2024/11/28 by Wai Mar Phyo, Marianne Nikolov, Ágnes Hódi · 1 voice
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Discourse Analysis in Language Studies #Second Language Learning and Teaching #Student Assessment and Feedback
paper · doi:10.1080/07294360.2024.2429428
openalex publication_date 2024/11/28 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
International doctoral students from non-native English-speaking (NNES) backgrounds often encounter challenges in writing their publications and doctoral dissertations. Drawing upon the language socialization theory (LST) of Duff, this study investigates how novice scholars integrate into their academic communities as they develop their English academic writing (EAW) abilities. Eighteen doctoral students representing diverse first-language backgrounds participated in semi-structured interviews on their lived experiences. They felt inadequately prepared for EAW requirements upon entering their PhD programs. Over the years, they developed their research dissemination skills by reading the works of leading scholars in their respective fields (e.g., computational biology, sociology, philosophy, phonology, immunology), writing persistently, while acknowledging the poor quality of their drafts, and actively seeking feedback from academics and peers in their communities. These findings underscore the need to provide targeted support for novice academic writers to foster their growth as proficient and confident authors to contribute to the global academic discourse. Duff's LST provides a comprehensive lens for exploring the journey through which NNES novice writers develop their EAW abilities and become valuable members of their communities.