Whose job is it? Exploring subject tutor roles in addressing students' academic writing via essay feedback

Strong arguments have been forwarded for embedding academic writing development into the UK higher education curriculum and for subject tutors to facilitate this development (Hyland, 2000; Lea & Street, 2006; Monroe, 2003; Wingate, 2006). This small-scale case study explores subject tutors' practices and beliefs with regard to the provision of feedback on aspects of student teachers' academic writing. Data are derived from a content analysis of student essays and associated tutor feedback, along with semi-structured interviews with faculty of education tutors in a new university. Findings, presented within Bourdieu's framework (cited in Shay, 2005) for understanding shared and varied practice, indicate that although there is consensus on the importance of academic literacy, variations in tutors' knowledge and positions lead to variations in practice with regard to how much feedback is given, on what, and how. Questions are raised about quality and standards and implications for best practices are discussed.