International students’ challenges in academic writing: A case study from a prominent U.S. university
Abstract
Because of the importance of English as a scientific lingua franca among academic communities, a great emphasis is put on English education  - especially in higher education - in countries where English is a second or foreign language. Therefore, the significant productions of graduate studies such as research articles and dissertations are often required to be written in English. This study examines the needs, means, and successful practices of academic writing in English through a comprehensive survey, in-depth interviews, and samples of academic writing. Results indicate that if parties in higher education (students, professors, and instructors) become conscious of each other’s expectations and practices, higher education through second/foreign language would most likely produce successful writers. Â
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