Table 2 provides an overview of the data collected and demonstrates that a range of data was collected in order to generate understandings in relation to each of the research questions. However, the larger ticks foreground the data and methods which were more effective in generating insights for corresponding research questions. For example, the first research question: What are the academic writing practices of research students in the first
two years of their research studies at a UK based university? was most effectively
addressed with data from interviews, the collection of the participants’ written texts and the writing journals (indicated by the large ticks in the first horizontal line of the Table).
Research questions Interviews Written texts Writing journals Photos Field notes
RQ1. What are the academic writing practices of research students in the first two years of their research studies at a UK based university?
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RQ2. What are the perspectives of postgraduate students about the writing they carry out while pursuing research qualifications?
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RQ3. In what ways is gender a significant dimension to the postgraduate research students’ academic writing practices?√
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Submission of writing journal 2
Below is an overview of texts, interviews and writing journals over two academic years.
Figure 2 An overview of texts, interviews and writing journals
A journal entry is a reflection written in one day about the academic writing the postgraduate student is doing that day. They were collected over a period in one academic year, and then again in a second academic year. Therefore, 7 entries = 7 days.
A journal entry is a reflection written in one day about the academic writing the postgraduate student is doing that day. They were collected over a period in one academic year, and then again in a second academic year. Therefore, 7 entries = 7 days.
Interview 1 with written Text 1 *An academic text was volunteered before each interview, and was the basis of discussion.
Interview 2 with written Text 2 *An academic text was volunteered before each interview, and was the basis of discussion.
Timeline
Submission of writing journal 1 Year 1 (academic year) of data collection for participant
Year 2 (academic year) of data collection for participant
Each postgraduate writer participated in at least two interviews. In these interviews, they were asked to bring a written text that they saw as valuable to the ongoing development of their research. After these interviews, each participant was invited to write in a journal about their thoughts and perspectives during periods when they were engaged in academic writing. Unlike the interviews, I did not explicitly request a written text to accompany the writing journals. The priority was to create a space in which participants had the opportunity to express their perspectives about their writing that they may not have felt comfortable expressing in an interview context (see 3.5.3 for more details about the writing journals). Some participants, though, did choose to submit a written text with their writing journals. It is important to note that not all participants completed writing journals (see Table 3 for specific details).
It is also important to note that, I wrote field notes after interviews where I felt it would be useful to record additional information about the place in which the interview was carried out, and significant impressions and feelings related to the interviews. Notes were also made about the situation and context of the interview and the talk which occurred when the audio device was not recording (see 3.5.4 for more detail).
location/s Aisha UK
Business
(Manufacturing and Textiles)
X2 PhD research proposal Probation report - - Yes
Alison UK
Education (Digital literacy)
X2 Coursework assignment A document written in
preparation for supervision– an exploration of the case-study 7 entries - - Anita Germany Education (Corpus Linguistics)
X2 Coursework assignment A document written in
preparation for supervision discussing RQs - - - Catherine UK Business (Psychology in Finance)
X2 Probation report A document written in
preparation for supervision (discussing research questions RQs)
4 entries Yes -
Clara UK
Business and Management Studies (Communications in Business Meetings)
X2 A document written in
preparation for supervision discussing topic
An abstract for a conference
9 entries Yes Yes
Cosima Italy, UK Education (Digital History) X2 A coursework assignment: a ‘reflective’ essay One philosophical statement written during data collection
location/s Elise UK
Physical Sciences (Astronomy)
X2 PhD probation report PhD probation report - Yes Yes
Ellie UK
Wellbeing and Social Care (SEND learners)
X2 A document written in
preparation for supervision discussing topic
A thesis chapter (methods) 4 entries Yes -
Gaby UK
Education
(Numeracy in Health and Social Care Education)
X2 A coursework assignment A document written in
preparation for supervision reflecting on the topic
- Yes -
Jessica UK
Education
(Psychology and the Executive Function)
X2 A research poster An information document
written to support policy level work
8 entries Yes -
Pippa UK
Business
(Entrepreneurship and Small Business’)
X2 A coursework assignment A research proposal for a
PhD application
9 entries Yes -
Renee UK
Physical Sciences (Astronomy and Geology)
X2 PhD probation report A chapter of a thesis
(Chapter 1), records of lab work, daily observations of ongoing experiments
location/s Samantha UK Education (Linguistics) X2 A document written in preparation for supervisions: a discussion of transcription and video as method
A document written in preparation for supervision explaining the research questions and proposed methodology.
25 entries Yes -
Sophia UK
Maths and Statistics (Statistics)
X2 PhD probation report PhD thesis chapter - Yes -
Valerie UK
Education (Public Science)
X2 A draft article submitted for
publication
A published journal article 5 entries Yes -
Yasmin UK
Business
(Collaborations in Financial sector)
X2 Extended writing for
supervisors
Supervision minutes 4 entries Yes -