A qualitative synthesis of research into the use of exemplars in the English for Academic Purposes context to develop student feedback literacy

In recent years, feedback has been characterised by a student-centred paradigm with the learner playing a more active role. Arguably, this requires student feedback literacy (SFL), referring to a learner’s attitude towards and capability of understanding and using feedback to improve their work. Exemplar use has also been increasing and is viewed as a potential enabling activity for the enhancement of SFL. Research in these areas is flourishing within higher education but generally without demarcation between English for academic purposes (EAP) and content-focused courses. EAP classrooms could be considered unique domains, subject to specific learning outcomes and language or socio-cultural considerations. This systematic qualitative synthesis of 13 studies in an EAP context seeks to explore how exemplars are conceived and implemented, along with resultant affordances, limitations, and factors contributing to their usefulness. Findings indicate that as with higher education in general, exemplars are implemented with the aim of developing SFL. However, in the EAP context, a second application aimed at learners noticing interesting or useful features for the purposes of increasing linguistic resources or improving language or task-specific outcomes is identified. Exemplar use is also found to be impacted by language limitations and other factors which influence levels of engagement.Peer reviewe

A protocol for a systematic literature review of the interventions used to help EAP students use synthesis when writing from sources

Publisher PD

Protocol for a qualitative synthesis of research into the use of exemplars in the English for academic purposes context to develop student feedback literacy

Publisher PD

What makes a Thesis by Publication? An international study of policy requirements and restrictions

The thesis by publication is expanding across countries, institutions and disciplines, and so a more in-depth understanding of the format across contexts is warranted, to ensure that all stakeholders understand the implications of this format and implement it in a fair and transparent manner. This paper provides a cross-sectional analysis of policies related to the Thesis by Publication in six countries, investigating requirements and restrictions related to the timing and number of publications, publication and authorship status, preferred publication characteristics, and structure and format of the submission, with an ultimate aim to answer the question: what makes a Thesis by Publication? The findings show diversity across programs and flexibility within them, but present a common yet broad conceptualisation that maintains the integrity of doctoral research. Less attention to finer details may reflect flexibility and autonomy but may also lead to uncertainty for doctoral researchers, supervisors, and examiners.Peer reviewe

Prominence, promotion and positioning of the ‘Thesis by publication’ in six countries

The international nature of doctoral education creates interesting tensions where national systems, institutional policies, disciplinary customs, individual supervisor preferences, and doctoral researcher needs meet. The Thesis by Publication (TBP), a model where published works are included within the thesis, is available to doctoral researchers in many disciplines and institutions, but it is not a universally accepted format or approached in a homogeneous way. Policy has been known to shape practice, yet we know little about how institutional policies shape TBP practices across different national contexts. This study presents a content analysis of policy documents related to the TBP in public universities across six countries: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Our goal is to understand the prevalence of the TBP and related policy documentation in different contexts, and how the model is promoted and positioned within the doctoral landscape. Findings from our study challenge the often-stated notion that the TBP is a universally understood format. Our findings also show the risks in the absence of explicit policies, as well as the possible inequalities that may arise as a result of a lack of policy transparency and synergy within and across contexts.Peer reviewe

What makes a Thesis by Publication? An international study of policy requirements and restrictions

The thesis by publication is expanding across countries, institutions and disciplines, and so a more in-depth understanding of the format across contexts is warranted, to ensure that all stakeholders understand the implications of this format and implement it in a fair and transparent manner. This paper provides a cross-sectional analysis of policies related to the Thesis by Publication in six countries, investigating requirements and restrictions related to the timing and number of publications, publication and authorship status, preferred publication characteristics, and structure and format of the submission, with an ultimate aim to answer the question: what makes a Thesis by Publication? The findings show diversity across programs and flexibility within them, but present a common yet broad conceptualisation that maintains the integrity of doctoral research. Less attention to finer details may reflect flexibility and autonomy but may also lead to uncertainty for doctoral researchers, supervisors, and examiners