Reporting—the final phase of scientific research—can and should be supported. A case for integrating language professionals into the research setting

Writing for peer-reviewed research journals is difficult and requires specialized skills and knowledge—in language, logical argumentation, data presentation, publication ethics and more. The task is especially challenging for researchers who use English as an additional language. In this discussion paper, I illustrate how research writing in non-anglophone settings can usefully be supported by three types of language professional: teachers of academic writing, authors’ editors, and academic translators. Reviewing the situation in Italy, I observe that Italian researchers have limited access to the best forms of writing support, in part due to misconceptions and complex hiring rules. Finally, and based on the higher educational trends in northern Europe, I envisage a future scenario for Italy where university-wide academic writing centers will be established, language professionals with disciplinary knowledge will become part of research institutes’ staff, and researchers will have facilitated access to the services of authors’ editors and academic translators on a per-manuscript basis. As research writing support becomes integrated into the university setting, Italian researchers’ productivity will increase and the profile of Italian reporting in the international literature will be raised

Support Systems for Instructors and Teaching Assistants in the ALESS Program

Teaching English communication to students of science is an essential aspect of scientific education, if students are to develop and become competitive in a global setting. The ALESS (Active Learning of English for Science Students) Program at the University of Tokyo is a 13-week academic writing course for all first-year students of science. The course is taught completely in English by instructors with diverse backgrounds from not just the natural sciences, but also from the social sciences and humanities. For this course, active learning is encouraged and the scientific thought process is emphasized through project-based learning, and students partake in this scientific process by designing and performing scientific experiments which provides the content for their academic papers. Here, the “support system” includes assistance for students as well as mutual cooperation amongst instructors. As instructors have diverse academic and teaching backgrounds, collaboration and mutual learning constitute an important element of the development of effective curriculum and pedagogy. Among various aspects of the ALESS course, this paper specifically focuses on the supporting system involved in the course. Based on the close examination of the current situation, this paper proposes some possible solutions to problems observed in this study. This study may contribute to the development of course design and teaching methods in English for Specific Academic Purposes. In this paper, reasons for students to seek advice will be discussed with specific examples of some actual visits. Furthermore, recent attempts to minimize the gap between students’ interests and TAs’ background disciplines to provide more effective consultations will be mentioned. Some reflections by instructors of various backgrounds as well as some specific concerns that have risen will be reported. Here, we will consider some of the difficulties that are encountered, not by students, but by the instructors and teaching assistants who directly support those taking the course, and discuss the support systems that are in place.Section 2: Pedagogic-Methodological Practice

Enhancing Doctoral Research Education through the Institution of Graduate Writing Courses in Ghanaian Universities

A key support service in doctoral research that has increasingly gained attention is academic writing courses. This position paper argues for the institutionalization of graduate writing courses in universities in Ghana in order to acquaint doctoral students with the theoretical, procedural, and practical aspects of the writing of high stakes academic genres. An overview (including evaluation) of existing courses on researchrelated writing in some universities is proffered. The study consequently presents arguments to support a proposal for institutional graduate writing courses in Ghanaian universities, followed by a discussion of other pertinent issues such as the curriculum, staffing, and funding. It is hoped that the institutionalization of such a writing support service will ultimately improve the quality of doctoral research education in Ghana