Abstract
The requirement for commencing higher education students to apply principles of attribution in their early academic writing frequently creates frustration both for students and academic teaching staff. Teachers often provide information on the necessity of attribution, and considerable detail on the mechanics of how to reference, and express frustration at the failure of some students to demonstrate this in their writing. In turn, many students appear overwhelmed and confused by the expectations placed on them as early academic writers. This paper explores these expectations and questions current assessment practices, advocating a longer period of formative learning before students are required to competently and accurately apply attribution principles and referencing conventions in their writing. Using the threshold concept framework (Meyer & Land, 2005), it suggests viewing attribution as a ‘conceptual gateway’ through which students must pass in becoming academic writers, and explores some implications of this for teaching, learning and assessment.
Highlights
The Threshold Concept frameworkAs an Academic Language and Learning (ALL) educator working closely with undergraduate students and academic staff, I frequently act as ‘go-between’, attempting to unpack academic expectations and requirements and make them more visible to all concerned
This paper explores why the skills involved in attribution may be less straight-forward than first thought, arguing that they represent a key ‘threshold concept’ for commencing higher education (HE) students
It makes a case for lowering expectations regarding attribution and referencing for commencing HE students, and increasing the time afforded to them to acquire the necessary awareness and skills. It asserts that applying the Threshold Concept (TC) framework to attribution within academic writing has the potential to transform practice for both HE students and their teachers, turning what is sometimes a ‘battleground’ or source of frustration into an enabling experience for learners. This is in keeping with Akerlind, McKenzie, & Lupton (2011), who contend that identifying TCs is valuable for learning “... because they represent transformative learning points..., but because they are areas where students are most likely to experience difficulties in their learning” (p. 2)
Summary
The requirement for commencing higher education students to apply principles of attribution in their early academic writing frequently creates frustration both for students and academic teaching staff. Many students appear overwhelmed and confused by the expectations placed on them as early academic writers. This paper explores these expectations and questions current assessment practices, advocating a longer period of formative learning before students are required to competently and accurately apply attribution principles and referencing conventions in their writing. Using the threshold concept framework (Meyer & Land, 2005), it suggests viewing attribution as a ‘conceptual gateway’ through which students must pass in becoming academic writers, and explores some implications of this for teaching, learning and assessment.
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