate’s theses. The need to comprehend the reasons behind the use of different types of wordiness and their impact on readability is stressed. Candidate’s theses are wordier despite the expectation of a higher level of academic writing skills at this level. Discussion and Conclusion. The study highlights the systemic role of academic writing courses at all educational levels in reducing text wordiness. Despite our expectations of advanced writing skills in Candidate’s theses, their high level of wordiness indicates the need for developing effective academic writing strategies. It is crucial to implement a personalized approach to academic writing instruction, considering the specific needs and challenges of each educational level, to create more concise academic texts. The paper provides insights into approaches to designing academic writing courses.

This research analyzes the importance of academic writing in Albania and suggests introducing it as a mandatory course in all fields of study. The study aims to identify students' perceptions of academic writing and the importance of clear structure and guidelines in academic writing templates. The research collected data through 253 online questionnaires from students of private and public HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) in Albania, revealing that students lacked adequate skills in primary writing forms and were unaware of the steps required to use resources.

Navigating academic writing, the waters of academic life, should be a sustainable practice, which supports the learning and personal development of writers. However, cultures of writing differ in their sustainability. The sustainability of writing cultures relies heavily on whether writing is a solitary or social practice and whether it is process- or product-oriented. This paper compares metaphors of independent and social academic writing and considers what the metaphors convey about the culture of writing. We facilitated social writing sessions and collected metaphors from writers during focus group interviews. The metaphors were analyzed using Sword’s (2019. Snowflakes, splinters and cobblestones: Metaphors for writing. In S. Farquhar & E. Fitzpatrick (Eds.), Innovations in narrative and metaphor: Methodologies and practices (pp. 39–56). Springer Singapore Pte. Limited) DEEPER-framework. The metaphors mostly conveyed a sustainable approach to writing, though more fleeting encounters with both independent and social writing were described. Only rarely were non-sustainable approaches described. As competition and comparison can impede benefiting from social writing, we propose drawing attention to writers’ learning and professional development in each social writing session. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article studies the use of lexical hedges and boosters in English‐medium Master's theses by L2 (Czech) graduates in English language and literature programmes. Drawing on the metadiscourse framework and adopting a corpus‐based approach, the study analyses the frequency, realisations, and function of hedges and boosters in a corpus of 48 Master's theses in linguistics, literature, and education. The results are also compared to a reference corpus representing L1 English published academic discourse in the same disciplines. The analysis shows that the Master's theses of Czech students use fewer hedges and slightly more boosters than L1 expert writers and thus display a somewhat less cautious stance. The results also indicate that Czech graduates show a strong preference for content‐oriented hedges and emphatics as boosters. This suggests that the rhetorical choices of Czech graduates bear features of learner discourse and may be affected by the merging of L1 and L2 academic conventions and the power relations between the student‐writer and the examiners inherent to the Master's thesis. Based on these findings, the article draws some implications for L2 writing pedagogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of ChatGPT as a supplementary tool for writing instruction has gained traction. However, uncertainties persist regarding how ChatGPT complements teacher assessment and the overall effectiveness of this combined approach. To address this, we conducted a mixed-methods investigation involving 46 undergraduate students from a research university in southern China, engaging them in a Chinese academic writing task. The intraclass correlation coefficient results revealed ChatGPT's efficiency in scoring students' writing, showing moderate to good consistency with teacher evaluations. A paired sample t-test unveiled significant differences in feedback quantity and types between ChatGPT and teacher assessments. Drawing from both interview data and quantitative findings, the study uncovers three ways in which ChatGPT complements teacher assessment, benefiting students with various writing proficiency levels: (1) fostering deeper comprehension of teacher assessments among students, (2) encouraging students to make judgments regarding feedback, and (3) promoting independent thinking about revisions. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the role of ChatGPT within the context of a combined assessment approach. It underscores that certain inherent weaknesses in ChatGPT's functioning can paradoxically lead to favorable outcomes. By shedding light on the synergy between ChatGPT and teacher assessments, this research seeks to inform and enhance writing instruction in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following criticism about the quality of writing in management communication and organization studies, this Forum presents arguments for change in how scholarly knowledge is communicated. The expectation today seems to be that, to get published, academic writing requires monologic and complex ways of expression. However, using formulaic and reader-exclusive language in publications limits their accessibility to a wider readership, including not only more diverse members of the disciplinary community—such as non-Anglophone scholars and junior researchers—but also those we study and write about. In our respective contributions, we argue for more meaningful communication between writers and readers achieved through writers adopting reflexive practices when crafting their texts for publication. Specifically, we suggest considering reflexivity through the following concepts: conformity and individuality, socialization, tenderness, and respect. These, we argue, help make our academic writing more accessible and meaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I am lost. My writing is lost. I feel isolated, under pressure, trapped in a cage. My writing is measured and molded, suffocating in a corset of norms and expectations in the neoliberal university. In a collective diary, I can share my experiences, ponder on my feelings. I breathe, I survive, I resist. And as I write, I open up. As I write, I find myself, I find ot-hers. Through my words, sentences, and pages, I embrace my vulnerabilities: insecurity, courage, relating, becoming. I write collectively, stronger toget-her. I write to offer new understandings, to change and resist the neoliberal university. Will you join me? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]