From Academic Literacies to International Publishing: The Postgraduates’ Road Map

Abstract

Normative approaches to academic writing have mostly focused on the linguistic and discursive aspects of student writing, from text organization and lexicogrammatical correctness to cohesion, coherence and style. In contrast, the academic literacies approach regards writing not simply as a set of skills but as a significant part of the students’ learning process that enables them to develop their own voice, in opposition to well-established academic conventions and institutional constraints. The present paper outlines the old and new directions of the academic literacies agenda in relation to English-medium academic publishing, and explores some of the aspects that could be prioritized to give equal opportunities for publication to junior researchers based in Italy. In particular, the reflective assignments of the postgraduate students at the University of Napoli Federico II and a doctoral students’ survey on writing for research publication were used to investigate their major concerns over practical and ideological issues. The findings also suggest a way of providing novice researchers with a rewarding writing experience throughout their academic careers.