1Writing in higher education provides a wide research field, an interest which is reflected, for instance, in the increasing number of Brazilian and international journals entirely devoted to this topic (in this respect, among others, we point out Linguagem em (Dis) curso, 6, 2006; Lidil, 41, 2010; Pratiques, 153-154, 2012; Scripta, 24, 2009, and 30, 2012; Mélanges Crapel, 37/1, 2016; Trama, 28, 2017; Revista do Gel, 14, 2017). This scenario is also reinforced by the significant amount of books, dissertations and theses addressing issues related to writing practices in the context of higher education institutions in Brazil and abroad.These publications (meaning not only those mentioned) evidently are based on theoretical principles and even work agendas which do not necessarily match.As such, diverse approaches or perspectives come into play -socio-rhetorical, discursive, socio-anthropological, ethnographic, among others, guided by didactic concerns or not -when studying issues related to academic writing.Even though the diversity of the theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches in these pieces of research work is clear, it should be noted that they share the understanding that writing is still the main form of record in our culture (CORRÊA, 2004), despite being increasingly blended with various other forms of record due to the possibilities opened by digital technologies. These forms include static images, moving images and sounds, as we can experience it daily in our contact with diverse texts on the web.1 In this text, we aim to address topics related to the project sponsored by Capes-Cofecub called "Discurso acadêmico na pesquisa e no ensino: questões em torno da apropriação da palavra de outrem" (Academic discourse in research and teaching: about appropriating other's words) (N. 834/15), which is also featured in the organization of this edition of the journal Scripta.