Understanding how International Graduate Students in Canada Reconstruct their Writing Identities
Date
2019-09-16
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Abstract
This study was designed to explore the reconstruction of writing identity of international students in Canada. This study was conducted based on the concepts of writing identity proposed by Ivanič, who classified writing identity as autobiographical self, discoursal self, self as author and possibilities for self-hood, to inform that writing identity is (re)constructed in the light of various influential factors. The data were collected from interviews and journals of four Chinese international graduate students from the University of Calgary regarding their intercultural perceptions and experiences of writing. Results indicated that the process of reconstruction of writing identity is fluid. Participants transformed their positionings as English academic writers in relation to the following impacts: (1) different disciplines and requirement of writing; (2) previous experiences; (3) ambient environment; and (4) discourse. In order to fit into the new academic discourse, some of the participants developed their L1 writing identity to a L2 writing identity, while some of them reconciled L1 and L2 writing identity to a hybrid identity or a shifted identity. The implications of this study revealed the importance of teaching international students with conventions of academic writing, and helping them change the Chinese way of writing and thinking since writing is likewise an interacting between their written texts and thoughts. Meanwhile, the discipline-specific workshops and courses were found useful in facilitating international students’ improvement on writing performance and (re)construction of their writing identity as English academic writers.
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Writing identity, Chinese international graduate students, Intercultural experience
Citation
Wan, Y. (2019). Understanding how International Graduate Students in Canada Reconstruct their Writing Identities (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.