In the Lab with the Thesis: A Case Study of TesiLab
In the Lab with the Thesis: A Case Study of TesiLab

Author(s): Elena Ballarin
Subject(s): Higher Education , Stylistics
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: academic discourse; academic Italian; academic writing; glottodidactic strategies; written Italian
Summary/Abstract: In the realm of academic discourse, the conveyance of knowledge and scientific breakthroughs predominantly relies on written texts. These texts adhere to conventions established by the broader scientific community, influenced by specific linguistic and cultural contexts as well as the particular scientific disciplines they represent (Ciliberti & Anderson, 1999). This standardised format allows for comprehension and exchange of ideas beyond national and cultural barriers. Moreover, academic writing exhibits high levels of specialisation across different scientific disciplines (Gualdo & Telve, 2011; Ballarin, 2017). This research focuses on dissertations as a specialised form of academic writing. In particular, it explores glottodidactic strategies aimed at preparing students to write their dissertations at the end of their university education. The focus of this paper is a case study conducted during the TesiLab: Scientific-Academic Writing Workshop for Thesis Writing at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. The workshop was dedicated exclusively to undergraduate students and took place during the academic years 2022/23 and 2023/24. The aim of this survey was to investigate students’ awareness of research project organisation, text linguistics elements, and academic communication mechanisms. A qualitative methodology was employed (cf. Dörnyei, 2007), using diagnostic tools such as online questionnaires and a critical analysis of workshop assignments produced by a representative sample of students. The preliminary findings from this ongoing experiment support the study’s initial hypotheses and address the research questions, providing a rationale for its continued exploration.

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