“I notice Im getting more involved, interested, and excited about my future topic.” Action research as a transition from research steps to navigating graduate students scholarly dispositions
Bedeker M. Kerimkulova S.
March 2024Elsevier Ltd
Journal of English for Academic Purposes
2024#68
Graduate students often approach research with predefined steps emphasising procedural aspects that occasionally expose their inadequate preparation for research as social practice. The purpose of this paper is to show how an action research (AR) methodology, in conjunction with English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), has facilitated the scaffolding of explicit formal, rhetorical, procedural, and strategic knowledge in research discourse. We followed a cyclical action research model consisting of 1) recognising students limited understanding of research as a social practice, 2) developing interventions to promote understanding of how language is structured, represented, and negotiated in scientific discourse, 3) results of the intervention, and 4) reflection. Thematic analysis of six participants data, including their tasks, reflections, and draft proposals, revealed a discernible progression towards scholarly thinking, transformative learning, and the embodiment of scholarly identity. Integrating ESP and SFL frameworks enhanced our ability to guide students through research-specific discourses, moving beyond a purely theoretical understanding to engage in authentic practices. This approach contributed to the cultivation of Communities of Practice (CoP) in which student-faculty collaboration fostered a shared scholarly mindset and facilitated the gradual integration of students into these academic communities.
Action research , Communities of practice , ESP , Graduate supervision , Research as social practice , SFL
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Nazarbayev University (Graduate School of Education), 53 Kabanbay Batyr, Block 44 Apartment 408, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
Nazarbayev University, Astana, 10001, Kazakhstan
Nazarbayev University (Graduate School of Education)
Nazarbayev University
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