preparing international students to meet academic writing challenges -- results from a study @...

8/9/2019 Preparing International Students to Meet Academic Writing Challenges -- results from a study @ George Mason University's ELI

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Think. Learn. Succeed.Think. L

earn. Succeed.

Preparing International Students to MeetAcademic Writing Challenges

Melissa AllenCoordinator of Support Services for Non-Native Speakers,English Language Institutemalle2gmu.edu

Laurie MillerInstructional Technology Coordinator &High Advanced Writing Instructor English Language [email protected]


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Think. Learn. Succeed.

What We Wanted to Learn

How have the former students in the HAW class doneacademically at Mason?

What are the students memories of HAW and towhat extent do they think it prepared them for academic writing at Mason?


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What We Wanted to Learn

What experiences have they had with writing atMason?

What kinds of assignments have they had and howconfident do they feel in their ability to completethem?

How can the university support these students aswriters?


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Study StructureD ata collection - academic GPAs; writing courses taken

On-line survey - 25 out of 55 responsesTypes of writing assignments

Classes that require writingSelf- assessment of current academic writing skillsAssessment of preparation provided by HAW classResources used when completing writing assignments

Interviews 4 students interviewed in pairsFirst questions about HAW class experiencesRemaining questions about experienceswith writing in academic classes


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Results

High overall GPAs59 admitted undergraduates -- former HAW students


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Results

Large variety of classes that require writing

B usiness

Computer scienceCommunicationHistoryPsychology

Systems engineeringD ance

Geology

AnthropologySociologyPhysicsEconomics

Health sciences


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Results

Common Assignment Types

Research paper most commonly listed (95%)

In-class essays/test (91%)

Journals & B logs (86%)


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Results

Most Common Human Resources

Course instructor 78% (often/occasionally)

Friends/Family 72% (often/occasionally)

Writing Center 33% (always, often, occasionally)


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Results

Most helpful parts of the HAW class

Grammar 7 responses

Research paper/ research skills 7

APA citation style 4

Writing in the American style - 2


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Results

Interview themes and insights

D esire for models and early feedback (prior to grading)

A: I think also whats missing is they usually ask you to do one draft, so you do one draft and thats like the end of your life. But youdont know how good it is and they dont give you a chance tocorrect it . Sometimes you talk to the teacher and you think youknow what the teacher wants and then you stat writing and you

give in your paper and theyre like, Thats not what I wanted,and there arent any more chances to correct it.

K: Good point! Bravo!

M: Youd like that too? A chance to rewrite?


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Results

Frustration with conflicting feedback

J : For example, the persuasive letter. The assignment is a resumeand a cover letter. And I write, It is a great opportunity to

.blah, blah.

And somebody, English major, say You can say, I would love theopportunity,.: Thats good. And I turn it in and the professor

say, In business writing, you can never say love.

You can never say love, I thought, What?!? I just revise it!Oh my God! Sometimes I feel, I dont know.


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ResultsStudents generally understand assignments detailed specifiedwritten objectives given by faculty

M: In your academic classes, have you ever had an assignment that youthought was confusing, challenging or problematic where your couldnt figure out what the professor wanted or?

K: Until now, I think Im fine because all the time before we need towrite a paper, the professor always give us like what points we want to cover,

L: So, they're clear

K: .the purpose, what kind of idea or what stylewe need to use. Basically, hell give usvery clear rubric.


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Results

Students use multiple drafting and their own processes.

H : First I start worrying (laughter).

I dont just take it easy. I start worrying just start thinking about it , just going through a test. Sometimes its so confusing understanding what theyre asking, the major topic.

To me, I start analyzing it so hard, asking my classmates, find out

what theyre writing about, plugging it into the assignment, see if I can get something similar


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Results

Want acknowledgement of effort, not a break (wounded-pride)

K: I want everybody to understand, the professor to understand, you can give me a poor score, you can say my paper is the worst

thing youve ever seen, but I hope you can understand .I know you have the same standard, I can understand you have totreat everyone equally for your class but I hope the professor will understand Im trying. Maybe I will write the worst paper but Im trying. Ive suffered because of this paper and I will

survive and I will improve.


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Conclusions

Observations on the HAW courseResearch paper skillsIn-class Writing

Grammar

Support Services knowledge of faculty expectations andstudent perceptions can inform program design

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