Otto Kruse is a retired professor of writing research and applied linguistics at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Winterthur, Switzerland. His research focuses on academic writing, higher education pedagogy, and the development of university students’ writing and thinking skills. Kruse has made significant contributions to understanding how students develop such skills in academic settings and what factors influence their writing performance. His work is characterised by an interdisciplinary approach, integrating insights from linguistics, education and psychology. Kruse received his doctorate in psychology from the Technical University of Berlin. His early research focused on the linguistic and cognitive processes involved in writing. Over time, his interests broadened to include higher education pedagogy, particularly how writing is taught and learned in university settings. He has led several international writing projects exploring the differences and similarities of European writing cultures. Kruse’s work has been instrumental in the development of writing programmes and interventions aimed at improving the writing skills of university students. His current research focuses on the digitalisation of writing and the changes in writing and thinking brought about by artificial intelligence. In addition to his research, Kruse has been actively involved in various academic and professional organisations. He has served on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals and has been involved in numerous international collaborations and projects. Kruse continues to influence the field through his research, publications and participation in academic and professional organisations.
Selected Publications:
Kruse, O. (2006). The Origins of Writing in the Disciplines: Traditions of Seminar Writing and the Humboldtian Ideal of the Research University. Written Communication, 23(3), 331-351. https://doi.org/10.1177/0741088306289259 Kruse, O. (2013). Perspectives on academic writing in European higher education: Genres, practices and competences. REDU: Revista de Docencia Universitaria, 11(1), 37. Kruse, O., & Rapp, C. (2019). Seamless writing: How the digitisation of writing transforms thinking, communication, and student learning. In C.-K. Looi, L.-H. Wong, C. Glahn, & S. Cai (Eds.), Seamless learning: Perspectives, challenges and opportunities (pp. 191–208). Springer. Kruse, O., & Rapp, C. (2023). What writers do with language: Inscription and formulation as core elements of the science of writing. In P. M. Rogers, D. Russell, P. Carlino, & J. M. Marine (Eds.), Writing as a human activity: Implications and applications of the work of Charles Bazerman (pp. 366–392). The WAC Clearinghouse / University Press of Colorado. Kruse, O., Rapp, C., Anson, C. M., Benetos, K., Cotos, E., Devitt, A., & Shibani, A. (2023). Digital writing technologies in higher education: theory, research, and practice. Springer Nature. Kruse, O. (2024). Kritisches Denken und Argumentieren, 2nd Edition [Critical thinking and argumentation]. UVK München.
