“I dunno, as long as it proves my point”

A concept‐based approach to teaching citation and intertextuality to emerging writers

Bibliographic Data

ID21360395
AuthorsYiran Xu (0000-0001-6000-1521, Department of Global Arts, Media and Writing Studies The University of California Merced Merced California USA, corresponding author), J Elliott Casal (0000-0002-8920-9120, Department of English The University of Memphis Memphis Tennessee USA)
Year2025
Volume109
Issue4
Pages961-990
Publication date2025-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueModern Language Journal (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0026-7902 • E-ISSN: 1540-4781
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/modl.70010
OpenAlexW4416446072
LanguageEN
References cited44

This study leverages concept‐based language instruction (C‐BLI) as an innovative pedagogical approach to teaching academic citation practices and broader concepts of intertextuality in academic research writing. Participants were 34 undergraduate students, predominantly multilingual English writers, enrolled in an advanced writing course at a Hispanic‐serving US institution. The 4‐week C‐BLI workshop incorporated visualized conceptual aids to teach author prominence (i.e., integral vs. nonintegral citations) and authorial stance (i.e., reporting verbs). Moving beyond conventional rule‐based instruction, the workshop emphasized applications of concepts in instructor‐led and collaborative settings, verbalization of evolving understandings, and one‐on‐one interactions with the instructor. Data include students’ research papers before and after the intervention (with student revision rationales), instructor‐led text protocol conferences, in‐class activity data (e.g., concept identification, text analysis, and concept visualization), and written reflections. Students reported increased confidence and intentionality with target concepts, and changes in writing include a sharp increase in reporting‐verb types, more dynamic use of integral and nonintegral citation structures, and lower reliance on direct quotations. Case studies highlight evolving conceptual understandings of target concepts, growing awareness of intertextuality as a social practice, and increased ability to articulate writing decisions. This study highlights the potential of C‐BLI in fostering students’ engagement with citation as a rhetorical and agentive practice, addressing persistent challenges faced by student writers

Academic writing · Citation · Conceptual framework · Discourse analysis · Intentionality · Intertextuality · Rhetorical question · Technical writing · Academic Writing and Publishing · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · Writing and Handwriting Education

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