How does reading academic texts improve academic writing?

Researchers have expressed concern that although higher education has become more easily accessible in many countries, the quality of education has suffered. The majority of graduate students cannot write good-quality academic prose. Neither can their tutors (Bennett & Gorovitz, 1997, p. 1). While some explanations may be advanced for the declining quality of academic writing among college students, not reading academic texts is one of the prime culprits. Reading academic texts helps learners’ ability to synthesize, analyze and present issues in an academically-acceptable manner. Studying academic material is positively related to good academic writing skills.

The declining standards of academic writing among college students is a major concern, particularly since the beginning of the century as it has become increasingly easier for students to attend school in foreign countries. International students may have trouble reading in the languages used in their host countries (Buckingham, 2008, p. 5). However, the most important reason behind the decline in the quality of academic writing among higher education students is that students are not reading sufficient academic texts. Good academic synthesis and analysis skills and ability result from exposure to professionally-written academic texts (Sternglass, n.d, p. 48). Failure to read academic texts predictably leads to poor academic writing. Some of the international students who initially had a problem reading and writing in a second language have proceeded to become experts in their fields and have built solid academic writing skills (Sternglass, n.d, p. 52). This means that even non-native speakers, with sufficient effort, can write good academic texts in their second language.

The quality of academic writing among college students has declined alarmingly. If this trend is to be reversed, learners must understand the relationship between reading and writing. They must study more academic materials as the first step towards improving their academic writing skills.

References

Bennett, J. & Gorovitz, S 1997. Improving Academic Writing. Teaching Philosophy 20(2): pp 1-12

Buckingham, L 2008. Development of English Academic Writing Competence by Turkish

Scholars. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, Vol. 3: pp 1-18

Sternglass, M n.d. “It Became Easier over Time”: A Case Study of the Relationship Between

Writing, Learning, and the Creation of Knowledge