Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their Supervisors
IntroductionAcademic writing is a core element of a successful graduate program, especially at the doctoral level. Graduate students are expected to write in a scholarly manner for their thesis and scholarly publications. However, in some cases, limited or no specific training on academic writing is...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Education |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.891534/full |
| _version_ | 1811333145636634624 |
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| author | Shikha Gupta Atul Jaiswal Abinethaa Paramasivam Jyoti Kotecha |
| author_facet | Shikha Gupta Atul Jaiswal Abinethaa Paramasivam Jyoti Kotecha |
| author_sort | Shikha Gupta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionAcademic writing is a core element of a successful graduate program, especially at the doctoral level. Graduate students are expected to write in a scholarly manner for their thesis and scholarly publications. However, in some cases, limited or no specific training on academic writing is provided to them to do this effectively. As a result, many graduate students, especially those having English as an Additional Language (EAL), face significant challenges in scholarly writing. Further, faculty supervisors often feel burdened by reviewing and editing multiple drafts and find it difficult to help and support EAL students in the process of scientific writing. In this study, we explored academic writing challenges faced by EAL doctoral students and faculty supervisors at a research intensive post-secondary university in Canada.Methods and AnalysisWe conducted a sequential explanatory mixed-method study using an online survey and subsequent focus group discussions with EAL doctoral students (n = 114) and faculty supervisors (n = 31). A cross-sectional online survey was designed and disseminated to the potential study participants using internal communications systems of the university. The survey was designed using a digital software called Qualtrics™. Following the survey, four focus group discussions (FGDs) were held, two each with two groups of our participants with an aim to achieve data saturation. The FGD guide was informed by the preliminary findings of the survey data. Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data was managed and analyzed using NVivo.DiscussionThe study findings suggest that academic writing should be integrated into the formal training of doctoral graduate students from the beginning of the program. Both students and faculty members shared that discipline-specific training is required to ensure success in academic writing, which can be provided in the form of a formal course specifically designed for doctoral students wherein discipline-specific support is provided from faculty supervisors and editing support is provided from English language experts.Ethics and DisseminationThe general research ethics board of the university approved the study (#6024751). The findings are disseminated with relevant stakeholders at the university and beyond using scientific presentations and publications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:47:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7f2def129ff5420786eca39ab312adee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-284X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:47:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-7f2def129ff5420786eca39ab312adee2022-12-22T02:39:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Education2504-284X2022-06-01710.3389/feduc.2022.891534891534Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their SupervisorsShikha Gupta0Atul Jaiswal1Abinethaa Paramasivam2Jyoti Kotecha3Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, CanadaFaculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, CanadaSchool of Optometry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, CanadaDepartment of Chemistry, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, CanadaIntroductionAcademic writing is a core element of a successful graduate program, especially at the doctoral level. Graduate students are expected to write in a scholarly manner for their thesis and scholarly publications. However, in some cases, limited or no specific training on academic writing is provided to them to do this effectively. As a result, many graduate students, especially those having English as an Additional Language (EAL), face significant challenges in scholarly writing. Further, faculty supervisors often feel burdened by reviewing and editing multiple drafts and find it difficult to help and support EAL students in the process of scientific writing. In this study, we explored academic writing challenges faced by EAL doctoral students and faculty supervisors at a research intensive post-secondary university in Canada.Methods and AnalysisWe conducted a sequential explanatory mixed-method study using an online survey and subsequent focus group discussions with EAL doctoral students (n = 114) and faculty supervisors (n = 31). A cross-sectional online survey was designed and disseminated to the potential study participants using internal communications systems of the university. The survey was designed using a digital software called Qualtrics™. Following the survey, four focus group discussions (FGDs) were held, two each with two groups of our participants with an aim to achieve data saturation. The FGD guide was informed by the preliminary findings of the survey data. Quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) and qualitative data was managed and analyzed using NVivo.DiscussionThe study findings suggest that academic writing should be integrated into the formal training of doctoral graduate students from the beginning of the program. Both students and faculty members shared that discipline-specific training is required to ensure success in academic writing, which can be provided in the form of a formal course specifically designed for doctoral students wherein discipline-specific support is provided from faculty supervisors and editing support is provided from English language experts.Ethics and DisseminationThe general research ethics board of the university approved the study (#6024751). The findings are disseminated with relevant stakeholders at the university and beyond using scientific presentations and publications.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.891534/fullinternational students (foreign students)academic writing and publishingsupervisors and supervisionuniversity resourcessupport and services |
| spellingShingle | Shikha Gupta Atul Jaiswal Abinethaa Paramasivam Jyoti Kotecha Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their Supervisors Frontiers in Education international students (foreign students) academic writing and publishing supervisors and supervision university resources support and services |
| title | Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their Supervisors |
| title_full | Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their Supervisors |
| title_fullStr | Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their Supervisors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their Supervisors |
| title_short | Academic Writing Challenges and Supports: Perspectives of International Doctoral Students and Their Supervisors |
| title_sort | academic writing challenges and supports perspectives of international doctoral students and their supervisors |
| topic | international students (foreign students) academic writing and publishing supervisors and supervision university resources support and services |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.891534/full |
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