WRITING FROM SOURCES: HOW THREE UNDERGRADUATE MULTILINGUAL WRITERS NEGOTIATED ELEMENTS OF SOURCE-BASED WRITING IN AN EAP COURSE THAT USED LITERARY AND NONLITERARY SOURCE TEXTS. DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Faye I. D‘Silva, M.A. Graduate Program in Education The Ohio State University 2014 Dissertation Committee: Dr. Alan Hirvela, Advisor Dr. David Bloome Dr. Keiko Samimy Copyrighted by Faye D‘Silva 2014 Abstract The long-standing debate over the value of literature in the teaching of L2 academic writing has been ongoing. Given the general discomfort with the use of literature in source-based writing and in EAP writing instruction and the absence of literary texts in EAP writing courses, studies that look at how source texts are used in L2 writers‘ acquisition of academic literacy skills are rare. Operating in response to that debate, this study sought to explore how three undergraduate multilingual academic writers negotiated the specific academic discursive practice of using both literary and nonliterary texts to complete source-based writing tasks. In doing so, the overarching goal of this study was to explore the use of literature within the context of teaching source-based writing in an EAP writing course. Theoretical formulations drawn from Vygotsky‘s sociocultural theory of mediation as extended by Lantolf (2000) formed the core framework of analysis for the study. Using qualitative methods of data gathering such as, participant observation, interviews, and document analysis, the primary sources of data examined were personal journals, course artifacts, questionnaires, interview transcripts, and field notes. The study sheds light on the complexities involved in learning multifaceted academic discursive practices such as source-based writing. The findings suggest that although the participants encountered some discursive challenges in the practice of using sources, they negotiated the practice of source-based writing in individually nuanced ii ways by adopting an agentive approach to employing mediating semiotic resources in their social context. A substantive new finding was related to how the use of a literary text has the potential to enhance and encourage the participant‘s creativity in the composition of their own texts. This finding could be characterized as a grounded theoretical hypothesis and was evident in the ways that elements of creativity were embedded in their composed texts. Ultimately, then, the study has contributed new knowledge to the ongoing debate about the use of literary texts in research-based EAP writing instruction. iii Acknowledgements My graduate student journey at the Ohio State University has been touched and inspired by a number of people and in this space, I wish to express my sincerest thanks and appreciation to all those who have shaped my life in many special ways. First, this dissertation would not have been possible without the support of my participants who were critical to this study and who openly agreed to share their lives and their academic literacy journey with me. I am grateful for their contributions in this study. I would like to thank a number of people who have helped me along the way to completion of my dissertation and to whom I am greatly indebted to. First, I would like to thank my dissertation advisor, Dr. Alan Hirvela, who has so patiently guided me and supported me during my journey as a graduate student and in all my academic endeavors at the Ohio State University. Dr. Hirvela, I cannot express enough gratitude for your mentoring and encouragement throughout these years in the graduate program. Your scholarship in the field of Second Language Writing and all of your courses in second language academic literacy that I took during my graduate years have inspired me to write this dissertation. I am grateful for your availability and time spent in answering all of my questions so promptly. I thank you for your excellent mentorship and feel incredibly blessed to have worked under your supervision and guidance. I wish to express my deepest thanks to my committee members, Dr. David Bloome and Dr. Keiko Samimy. Dr. Bloome, your constant support and encouragement have positively impacted me in many ways. I am so grateful for your time and patience in guiding me through my dissertation with your thoughtful comments and constructive iv criticism. Your encouragement and support have positively shaped my work in so many ways and I feel very fortunate to work under your supervision. Dr. Samimy, your steadfast enthusiasm in the field of Second Language Learning has inspired and encouraged me to pursue similar interests. Moreover, your warm personality and support in all my endeavors have been invaluable in helping me reach my academic goals. This dissertation would not have been possible without the support and financial assistance from the Spoken English Program (SEP) and the ESL Composition Program. I wish to extend my deepest gratitude and thanks to Susan Sarwark, Kathi Cennamo, Andrea Sondrini who have only shown me love and kindness throughout my assistantship in the SEP; to Dr. Jack Rouzer, Dr. Karen Macbeth, Bruce Rogers, Dr. Edwina Carreon and Valerie for giving me an opportunity to teach a variety of courses and allowing me to conduct research in the program during my Teaching Assistantship in the program. I appreciate all your help and support during my assistantship. I would also like to extend my gratitude to my friends whose support and love I counted on throughout my dissertation. Lisya Seloni, you have been a mentor, guide and a true friend to me during my entire time in Columbus and to this day. I cannot thank you enough for agreeing to read my drafts, offering your perspectives and for the constant motivation and encouragement to keep moving forward. You have been a great source of strength in my life and I appreciate our friendship. Ivan Stefano, words cannot describe how grateful I am for your loyalty and friendship. Your rock solid friendship and guidance have been a blessing in my life. I thank you for all your help you offered in the final stages of my dissertation. I extend my most sincere thanks to, Tracy Ghoris, Jennifer v Marin, Nathan Weidenbenner, Drs. Yusuf Sarfati, Caroline Luo, Stuart Birkby, Mustafa Oktem, and Yosi Bahar and all my friends who were and are in Columbus, Ohio. I would also like to thank my colleagues and friends at the University of Toronto - Drs. Penny Kinnear, Maria Cioni, Michael Lapointe, Brock MacDonald and J. Barbara Rose at Woodsworth College and my friend Donna Schatz for their support and encouragement. Finally, I would like to thank my dearest and most loving family: My mom, Doris, sister, Gwen and my brother-in-law, Llewellyn. Mom: You have been my role model and the woman I will always admire and look up to. Your compassionate and love have seen me through some of the biggest challenges in my life and I am so blessed to have a kind, warm and loving mother like you. I am so grateful for your constant faith and unconditional support in all my endeavors. To my deceased dad, Roque: Although you may not be physically present on this earth, I feel your love and warmth radiating in my life everyday and helping me move forward. My sister Gwen: Your kindness and warmth brought me to Columbus and now to Toronto. I appreciate the rock solid support and encouragement you and Lew have shown me. Finally, here‘s to my newborn daughter, Emma and my beloved husband, Sven: This dissertation is dedicated to both of you - You are the light of my life. Sven, I can never thank you enough for your patience, warmth, and love you have shown me. Words cannot express my gratitude for your unconditional support you have given me throughout writing this dissertation. Thanks for always cheering me on. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your faith in me and I look forward to sharing many if life‘s vi precious moments with you. This dissertation would have not been possible without your love and support. No matter where I may go, I will always remember the love and support I received from all of you mentioned here and to you, I am forever grateful. vii Vita 2000 ...............................................................B.A. History, University of Mumbai 2003 ...............................................................M.A. TESOL, The Ohio State University 2004 - 2006 ...................................................Graduate Assistant, ........................................................................The Spoken English Program ........................................................................The Ohio State University 2005 – 2007....................................................Writing Consultant, ........................................................................Center for the Study and Teaching of ........................................................................Writing. The Ohio State University 2007-2010 ....................................................Graduate Teaching Assistant, ........................................................................ ESL Composition Program ........................................................................The Ohio State University 2010- Present ………………………………Adjunct Faculty, Engineering Communication Program University of Toronto 2011- Present ……………………………… Writing Instructor, Academic Writing Centre, Woodsworth College, University of