The Role of Academic Writing in Higher Education in Japan : Current Status and Future Perspectives

2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 11680263
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 教科教育
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: KOBAYASHI Hiroe Hiroshima University, Integrated Arts & Sciences, Professor, 総合科学部, 教授 (50205481)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): RINNERT Carol Hiroshima City University, International Studies, Professor, 国際学部, 教授 (20195390)
• Project Period (FY): 1999 – 2000
• Keywords: Literacy / Academic Skills / Writing / Higher Education / L1 Japanese Class / Report / Essay

Research Abstract

This study investigated Japanese students' L1 literacy background by eliciting questionnaire and interview responses from a large number of students and teachers. Regarding the role of academic writing in higher education, the study round that there were clear parallels between the perceptions of students and teachers at both high schools and universities.
Moreover, the teachers at both levels provided perspectives on the future of writing instruction in secondarv and tertiary education. The major findings of the study are summarized as follows :
1. At the high school level, a much greater emphasis was placed on reading than writing activides and instruction in kokugo classes ; however, a substantial group of students received intensive training in writing instruction outside of the regular classroom as preparation for writing essays for entrance exams.
2. Nearly all the teachers were dissatisfied with the current writing instruction in their own schools because thev did not have enough t ime for individualized instruction due to large class size and university entrance exams focusing on reading comprehension. Nevertheless, many of then-adyocated greater future emphasis on writing instruction, both in kokugo classes and in other classes across the curriculum, in order to meet the demands for greater expressive ability in the increasingly internationalized Japanese society.
3. At the university level, relatively little formal writing instruction or feedback from teachers is given on students' writing in the first two years of college, although the situation reportedly changes as students advance to their chosen field of specialization.
4. Kinds of academic training that students receive appear to differ by specific disciplines. In reports, science majors and some hurnanities majors (e. g. economics) are expected to show understanding of a given topic more than to express own ideas. On the other hand, to deepen and show one's own ideas is important to graduate and other humanities major students, and Academic Writing Skins, such as evaluation of ideas, the ability to summarize, and use of correct citation, were perceived to be very important by these students and teachers.
5. Both students and teachers agreed on the necessity for more instruction on correct citation of words and ideas from outside sources.