Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Degree Granting Department

World Languages

Major Professor

Matt Kessler, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Judith Bridges, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Katherine Yaw, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Wei Zhu, Ph.D.

Keywords

Activity Theory, Identity, L2 Writing, Metadiscourse

Abstract

Research suggests that revision is a complex practice guided by a variety of factors; however, the nature of the relationship between these factors and the revisions themselves, along with how the revision process contributes to academic socialization, remains understudied. A more comprehensive understanding of revision can lead to a deeper understanding of the support that will be most effective for multilingual graduate students. This study thus aims to determine (1) what revision strategies multilingual graduate students use, (2) what factors mediate these strategies, and (3) the extent to which these revisions index a shift in academic socialization. To answer these questions, this dissertation employs a qualitative multiple case study approach and adopts a Sociocultural Theory framework with a focus on Activity Theory and writer identity. Participants include four multilingual graduate students of varying backgrounds and fields. Data include interviews, multiple drafts of research papers, and any relevant artifacts (e.g., syllabuses, instructor feedback). Drafts were compared, with differences tagged using a revision taxonomy; interviews were held with participants to understand the motivation for certain changes. Textual analysis using metadiscourse was used to understand how writers represented themselves in the text. Overall, this study found that even minor revisions are mediated by the students’ activity systems, and that revisions index shifts in terms of both their personal relationship to academia and how they claim authority and present themselves within the text. It is suggested that stakeholders in the academic progress of these students take these factors into consideration when determining what resources and kinds of feedback may be most helpful.

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