1st Edition
Academic Writing with Corpora A Resource Book for Data-Driven Learning
Academic Writing with Corpora offers a step-by-step accessible guide to using concordancers and aims to help introduce data-driven learning into the academic English classroom. Addressing the challenges faced by EAP teachers when explaining to their students how to write 'naturally', this book provides a solution to the problem by placing an emphasis on learning from expert and proficient writing. In doing so, it:
- takes a highly practical approach;
- uses Lextutor, an easy-to-use, open access concordancer, whilst introducing students to tools, such as SkELL, MICUSP and BNC-English Corpora;
- fosters autonomous learning by demonstrating how to solve everyday difficulties in word choice and grammar;
- helps teachers to use corpora in teaching proficient writing and helps students to improve their academic writing by learning from the best examples in their field;
- guides students towards better awareness of the communicative side of academic writing.
This book forms essential reading for all students on academic writing and EAP courses or who wish to improve their writing.
List of figures
List of tables
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Introduction to corpus tools
Section 1 Observing and using language patterns
Section 2 Using corpora to write for different academic purposes
Section 3 Writing research papers with corpora
Answer key
Glossary of corpus terms
Further reading for teachers
Index
Biography
Tatyana Karpenko-Seccombe is Senior Lecturer in English for Academic Purposes, University of Huddersfield, UK.
'As developer of the Lextutor set of data-driven learning resources, I am often asked if there is a manual to aid in their discovery and use. I always reply that I have barely enough time for development, and someone else will have to write the manual. And so finally someone has done this, with regard to the skill of writing, and I hope others will do it for other skills. Tatyana Karpenko-Seccombe has done a great job of putting together possibly the only complete corpus-based writing course, composing and testing each chapter with actual learners along a two year trajectory. I have seen and commented on drafts along the way, and it has all come together splendidly.'
Tom Cobb, Université du Québec à Montréal, Canada
'This book offers an easy introduction to data-driven learning, using corpus resources that are free, easily accessible, and entirely authentic. Whether learning independently or in the classroom, academic writing students will find the activities relevant, engaging, memorable – and fun!'
Hilary Nesi, Professor in English Language at Coventry University, UK
'Researchers have enthused about the potential for using corpus resources and tools in the academic writing classroom but there has been a dearth of materials that help teachers and learners to realise that potential. At last, we have a book for practitioners and learners that makes corpus-assisted "learning to write" both accessible and achievable. This book will be invaluable to all English for Academic Purposes and first language writing teachers and learners that are interested in corpus-assisted learning approaches and techniques.'
Paul Thompson, University of Birmingham, UK
