Mind Mapping: Overcoming Problems of Writer Identity and Convention for Academic Writing by Student Collaboration

Abstract

This article will consider Mind Mapping as an eLearning tool for the enhancement of learning and assessment within the discipline of academic writing. It goes on to identify two key problems for student writers, highlighted by existing research: firstly, writer identity and the affective domain of writing and second, the conventions of academic writing. It then proposes an implementation plan for Mind Mapping for the Applied Writing module (AWRI-1002), which is currently delivered on the Mature Access Foundation Programme (DT522A), at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), Ireland. The implementation plan for the use of Mind Mapping for academic writing will attempt to provide solutions for the two key problems experienced by student writers, in order to present the rationale and relevance behind its use. Recommendations for assessment strategies from existing research in this area will also be taken into account.