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Article published In: Journal of English for Research Publication Purposes
Vol. 2:2 (2021) ► pp.129–159

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Challenges, feelings, and attitudes towards writing in ERPP in semi-periphery countries

The case of Mexican graduate students

 | National Autonomous University of Mexico | University of the Witwatersrand
 | National Autonomous University of Mexico
 | National Autonomous University of Mexico
 | National Autonomous University of Mexico
 | National Autonomous University of Mexico
Published online: 10 January 2022
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https://doi.org/10.1075/jerpp.21008.men
Abstract
This paper addresses writing in ERPP for graduate students matriculated in a Mexican Public University where the medium of instruction is Spanish. The students who were involved in our study registered for an academic writing course in ERPP, and submitted a draft research article in English as part of the admission requirements. Following a mixed-method approach, through a survey and a semi-structured interview, we aimed to explore the various ways in which students use English for research and publication purposes, the discursive and non-discursive challenges they perceived while drafting the article, and their feelings and attitudes towards writing in ERPP. The findings suggest that the discursive and non-discursive challenges perceived were aggravated by the lack of critical-pragmatic approaches, the poor English writing skills developed for academic purposes, and the lack of support for editing their papers in English, particularly from thesis supervisors. This led them to experience feelings of anxiety, frustration and discomfort about writing in English. We would argue that this additional burden and pressure for graduate students to publish in English in semi-periphery countries translates into a lack of confidence and feeling of disadvantage in comparison with their counterparts located in anglophone research communities in centre countries.
Resumen
Desafíos, sentimientos y actitudes hacia la escritura en ERPP en países de la semiperiferia: El caso de estudiantes mexicanos de posgrado
El presente artículo aborda la redacción en inglés con fines de publicación de investigación (ERPP por sus siglas en inglés) de estudiantes de posgrado matriculados en una universidad pública mexicana en donde el medio de instrucción es el español. Los estudiantes que participaron en nuestro estudio se inscribieron a un curso de redacción académica en ERPP y presentaron un borrador de artículo de investigación en inglés como parte de los requisitos de admisión. Siguiendo un enfoque de métodos mixtos, a través de una encuesta y una entrevista semiestructurada, nuestro objetivo fue explorar las diversas formas en que los estudiantes usan el inglés con fines de investigación y publicación, los desafíos discursivos y no discursivos que percibieron al redactar el artículo, y sus sentimientos y actitudes hacia la escritura en ERPP. Los hallazgos sugieren que los desafíos discursivos y no discursivos percibidos se vieron agravados por la falta de pedagogías crítico-pragmáticas, las deficientes habilidades de escritura en inglés desarrolladas con fines académicos y la falta de apoyo para editar sus artículos en inglés, particularmente por parte de los supervisores de tesis. Esto los llevó a experimentar sentimientos de ansiedad, frustración e incomodidad al escribir en inglés. Podríamos argumentar que esta carga y presión adicionales para que los estudiantes de posgrado publiquen en inglés en países semiperiféricos se traduce en una falta de confianza y un sentimiento de desventaja en comparación con sus contrapartes ubicadas en comunidades de investigación anglófonas en los países del centro.
Article outline
  • 1.Semi-periphery graduate students’ challenges writing in English for Research Publication Purposes
    • 1.1Context
    • 1.2Aim of the study and research questions
  • 2.Method
    • 2.1Participants
    • 2.2Data collection
    • 2.3Data analysis
  • 3.Results
    • 3.1Use of ERPP at this MPU
    • 3.2Discursive and non-discursive challenges perceived by graduate students writing in ERPP
    • 3.3Graduate students’ feelings and attitudes to writing in ERPP
  • 4.Discussion, limitations and future research
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Note
  • References
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