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Ethnographies of Academic Writing Research: Theory, methods, and interpretation
Edited by Ignacio Guillén-Galve and Ana Bocanegra-Valle
[Research Methods in Applied Linguistics 1] 2021
► pp. 125–144

Chapter 7
Literacy histories and talk around texts

Emphasising the emic to explore students’ perspectives on academic writing

| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
This chapter discusses the value of emic research methods and techniques for studying the academic writing of underrepresented students. In a global context of growing university enrolment, academic writing is seen as one of the main challenges that historically underrepresented students face when admitted to higher education. Studying academic writing in this context calls for a critical stance on language and an emic perspective on research to counteract deficit models that prevail in this kind of research. An ethnographic approach responds to the ontologies and epistemologies needed for this endeavour. Drawing on two research projects, this chapter exemplifies the power of tools such as literacy histories and talk around texts to unveil multiple forms of agency enacted by student writers.
Keywords: literacy histories, talk around texts, academic writing, underrepresented students, higher education
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Researching students’ academic writing
    • Writing in higher education
    • Epistemologies for researching student writing
  • Methodological procedures and challenges
    • Methodological integrity
    • Literacy histories
    • Talk around texts
  • What do we gain by voicing students in writing research?
    • Students are readers and writers
    • Students desire a voice and a sense of ownership
  • Final remarks
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 26 October 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/rmal.1.07avi
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