An Open Letter to Student Authors: Addressing the Challenges

Abstract

In this article, we examine the challenges post-secondary students face as they transition from writing as an academic requirement to its use as a strategy for their life-long learning and professional development. We offer strategies to address these challenges. We make several assumptions. The first is that students hold a set of personal beliefs about academic writing, which influence their motivation and engagement in the writing process. The second is that writing is a strategy to promote competency in professional practice. The third is that the barriers and challenges to successful and sustainable writing can be overcome.