Essential Knowledge and Skills for Essay Writing: A Practical Guide for ESL and Efl Undergraduates

This book is designed for intermediate and advanced English users and offers an integrated approach to essay writing. It covers common issues, basic elements, and various writing styles, with examples and exercises. It emphasizes form-function orientation, critical thinking, and reflective practices to help students acquire essential knowledge and skills.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 338 pages
Publication date: 03 October 2023
Publisher: Equinox Publishing Ltd

This comprehensive book is meticulously crafted to cater to the needs of intermediate and advanced English users, providing an integrated approach to essay writing. Its origins trace back to extensive teaching and research experiences with university students in Thailand, ensuring a deep understanding of the challenges and nuances of written English. Beyond addressing common issues encountered by novice writers, the book delves into the fundamental elements of writing, encompassing sentences and paragraphs, while also introducing students to diverse styles of writing such as descriptive, narrative, expository, and argumentative.

To enhance the learning experience, the book's content and layout are meticulously designed with student writers in mind. Color highlighting of important text and images, the placement of key information in boxes, and the inclusion of ample exercises with answer keys all contribute to a user-friendly and engaging approach. Furthermore, a conscious effort has been made to avoid unnecessary formality and complexity, making the text accessible and relatable to a wide range of learners.

Model examples drawn from actual student essays and published texts further reinforce the book's appeal and educational value. These examples showcase the practical application of the learned concepts and provide a solid foundation for students to build upon. By adopting a form-function orientation, the book fosters students' awareness of the interconnectedness between language structures at the micro-level of words, phrases, and clauses. This awareness then extends to higher-order rhetorical goals at the macro-level of paragraphs and essays, enabling students to recognize and evaluate texts for key language features.

Through practical exercises and guided practice, students learn to assemble these elements into larger functional units, emphasizing unity, cohesion, and a clear overall purpose. Each unit concludes with thought-provoking prompts and discussion points, encouraging students to reflect on their learning and apply the acquired knowledge to their writing.

In summary, this book is a valuable resource for intermediate and advanced English users seeking to enhance their essay writing skills. Its comprehensive coverage, user-friendly design, and practical examples make it an essential tool for students embarking on their academic journey. Whether you are a novice writer looking to improve your proficiency or an experienced learner seeking to refine your craft, this book will undoubtedly assist you in achieving your writing goals.

Weight: 658g
Dimension: 234 x 155 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781800503670