Emerging issues for academic writing
As this diagnostic process for academic writing continues to be implemented and adapted, a few issues are emerging which will require our attention. Such issues include those described below.
First is the issue of how and when the task will be implemented. Initially the writing task was implemented in collaboration with other academic staff during the first week of tutorials and results were communicated to students through tutors. In future it may be simpler to establish a time when students can sit the task during week 1 and then mail results back to students. This is the procedure that has been established for semester 2, 2005.
Should follow-up seminars be compulsory for students in the bottom bands of the scale? The pressure from staff for students to improve their writing skills is mounting, so that it is possible that in future students in bands 5 and 6 will be obliged to attend, at least for a minimum number of (possibly six) seminars.
Pressure is also emerging from some staff to make the task a language 'test' rather than keeping it chiefly for diagnostic purposes. Since students have already demonstrated English competency in one of a number of ways before being accepted into the university, we feel it is important that the diagnostic purpose of the task be adhered to and will resist any pressure for a 'test'.
We need to monitor the program of support seminars to ensure that it is effective in supporting students and that the needs of students in academic writing are indeed being met. There are a number of issues related to how we can measure the effectiveness of the support program and therefore, indirectly, justify its costs to administrators.
Finally, a number of other people, both inside Curtin and in other universities, have taken the band scales and adapted them, as well as the writing task, to suit their own particular contexts. It will be interesting to see the developments resulting from this.
