Intertextual practices in academic writing by Chinese ESL students

In light of the increase of international graduate students, the dynamics of higher education in English speaking countries have changed dramatically coupled with an obvious gap between native English speaking (NES) and English as second language (ESL) graduate students in terms of their academic literacy. As a key component of academic literacy, academic writing consists of noticeable differences between these two cohorts of students. Against the backdrop of ongoing attention to the process and practice of academic writing, this study examines Chinese ESL graduate students' intertextual practices in composing their academic writing, especially, when the students newly arrived in an English speaking world. Intertextual practice in this study is concerned about not only the transgressive intertextual practice or plagiarism behaviours, but how Chinese ESL students draw on external sources in developing their own writing. This study shows that the most salient feature in the intertextual practice of the participants is the use of indirect quotes rather than syntheses in their own words, and most of the external sources are used to introduce new beliefs, ideas, or issues to their writing. In addition, this study explores possible factors that mediate these practices in consideration of the linguistic and sociocultural backgrounds of the Chinese ESL students.