Challenges of Entering Discourse Communities Through Publishing in English: Perspectives of Nonnative-Speaking Doctoral Students in the United States of America |
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| Abstract: | There have been concerns that nonnative-speaking (NNS) researchers are at some disadvantage due to power differentials that result from the predominance of English in the academic world. This study investigates the assumptions and the findings of previous studies related to NNS researchers' publications in English in internationally refereed journals through in-depth interviews with four NNS doctoral students in the United States. The interviews sought to find out what challenges NNS doctoral students experience and how they cope with the challenges from research to publishing. Several salient issues emerged through the study, such as co-authoring, conducting certain types of research, getting native-speaker assistance, making the most use of local knowledge, and negotiating feedback from journals. The findings of this study imply that collaboration with native speaker (NS) mentors and colleagues can be beneficial in spite of potentially unequal power relations. In addition, the most use of NNSs' local knowledge can be positive in the sense that it brings valuable insight into Center-based academia. This study, however, suggests that it is critical to create a space for various voices in the Center publishing communities. Key words: nonnative-speaking doctoral students, writing for publication, co-authoring, local knowledge, situated knowledges, legitimate peripheral participation |
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