SCHOOL: SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT: DEPARTMENT OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION

EMCU 003: SCHOLARLY WRITING AND PUBLICATION SKILLS

CRITICALLY ANALYSE THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN ACADEMIC WRITING.

1.0 Introduction
Technology according to Brey (2009) can be broadly defined as the entities, both material
and immaterial that are created by application of both mental and physical efforts aimed at
achieving some value.
On the other hand, academic writing is a clear, concise, focused, structured form of writing
that is backed up by evidence aimed at fulfilling the requirements of the award of a
certificate, diploma or a degree in a university or college. (At Kins, BR.2005)

2.0 Roles of Technology in academic writing

Academic writing can never be a success without infusion of technology in it. As such the
pivotal role of technology in actualization of academic writing cannot be underestimated.
Some of these roles are as elucidated below.

2.1.0 Actualizing collaborative writing

Collaborative writing involves dividing a writing project amongst members of a team where
each member contributes to the contents and materials to be captured in the final product.
( Rose J.2001) The Mature Students Guide to Writing, U.K : Palgrave )

To make academic writing a success, academicians drawn from far flung parts of the world
harness modern technology in working on their products. Technology is employed when
discussing progress, offering solutions to the unique hardships facing teammates and to
thrash out the conceptual aspects of an article before or during the writing process.
Some of the most useful technological tools include but not limited to Skype, zoom and
Google classroom.

Besides the useful teleconferencing tools described above, technology comes in handy when
useful academic materials are being shared through platforms such as emails, drop box or
Google documents.

2.2.0 Access to Virtual Libraries

Schools, Universities and Colleges as well as researchers have acknowledged the positive
impact of digital libraries in supplementing the traditional physical libraries set up.

Today it is easy to access up to date and well researches materials via the technological space
without the need to travel over long distances.
These online resources are rich, and readily available as long as one an internet enabled
gadget. Besides being versatile, online libraries are a great researchers companies in helping
them exploit the full benefits and opportunities created by the networked world.

2.3.0 Publication of Materials Dissemination.

Academic publishing is core part of publishing that distributes academic research and various
scholarship.
Aimed at achieving a wider readership of the research findings the publishing companies use
modern technology to disseminate these results. Such useful technological entity include
Google scholar among others

2.4.0 Data Collection.

No research can boast of a complete or wholesome research analysis and data completion
without investing a zealous data collection strategy.
Beyond the traditional methods of data collection such as surveys, interviews, focus groups
and hard copy questionnaires, technology enable researchers to be much more objective and
 proactive. Such modern methods assures the researcher of a more efficient, reliable and quick
methods of data collection.
For instance, retail outlets are using modern technology to improve their customer service by
use of mood sensing retail devices to collect data.
Besides being efficient, modern technological methods can override the problem of distance
to aid data collection from far flung places. Example use of Computer Assisted Telephone
Interviewing (CATI) and Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) (Kalfs,1993)

2.5.0 Enhanced Data Analysis

For a reliable conclusion to be drawn researches in academic writing, huge volumes of data
should be collected and analyzed. Since use of the traditional conventional methods of data
analysis may not be adequately reliable, modern data analytical tools such as the statistical
package for Social Sciences among others come in handy.
With better analytics, valuable and dependable conclusions can be drawn from the
information obtained from the processed data.

3.0 Conclusion
In a nutshell therefore, Modern academic writing cannot be a guaranteed success without
harnessing the advantages brought about by Modern Technology.
It is by incorporating these advantages that the potential for human error has been reduced
besides increasing the speed and accuracy needed.