L2 postgraduate students’ conceptions of English academic writing: Perspectives of mainland Chinese students

Abstract

Although countless L2 students need to write in English for academic purposes and there is consensus in the literature that conception of writing is an aspect of writing expertise, the conceptions of English academic writing of L2 postgraduate students remain under-researched. This paper reports on a study that examines mainland Chinese postgraduate students’ conceptions of English academic writing through individual interviews. It defines conceptions of writing as writers’ general understanding of writing, beliefs about writing development, and attitudes towards writing-related support. The study found that students: tend to understand English academic writing as the written form of advanced general English, believe in self-directed practice for writing progress, and are more interested in writing support that targets draft improvement than long-term writing development. The findings are interpreted by considering the possible problems observed in student conceptions of writing. Pedagogical implications are suggested in order to better respond to these problems and students’ needs in English writing.