Mind the writing gap: Rethinking pre-departure EAP support for international students in UK Higher Education
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Abstract
As higher education becomes increasingly transnational, questions of academic writing readiness take on new urgency, particularly for students entering Anglophone universities from linguistically and educationally diverse backgrounds. This mixed-methods study explores the writing preparedness of first-year international students at UK institutions, focusing on their ability to meet the rhetorical and disciplinary demands of English for Academic Purposes (EAP). A structured questionnaire assessed self-perceived competence across six dimensions: coherence, cohesion, argumentation, discipline-specific language, citation, and data presentation. Quantitative findings indicated moderate confidence overall, with notable challenges in data presentation and academic integrity. Thematic analysis of open responses highlighted three key needs: exposure to genre-specific exemplars, clarity on plagiarism detection systems, and orientation to dialogic feedback practices. These findings underscore the limitations of generic English preparation and support the development of exemplar-rich, feedback-literate pre-departure programmes. The study contributes to internationalisation policy by identifying critical gaps in EAP support across global academic transitions.
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