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Unpacking undergraduates’ perceptions and reflections of academic reading and writing: findings from two Brazilian universities
Wed, April 3, 2:00 to 3:45pm, Aztec Student Union, Union 2 – Mata'yuumAbstract
In response to the dynamic landscape of Brazilian public universities, marked by increasing heterogeneity among undergraduate students’ profiles and the imperatives of accelerating learning in a post-pandemic era, this study delves into the metalinguistic and metadiscursive aspects of academic-scientific writing. It examines how undergraduates perceive and engage with academic writing, text dissemination, and knowledge mobilization within scientific practices. This research presents initial findings from a diagnosis activity conducted with 196 freshman undergraduate students hailing from two distinct Brazilian Federal Universities located in the southeast and midwest regions. The study seeks to uncover insights into how undergraduates conceptualize the use of linguistic resources within the university context, aiming to shed light on solutions for issues traditionally ascribed to cognitive and individual deficits. Utilizing a lens grounded in literacy theories, particularly the examination of students' engagement and perception of the social practice of their writing process (Buin & Guimarães, 2019; Lea & Street, 2006), this study reveals that undergraduates often idealize academic writing as closely linked to language structure. They view courses on reading and writing academic texts as remedies for the broader challenges associated with language use in formal settings. In this context, the sociopragmatic function of academic-scientific writing appears to transform into an instrumentalization of linguistic and normative patterns, with an emphasis on learning and replication. This study offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of academic writing in Brazilian public universities and highlights the need for a nuanced approach to address the multifaceted challenges faced by undergraduates in navigating the intricacies of academic discourse.