What’s the purpose of academia?
In other words, what are we doing here? A discussion in Language and Identity class that started with a study of undergraduate writing turned to a debate about what academia is supposed to do, especially in Schools of Education. What is our voice supposed to be in universities? When we’re writing for an academic audience, what are the constraints and expectations re how we express ourselves?
Our teacher describes the purpose of academia as defining problems. She also said, academic papers are supposed to build and extend a field. Academic writing is about having texts speak to each other. Writing is such a significant part of the identity you learn in academia. Who are you as a writer, how are you drawing on others’ writing? At the same time, who are you as a thinker, how are you drawing on others’ thinking?