Negotiating Academic Writing in an English-Medium University : Chinese Postgraduates’ Perspectives, Practices, and Agency

Building on a collection of students’ perspectives and narratives, Ma examines how non-native English speaking (NNES) students negotiate English academic writing (EAW) to reveal the general patterns and distinct routes in addressing challenges in higher education.

With the significant expansion of internationalisation and student mobility, the discourse on cross-border education and how NNES students navigate the high-stakes educational journey remain pertinent. This book presents an in-depth qualitative study that investigates how NNES students in an English-medium university negotiate the demands of EAW in postgraduate study. The research foregrounds NNES students’ experiences and provides a comprehensive understanding of how they perceive, experience, and address the challenges of EAW by focusing on a group of mainland Chinese students studying in Hong Kong. Key topics discussed include the impact of English as an academic lingua franca on non-native speakers, the roles of universities in supporting these students, and lessons of individuals addressing academic challenges.

Written for NNES students, researchers and practitioners in higher education, including language professionals and other specialists in language teaching, this compelling text will also interest general readers of academic and linguistic literacy.