CAWriter: A CSCW/CSCL Tool to Support Research Students’ Academic Writing

Within the larger framework of a research project aiming to develop CSCW/CSCL tools, to scaffold a cognitive apprenticeship model as applied to doctoral education, academic writing has been identified as a key process to be supported. By following a participatory design approach, and by building upon previous writing tools, a prototype is being developed to assist Computer Science research students in the academic writing process. Key features of the tool are that it supports non-linear document creation and multiple representations of notes and document content. Initial feedback from use of the tool and planned future work to integrate collaboration to support cognitive apprenticeship are reported.