University Preparation for Workplace Writing: An Exploratory Study of the Perceptions of Students in Three Disciplines‪.‬

This study investigated how Canadian university student interns in three disciplines perceived their educational preparation for workplace writing. The students' perceptions differed markedly according to disciplinary background, with Management students responding very positively about their preparation, Political Science students responding positively, and Communications Studies students responding negatively. The authors discuss how these responses potentially reflect differing student expectations; theory practice linkages; and patterns of integrating instruction and practice in research, analysis, and work place genres across these disciplines. The results suggest that universities can prepare students for workplace writing by providing them with instruction and practice in common workplace genres, relevant research and analytic skills, experience in collaborative writing, ample feedback on their writing, and an appreciation for the socially situated nature of genres and genre acquisition. The authors also point to the benefits of work placement and internship programs and suggest directions for further research. Keywords: genre acquisition; workplace writing; writing in the disciplines; business writing; internship