**4. Research results**

As data were analysed and then classified as categories, two themes emerged as findings to this inquiry. With regard to academic writing retreat as a trajectory towards academic language enhancement, it was divulged as a major finding that when postgraduate students embark on writing retreat as academic events, there is (i) increased throughput publication rate. It also emerged as the second finding that attending academic writing retreats have been proven to have a track record of (ii) re-imagined scholarly attitudes.

#### **4.1 Increased throughput publication rate**

On engagements in relation to benefits brought about by academic writing retreat attendance,

Participant A debated:

*In my previous studies while enrolled for my undergraduate studies, I nearly dropped out as the mini-research project was a real hell to undertake. I would lock myself in a room trying to figure out what is expected of me as comments from my supervisor made me feel like an utter fool.*

This debate is harmonised by Participant D who shared own experiences:

*As I arrived at the venue od day one where the writing retreat was to be conducted, I was so nervous with the fear of the unknown. I anticipated this event to be like postgraduate presentations which normally make me to panic. Little did I know that we have been summoned to such an eye-opening event! It was the first event of its kind to be attended by our group. We were overwhelmed yet so privileged to have obtained a feel of other supervisors, with workshops in-between.*

Concurrently, Participant B acknowledged:

*After day one of the academic writing retreat, I wanted no supervise to delay me by conducting workshops! I just wanted to focus on and on at writing my dissertation. To my surprise, I felt like doomed to learn how imperative and essential was each presentation! When a workshop on research writing logistics was shared, I felt like starting all over again as the work I thought was legit, was full of technical errors! It was as if we would stay in that quiet space for the entire week.*

#### **4.2 Re-imagined scholarly attitudes**

As findings discovered that scholarly attitudes had begun to be re-imagined,

Participant C when interviewed in this aspect responded:

*I think that stereotype attitude towards research writing is beginning to shift away a little bit. As I collaborate with other students researching on a similar field of my study,*  *I no longer feel that sense of isolation. The atmosphere in the writing retreat made me to recognise that the journey is not solely between myself and my supervisor, but among a group of scholars with similar and differing academic fields.*

Participant A is of the same opinion by declaring:

*At times I really could not understand why my supervisor would require me to effect corrections repeatedly. After attending that academic writing retreat, it then dawned to me why paraphrasing is so necessary. I now no longer copy and paste someone else' text as is. I have since began to paraphrase whatever text I come across with. This practice has helped me a lot to improve in academic writing and my language has improved so immensely. Funny though, it is only at this stage that I realise why most learners obtain less marks in activities where expected to summarise given texts. Most normally shorten the given text instead of using own words to compile own story! Specifically, I then began to applaud my supervisor, because as a language specialist, reluctancy to paraphrase normally worried her, but not anymore!*

### **5. Discussion**

In consideration of the finding on increased throughput publication rate, findings of this inquiry revealed prospects of improvement in graduate attributes [17]. This was eminent as the department with enrolled postgraduate students graduated a double digit, this being the first accomplishment of its kind ever since students got enrolled for this programme. The glaring and wonderful experience of the outcomes of the academic writing retreat is that the greatest percentage of the postgraduate students who attended the event were able to work out their projects into finality. Postgraduate students had now developed a zeal towards this academic practice which had been previously regarded as tormenting and strenuous. Students were reported to have started to display some sense of ownership to an extent they would require consistent contact without even securing appointments with their supervisors [36]. This cluster of students was seen time and again collaborating and engaging as a group in a quiet space. This really displayed dedication and prioritisation of their Honours' and Masters' projects. Little have supervisors known that in the very specific year, a miracle was bound to happen! The department offering these postgraduate programmes made a huge mark by escalated number of graduands particularly for that academic year. This has served as a wake-up call for the enrolled first-year students in the programme. They would be heard commenting: How we wish such events could be organised at least thrice yearly. Indeed such propositions are correct with an objective to drain off pipe-line students who normally stay stagnant in the system due to experiencing challenges to write-up their research projects into completion.

It also emerged from gathered data that as scholarly attitudes had begun to be re-imagined, there were reported improvements in postgraduate students' academic writing pedagogies, with enhanced academic language. For novices in the field of research, to engage in the context of writing they are not familiar with has proved to be a real challenge and frustration [37]. As postgraduate students are faced with a huge task to produce dissertations, academic writing retreats have been discovered to assist a lot as change agents in scholarly attitudes. The level of academic writing coupled with enhanced language was discovered to have improved after postgraduate students were taken away to a 3-day event: academic writing retreat

*Perspective Chapter: Writing Retreat – A Trajectory towards Academic Language Enhancement DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109683*

[38]. Postgraduate students relayed that their supervisors commented on improved academic language when comparing submissions done after attending the workshops infused within writing retreat sessions. These students echoed out loud that they no longer felt in isolation as was the case before. They now freely practiced the strategy to consult whosoever supervisor not limited to the one allocated to. Further than that, collaborating and engaging with other students from the same field of study had proved to distress, thereby driving away that feeling of isolation. Students also reported that their scope on enhanced academic language seems to improve as they fully embark on paraphrasing whatever text they come across, thereby infusing own thoughts for the voice of the researcher to be heard.
