Lisa McGrath

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Associate Professor Lisa McGrath PhD, MA, BA(hons), PGCE, SFHEA

Associate Professor in Educational Linguistics

Summary

My main areas of expertise are academic writing and English for Research and Publication Purposes (ERPP). I teach on modules on the MA Education, MA TESOL, and the Doctorate in Education. I created and lead the SIoE "Writing (better) for international publication" course for faculty, and design and deliver writing workshops for doctoral students. I supervise doctoral students researching various topics in Education. I have published widely in the field of academic writing, in journals such as Applied Linguistics, Journal of Second Language Writing, TESOL Quarterly and English for Specific Purposes, Teaching in Higher Education and Higher Education.

About

I obtained my PhD from Stockholm University. At the time, my research focused on textual and contextual facets of writing for international publication and genre pedagogy. In particular, I was (and continue to be) interested in connections between the social and epistemological dimensions of disciplines, and the choices academic writers make in terms of textual features, genre and language.
 
My research interests intersect with my teaching. For instance, I am interested in L2 writing task design and am editing a special issue on the topic for the Journal of Second Language Writing. My recent research has also combined theories of genre and metacognition in both academic writing and continuing professional development contexts. I have an ongoing interest in supporting doctoral students' writing development and am involved in collaborations and professional networks dedicated to the topic.
 
My interest in teaching writing for publication has led to opportunities to deliver training both at Sheffield Hallam and more widely. For example, I have provided writing for publication consultancy for scholars at the Swedish Defence University and have delivered numerous writing for publication workshops, most recently at the University of Heraklion. I sit on the BALEAP research and publication sub-committee.
 
I served as associate editor for the Journal of English for Academic Purposes and am now a member of the editorial board. I have reviewed for numerous journals such as Applied Linguistics, Journal of Second Language Writing, and English for Specific Purposes. I have been an invited scholar at Chalmers University in Gothenburg and will shortly visit Marsaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic.
 
In addition to teaching and research, I am editor of the Sheffield Institute of Education blog and deputy director of the White Rose Doctoral Partnership (Education, Childhood and Youth pathway).

Teaching

Department of Education, Childhood and Inclusion

College of Social Sciences and Arts

Education, TESOL

MA Education
MA TESOL
Doctorate in Education

MA Education: Research Project
MA TESOL: Analysing Language; English for Specific Purposes
EdD: Developing the Literature Review; Data Analysis, Interpretation and Presentation

Research

I am currently involved with in following projects:
Multi-genre pedagogy (in collaboration with Professor Raffaella Negretti and Christine Feak)
Academic writing and disciplinary grading criteria (in collaboration with Dr Helen Donaghue)

Publications

Journal articles

McGrath, L., Donaghue, H., & Negretti, R. (2023). Embedding students’ academic writing development in early-career disciplinary lecturers’ practice. Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 17 (1). https://journal.aall.org.au/index.php/jall/article/view/939

McGrath, L., Donaghue, H., & Negretti, R. (2023). Embedding students’ academic writing development in early-career disciplinary lecturers’ practice. Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 17 (1). https://journal.aall.org.au/index.php/jall/article/view/939

McGrath, L., & Negretti, R. (2023). Innovation in L2 Writing Task Design: Introduction to the Special Issue. Journal of Second Language Writing, 62. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2023.101073

Negretti, R., & McGrath, L. (2022). Setting the stage(s) for English for Research and Publication Purposes: authors, audiences, and learning the craft. Iberica, 43, 7-26. http://doi.org/10.17398/2340-2784.43.13.7

Samatar, A., Madriaga, M., & McGrath, L. (2021). No love found: how female students of colour negotiate and repurpose university spaces. British Journal of Sociology of Education. http://doi.org/10.1080/01425692.2021.1914548

Mezek, S., McGrath, L., Negretti, R., & Berggren, J. (2021). Scaffolding L2 Academic Reading and Self-Regulation Through Task and Feedback. TESOL Quarterly. http://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.3018

Negretti, R., & McGrath, L. (2020). English for Specific Playfulness? How doctoral students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics manipulate genre. English for Specific Purposes, 60, 26-39. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2020.04.004

Kaufhold, K., & McGrath, L. (2019). Revisiting the role of 'discipline' in writing for publication in two social sciences. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 40. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2019.06.006

McGrath, L., Negretti, R., & Nicholls, K. (2019). Hidden expectations: Scaffolding subject specialists' genre knowledge of the assignments they set. Higher Education. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-019-00373-9

Negretti, R., & McGrath, L. (2018). Scaffolding genre knowledge and metacognition: Insights from an L2 doctoral research writing course. Journal of Second Language Writing, 40, 12-31. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2017.12.002

McGrath, L., & Kaufhold, K. (2016). English for Specific Purposes and Academic Literacies: Eclecticism in academic writing pedagogy. Teaching in Higher Education, 21 (8), 933-947. http://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2016.1198762

McGrath, L., Berggren, J., & Mežek, Š. (2016). Reading EAP: Investigating high proficiency L2 university students’ strategy use through reading blogs. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 22, 152-164. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2016.03.003

McGrath, L. (2016). Open-access writing: An investigation into the online drafting and revision of a research article in pure mathematics. English for Specific Purposes, 43, 25-36. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2016.02.003

McGrath, L. (2016). Self-mentions in anthropology and history research articles: Variation between and within disciplines. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 21, 86-98. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2015.11.004

McGrath, L. (2015). Dissertation: Writing for publication in four disciplines: Insights into text and context. Fachsprache: International Journal of Specialized Communication, 3-4, 223-227. http://www.fachsprache.net/Issues/current_issue

Kuteeva, M., & McGrath, L. (2015). The theoretical research article as a reflection of disciplinary practices: The case of pure mathematics. Applied Linguistics, 36 (2), 215-235. http://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amt042

McGrath, L. (2014). Parallel language use in academic and outreach publication: A case study of policy and practice. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 13, 5-16. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2013.10.008

Kuteeva, M., & McGrath, L. (2014). Taming Tyrannosaurus rex: English use in the research and publication practices of humanities scholars in Sweden. Multilingua, 33 (3-4). http://doi.org/10.1515/multi-2014-0017

McGrath, L., & Kuteeva, M. (2012). Stance and engagement in pure mathematics research articles: Linking discourse features to disciplinary practices. English for Specific Purposes, 31 (3), 161-173. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2011.11.002

Theses / Dissertations

Phuong, N.T.D. (2024). Investigating Vietnamese Students' English Language Anxiety: An Online TBLT Course. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Mcgrath, L., Donaghue, H., & Reidy, L. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00658

Fleming, K. (2021). Exploring inclusive partnerships: parents, co-production, and the SEND code of practice (2015). (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Mcgrath, L. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00419

Internet Publications

McGrath, L. (2024). Blank pages. https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/sioe/2024/11/14/blank-pages/

Mcgrath, L., Negretti, R., & Feak, C. (2024). Sharing the knowledge: training doctoral students to write beyond academia. https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/sioe/2024/06/03/sharing-the-knowledge-training-doctoral-students-to-write-beyond-academia/

Presentations

Mežek, Š., McGrath, L., Negretti, R., & Berggren, J. (2022). Scaffolding L2 Academic Reading and Self-Regulation Through Task and Feedback. http://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.3018

Kuteeva, M., & McGrath, L. (2020). Taming Tyrannosaurus Rex: English use in the research and publication practices of humanities scholars in Sweden.

McGrath, L., Berggren, J., & Mezek, S. (2020). Insights into L2 students’ approach to academic reading in an introductory EAP course. Presented at: ASLA Symposium, Södertörn Högskola, Sweden

McGrath, L. (2020). Revisiting discipline in writing for publication in the social sciences. Presented at: AESLA Conference, University of Cadiz, Spain

McGrath, L. (2020). Hidden expectations: scaffolding subject specialists’ genre knowledge of the assignments they set.

McGrath, L., Muir, T., Negretti, R., & Solli, K. (2019). Crossing contexts: doctoral students' writing within and across public sector, industrial and academic institutions. Presented at: Professional, academic and work-based literacies symposium: Work, life, study: literacies in and out of institutions, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK

McGrath, L. (2019). Genre, academic literacies and metacognition: Theoretical "wanders" and their implementation in EAP pedagogy. Presented at: International Conference of English for Specific Purposes, University of Crete, Greece

Negretti, R., & McGrath, L. (2019). English for Specific Playfulness? How doctoral students find fun in the development of genre knowledge, authorial voice, and genre innovation. Presented at: EATAW Conference, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden

McGrath, L., & Negretti, R. (2019). Scaffolding L2 academic reading and self-regulation through task and feedback. Presented at: BALEAP Conference, University of Leeds, UK

McGrath, L., & Negretti, R. (2018). Hidden expectations: Scaffolding subject lecturers' genre knowledge of the assignments they set. Presented at: NFEAP Conference, Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway

McGrath, L., & Negretti, R. (2018). Hidden expectations: Scaffolding subject lecturers' genre knowledge of the assignments they set. Presented at: The Future of Genres, Oslo Metropolitan University

Kaufhold, K., & McGrath, L. (2018). Revisiting discipline in writing for publication in the social sciences. Presented at: Department of English Higher Seminar, Stockholm University, Sweden

Negretti, R., & McGrath, L. (2018). Transfer of genre knowledge? On metacognitive scaffolds in the writing for research doctoral class. Presented at: AESLA Conference, University of Cadiz, Spain

McGrath, L. (2017). An ESP genre perspective on teaching writing for publication. Presented at: Department of Higher Education Seminar, University of Surrey, Uk

Negretti, R., & McGrath, L. (2017). From genre knowledge to genre performance: Metacognitive scaffolds in the L2 writing for research classroom. Presented at: EATAW Conference, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

McGrath, L. (2016). Writing for publication in pure mathematics: Insights into text and context. Presented at: Higher Seminar, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

Negretti, R., & McGrath, L. (2016). Visualizations of genre as a pedagogical tool in the ‘writing for research’ classroom. Presented at: NFEAP Conference, Norway

McGrath, L., Berggren, J., & Mezek, S. (2015). Reading for an English academic writing course: What novice students do. Presented at: EATAW Conference, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia

McGrath, L. (2014). Open access writing: An investigation into the co-authorship of a research article. Presented at: Symposium on Languages for Specific Purposes, Stockholm University, Sweden

Other publications

McGrath, L. (2023). Writing the doctorate. Sheffield Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University: https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/sioe/2023/11/01/writing-the-doctorate/

McGrath, L., & Samatar, A. (2019). Turning the tide of BAME experiences: A call for waves not ripples. https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/sioe/2019/11/05/turning-the-tide-of-bame-experiences-a-call-for-waves-not-ripples/?doing_wp_cron=1576694424.1837360858917236328125

McGrath, L., & Nicholls, K. (2017). Of writing, wardrobes and windows. Sheffield Institute of Education: https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/sioe/2017/06/15/of-writing-wardrobes-and-windows/?doing_wp_cron=1555361045.3380069732666015625000

McGrath, L., & Taylor, L. (2016). A world of EAP. ESP Today: https://www.esptodayjournal.org/pdf/current_issue/3.6.2016/BOOK-REVIEW-LYNDON-TAYLOR-and-LISA-MCGRATH.pdf

Other activities

Editorial board member of the Journal of English for Academic Purposes
BALEAP research and publication sub-committee member
Deputy Director White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (Education, Childhood and Youth pathway)

Postgraduate supervision

I supervise PhD and EdD students researching various topics in Education in the SIoE. I also co-supervise a student with the Chalmers University in Gothenburg.
 
My current students are:
Kat Maciag (English for Academic Purposes)
Steph Hannam Swain (Disability Studies)
Syra Shakir (BAME belonging)
Amira Samatar (BAME)
Phuong Nguyen (TESOL)
Maria Cervin-Ellqvist (Doctoral communication)
 

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