Academic Writing

The challenges of doctoral writing in another language in the humanities

Abstract

It has often been acknowledged that English is the dominant language of scholarly publication. While the disadvantage this poses to English as an Additional Language (EAL) academics is controversial, it is clear that some senior academics and doctoral researchers perceive that EAL writing affects idea creation. This article surveys the research on EAL academic writing and the particular challenges it poses for doctoral researchers in the humanities. We argue for more support and research in this area.