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Edited by Mauricio Pérez-Abril and Gloria Rincón Bonilla
This book presents the findings of the inter-institutional research project, "What are the purposes of reading and writing in Colombian Universities? A contribution to consolidating the national academic culture."
The research project was conducted formally between 2009 and 2011; however, the research design began in 2008 and the editing process of this book was conducted during 2012.
The research project was co-funded by the Colombian Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (Colciencias) and seventeen universities. Mauricio Pérez-Abril and Gloria Rincón Bonilla led the research team. This research experience was also nourished by dialogues with international scholars such as Ana Camps from Universidad de Barcelona, España, Paula Carlino, from the National Scientific Council of Argentina and Universidad de Buenos Aires, and Luiz Percival Leme Britto, from Universidad do Oeste do Pará, Brazil.
The work reported in this book aimed at describing the reading and writing practices and learning experiences in undergraduate programs in different disciplines of the participating universities. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and a variety of stakeholders (i.e., students, faculty members, and university administrators) participated in the project.
This project has been a preliminary step in formulating guidelines for public policy on higher education writing in Colombia. Importantly, the project has nurtured the development of a professional network of about 50 researchers and instructors on reading and writing, an emerging field in Colombian higher education.
