English for Academic Purposes

English for Academic Purposes will address students in a lively and interactive manner to develop their academic reading and writing skills. Exercises allow plenty of opportunity for practice and self-study. The book will cover the following components:

Reading: competent reading, developing reading speed, identifying key information, mapping reading texts

Writing: writing with a purpose, the writing process, reconstructing writing

Sentence level grammar: sentence structure, ideas in sentences

Language use: contextual language use, manipulative language, persuasive language

Vocabulary development.

English for Academic Purposes enables students' access to academic discourse by scaffolding how academic literacy works. It is a foundational text which aims to bridge the gap between school and university and suitable for first-year university students from range of disciplines. Written in an accessible and interactive way, the text aims to remove barriers to learning in the higher education environment, giving students confidence to succeed in their studies.

Helen Moffett,Robert Balfour,Pinky Makoe,Jean Mitchell,Helen Moffett,Bernard Nchindila,Dianne Shober


Dianne Shober was born in a small Canadian farming community, completed her honours degree at the University of Waterloo and worked as a social worker before commencing work with an international mission's organization. Dianne completed her masters cum laude in Intercultural Studies with Biola University, Los Angeles in 2001 and began teaching in the English Department of Rhodes University in East London. Following the campus' merger with University of Fort Hare, Dianne became the Deputy Head of the English Department and graduated with her doctorate in 2009. She has published three books with Van Schaik: Communicating with a Vision, Writing English with Style, and Essential Business Communication and is presently working on a Christian novel. Climbing Higher: The Literary Life of Sindiwe Magona, published by David Philips Publishers, is Dianne's fourth work. In 2012 she received the Vice Chancellor's Excellence in Teaching award.

Introduction to English for Academic Purposes: how to use this book as a resource
Part 1: Reading and reception
1. Reading strategies
2. Comprehension and critical review
Part 2: Writing
3. The writing process
4. Positioning
5. Audience
6. Acknowledging sources
Part 3: Language
7. Sentence formation
8. Paragraph formation