Academic writing in Russian and English in the paradigm of contemporary higher education in Russia

Margarita V. Kiseleva, PhD (Education), Docent, Associate Professor, Department of English for Professional Communication, Institute of Foreign Languages, Herzen University, St. Petersburg, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3308-1068, e-mail: ritakis@mail.ru

Introduction. The article highlights the problem of teaching students the ability to create academic texts in Russian and English, that is, preparing for participation in academic discourse, for effective interaction in the scientific research community, including the international one. The meaning of the term “academic writing” is clarified and its genres are identified.

The purpose of the study is to determine the linguistic and methodological foundations of a bilingual approach to the formation of academic writing competence in Russian and English.

Methodology and methods. In the course of the research, an analysis of modern general educational programs in various areas of Master’s training was carried out in order to track the features of the development of universal competence (UC-4 aimed at developing the readiness of graduates to use modern communication technologies for academic and professional interaction) in the curricula and work programs of academic disciplines. In order to identify the pedagogical conditions for writing academic texts of research papers, an oral and written survey of undergraduates (87 respondents) was conducted.

Results and scientific novelty. Based on the literature review on the issues of developing competencies in academic writing and the theory of speech genres, the types of academic texts (educational, educational and scientific and scientific) are determined and their main characteristics are given. Analysis of curricula and work programs of academic disciplines aimed at developing this competence revealed that UC-4 is interpreted differently by developers of educational programs, and indicators of its levels of its development do not always include the development of academic writing skills. A survey of Master’s students showed that Russian universities mainly use an intradisciplinary approach to the development of academic writing skills, and responsibility for the development of academic writing skills lies with the graduating departments and the graduates' supervisors.

Practical significance. The article substantiates the cultural conditionality of academic texts, which dictates the need to develop academic writing competencies in both native and foreign languages. In this regard, it is recommended to use a bilingual approach to teaching academic writing in English.

Methodological recommendations for the course “Academic Writing in English” are presented, the considered genres of academic writing formed the basis for the selection of training content, the learning outcomes and the place of the discipline in the paradigm of modern higher education in Russia are determined.

Keywords: academic writing, academic genre texts, cultural differences of academic texts, approaches to teaching for academic writing, Academic Writing course content

The study was carried out at the expense of an internal grant of the Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University, project No. 18BG

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