ERIC Number: EJ995535
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2013-Mar
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1475-1585
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
"Convenience Editors" as Legitimate Participants in the Practice of Scientific Editing: An Interview Study
Willey, Ian; Tanimoto, Kimie
Journal of English for Academic Purposes, v12 n1 p23-32 Mar 2013
Native-English-speaking English teachers at universities in EFL contexts are often asked to edit scientific manuscripts written by English as an additional language (EAL) colleagues. However, a lack of familiarity with scientific writing can make such editing tasks burdensome to English teachers. Using Lave and Wenger's (1991) notion of legitimate peripheral participation as an analytical lens, this study explored how English teachers who regularly edited healthcare-related texts learned the "craft" of scientific editing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four English-teaching editors employed at universities in Japan, with a focus on these editors' initial difficulties with editing and how editors overcame these difficulties. Two participants also completed think-aloud editing tasks, which were followed by stimulated recall interviews. Results indicate that four issues are of potential significance to these English teachers' learning of and attitudes towards the craft of scientific editing: 1) the various styles and terminology of medical academic writing; 2) authors' involvement in the editing process; 3) the ability to communicate with authors in Japanese; and 4) early apprenticeship or immersion experiences. We conclude that universities in EFL contexts should encourage greater collaboration, involving both education and research, between English teachers and scientific professionals. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Familiarity, English (Second Language), Foreign Countries, College Faculty, Protocol Analysis, Semi Structured Interviews, Second Language Instruction, Second Language Learning, Editing, Language Teachers, Native Speakers, Scientific Research, Teacher Attitudes, Academic Discourse, Writing (Composition), Japanese, Cooperation, Medicine, English for Special Purposes, Apprenticeships, Vocabulary
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Japan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A