Thesis and Dissertation Writing in a Second Language: a handbook for Supervisors

Background to the book
The aim of this book is to provide a handbook for supervisors who are work-
ing with students writing a thesis or dissertation
1
in English as their second
language. The book aims to unpack some of the tacit understanding that
supervisors often have of the thesis or dissertation writing process that is
often not shared by their students, and in this case, students who come from
a language and culture background other than English. The book is also suit-
able for teachers who run courses or workshops on thesis and dissertation
writing for second-language students. There are practical examples, learning
tasks, and examples from completed theses and dissertations throughout the
book. The learning tasks are designed to help students develop the skills and
understandings necessary for successful thesis and dissertation writing. These
learning tasks include a focus on aspects of language use particular to thesis
and dissertation writing, as well as the social and cultural expectations partic-
ular to writing a thesis or dissertation, such as what is expected of students in
this kind of writing and at this level of study, expectations of students and
supervisors in the supervision and thesis writing process, the issue of discipli-
nary differences in thesis writing, and what examiners expect of theses and
dissertations written in English-medium universities.
The book includes a focus on theory and research, where appropriate, as well
as providing practical advice on thesis and dissertation writing for second-
language students. It discusses issues that are common to all thesis and
dissertation writers, such as understanding the setting and purpose of thesis
and dissertation writing, the place of audience in thesis and dissertation writ-
ing, understanding writer/reader relationships, issues of writer identity, and the
place of assumed background knowledge in thesis and dissertation writing.
Each unit of the book focuses on a particular aspect of thesis and disser-
tation writing and the research and supervision process. The sequencing of
the units follows the stages of carrying out research and writing a thesis or
dissertation. Each of the units includes tasks for supervisors to use with
their students. The tasks are written in a way that encourages students to
Chapter 1