Critical argument and writer identity: Social constructivism as a theoretical framework for EFL academic writing

James Mckinley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

94 Citations (SciVal)

Abstract

This article makes the argument that we need to situate student’s academic writing as socially constructed pieces of writing that embody a writer’s cultural identity and critical argument. In support, I present and describe a comprehensive model of an original EFL writing analytical framework. This article explains the interrelationship between the elements of cultural practices in academic discourse, writer identity, and critical thinking, and argues how this is influenced by the sociocultural values of academic discourse. This interrelationship is realized by viewing EFL writing through a social constructivist lens, showing how critical thinking processes are shaped by awareness of the sociocultural conventions of academic discourse, and how critical thinking arises from a writer identity aligned with the culture of English academic writing.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)184-207
Number of pages23
JournalCritical Inquiry in Language Studies
Volume12
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2015

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