How academics believe students should develop ideas about writing and being authors.

What is it about?

Improving authorial identity is a proposed method for reducing plagiarism in university students. This approach focuses on encouraging students to think of themselves as authors, rather than only deterring them from plagiarising. We interviewed academics from various subject areas about academic writing, authorship and plagiarism. They talked about their own writing and the work done by their students, helping us understand what they thought about authorship.

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Why is it important?

Lots of previous work on authorial identity defined this idea from the perspective of students. This study helps us understand how academics see this developing in their students. We identify the qualities that an authorial student writer should have, from the perspective of academics. The academics also reflected on how their own authorial identity developed, and we identify how this might inform teaching. They thought that: Developing an idea of yourself as an author takes time. Direct teaching might not improve authorial identity; instead, students should be encouraged to practice writing, under the guidance of more experienced writers. Students should be encouraged to treat writing as a form of communication, rather than solely as a way of achieving a grade. Tutors should recognise students as junior members of their academic/subject communities (e.g. of biologists, philosophers, psychologists, etc.), and involve them in activities that reflect this.

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