Academic Success: a student’s guide to studying at university

Abstract

Aimed at students with limited experience of the culture and conventions of English-speaking universities, this book introduces readers to a wide range of academic communicative practices. It assumes no prior knowledge or experience of the (mostly) unwritten behaviours, attitudes and values required for academic success and provides a comprehensive breakdown of these, clarified throughout with examples, explanations and practical guidance. The book’s scope is broad, rather than deep, and therefore represents a useful and pragmatic introductory text for any student preparing for a transition or return to higher education. The text is underpinned throughout by two recurring themes that are directly transferable into LD practice. The idea that academic knowledge is developed and communicated via debate and argument is directly linked to the notion of ‘academic apprenticeship’ in which students are encouraged to begin participation in active and current disciplinary discourse.

Keywords

• Academic communication
• culture and convention
• knowledge construction
• learning
• reading
• writing