Developing that voice: locating academic writing tuition in the mainstream of higher education

Abstract

This paper argues that all students, whatever their linguistic identities, can benefit from an explicit and structured introduction to academic writing. It argues that this tuition should no longer be seen as support, and therefore marginalised, but as a transformative process of acculturation that needs to be located in the mainstream of the university. For illustration, it examines a course that does precisely this and which, in a radical departure from other practices, is embedded in the curriculum as a requirement. It discusses the theoretical contexts of the course and shows how the content and methodology is underpinned and informed by new understandings of the cultural, linguistic and epistemological aspects of acquiring academic literacies.

Keywords:

• academic writing
• academic literacies
• academic literacy practices

Acknowledgements

This article is developed from a presentation given with Dr Christine Zaher (Richmond American International University in London, retired) at the biennial conference of the British Association of Lecturers of English for Academic Purposes, 2011. I am indebted to her.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. With thanks to Dr Christopher Wylde, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Richmond American International University in London.