Academic Literacy Practices: A Case Study of a Post Graduate Student

Abstract

This paper explores the academic writing practices of a post graduate student from a University of Pakistan. It also examines the role of English in academic writing and related problems, including the issues of identity involved in the writing processes and practices at university. The study is longitudinal and spans a period of 12 months in which data is collected through various means including student’s narrative, her written academic texts, and her discussion around these texts and surrounding practices. The study is located in a case study method of research and employs academic literacies approach to look into the writing processes, practices and perspectives on it. The data analyzed include the written narratives, the texts, and the semi-structured interviews, for linguistic analysis of texts the study draws on systemic functional linguistics. The paper interprets the multilingual student writer’s problems with writing and identity experienced at a university where writing is governed by dominant institutional norms and individual expectations of the teachers. The study has implications for both higher education institutions and teachers to play their role in addressing these problems.