English for academic purposes

Research in the area of English for academic purposes (EAP) investigates topics such as classroom practices and assessment as they relate the teaching and learning of English for academic purposes. This may include a focus on listening, reading, writing or speaking in academic settings as well as broader issues such as what it means to be a second language student in an academic setting where English is the medium. Recent years have also seen a particular emphasis on what is called advanced academic literacies research, such as second language thesis and dissertation writing, and the multiple literacy requirements of second language students in academic settings. Another theme is identity; specifically, the study of how students both negotiate and develop their identities as they increase their participation in academic communities. Research also makes increased use of computers to carry out corpus-based studies of the use of English in academic settings.

Researchers in this area include: