A proposed systems model for socializing the graduate writer

Abstract

Although researchers chorus the need to support graduate students toward higher levels of writing proficiency, their findings lack a holistic model for doing so. A model emerges upon scrutiny of the factors that have been implicated in supporting writing proficiency. In the proposed model, a socialization theory fits as a proximal process into the bioecological model and clarifies how graduate writers do or do not achieve and sustain proficiency target levels of writing aptitude. The proximal processes that support graduate writers include interactions among peer support and faculty members. Other factors that contribute to academic socialization include failure or achievement in micro-events, the reception of new information, and consequences of bidirectional influence. The text denotes further evaluation needs for testing the model. The model suggests a flexible pathway for supporting higher writing proficiency among graduate writers and that investment must recur in order to facilitate achievement and sustain outcomes.

Keywords:

• graduate writing
• writing development
• academic socialization
• bidirectional interactions
• writing support model

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID

David Jones http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3483-3417