Essays are a major form of assessment in higher education today and this is a fact that causes some writers a great deal of anxiety. Fortunately, essay writing is a skill that can be learned, like any other. Through precise explanations, this fully updated edition of Writing Essays gives you the confidence to express yourself coherently and effectively. It demystifies the entire process of essay writing, helping you to become proficient and confident in every aspect. Writing Essays reveals the tricks of the trade, making your student life easier. You'll learn how to impress tutors by discovering exactly what markers look for when they read your work. Using practical examples selected from real student assignments and tutor feedback, this book covers every aspect of composition, from introductions and conclusions, down to presentation and submission. It also advises you on stress-free methods of revision, helps with exam essays, explains the principles of effective secondary source management, and shows you how to engage meaningfully with other critics' views. A new chapter will also guide you through the intricacies of the undergraduate dissertation. As a full-time university professor, Richard Marggraf Turley counsels students and assesses their work every day, helping him to recognise the challenges that they face. Accessible, concise and full of practical examples, Writing Essays is a response to these challenges and will be an invaluable companion for Humanities students who wish to improve their grades and become confident in the art of essay writing.

The Natural Speaker is a friendly step-by-step guide to public speaking that explores the fundamental skills necessary to present a natural and rewarding speech to any audience. By providing an overview of speech construction, practice, and delivery, this book is designed to enhance and improve upon students' natural strengths. Featuring a warm and humorous writing style, The Natural Speaker illustrates the concepts and skills required for enjoyable public speaking, and Randy Fujishin invites readers to view speaking as a life-long journey. This tenth edition features a new chapter on speaking in online contexts, including leading or participating in online meetings, using digital presentation tools, and guidelines for effective online PowerPoint presentations, as well as additional focus on intercultural considerations and new Internet student activities at the end of each chapter. This book serves as an accessible core textbook for Public Speaking and Introduction to Communication courses and also provides guidance for individual readers and public speaking workshops. Online resources include an instructor's manual with sample test questions and exercises.

The Natural Speaker is a friendly step-by-step guide to public speaking that explores the fundamental skills necessary to present a natural and rewarding speech to any audience. By providing an overview of speech construction, practice, and delivery, this book is designed to enhance and improve upon students' natural strengths. Featuring a warm and humorous writing style, The Natural Speaker illustrates the concepts and skills required for enjoyable public speaking, and Randy Fujishin invites readers to view speaking as a life-long journey. This tenth edition features a new chapter on speaking in online contexts, including leading or participating in online meetings, using digital presentation tools, and guidelines for effective online PowerPoint presentations, as well as additional focus on intercultural considerations and new Internet student activities at the end of each chapter. This book serves as an accessible core textbook for Public Speaking and Introduction to Communication courses and also provides guidance for individual readers and public speaking workshops. Online resources include an instructor's manual with sample test questions and exercises.

This book unites a range of emerging topics in the burgeoning transdisciplinary fields of second language acquisition and interculturality in a study abroad context. It explores key issues, trends and approaches within each strand and how the strands relate to one another, painting a big picture of the diversity and complexity underpinning second language acquisition in a study abroad context. The chapters highlight themes such as social networks, input and interaction issues, learner identities and study abroad in lingua franca contexts, while also presenting other themes spanning the breadth of second language acquisition and interculturality research, such as individual differences and linguistic development. This comprehensive and cohesive volume showcases the latest innovative research using quantitative, qualitative and mixed method approaches across a range of source and target language learner cohorts, and highlights emerging themes and directions for future research.

By focusing on a wide range of reading and study skills required in the academic world, Reading and Study Skills gives instructors the flexibility to address student needs that might otherwise require several texts. The highly versatile organization divides topics into focused, self-contained modules that can be covered in any order resulting in a text that can be adapted to fit any teaching or learning situation. From its step-by-step, comprehensive coverage of the essential reading and study skills, to its practical, sensible style and tone, this text encourages and motivates students to get the most out of their reading and shows them how to master key study skills in order to have rewarding college experiences.

Using second language (L2) socialization theory as a theoretical framework, this book investigates the ways in which four advanced learners of Japanese on an immersion program in the USA exercise their agency to pursue their language learning goals. The work presents their learner portraits and documents the different ways in which the four learners negotiate the meaning of their participations in the new community of practice, navigate and shape the trajectories of their learning and eventually achieve their goals of learning from their emic perspectives. The book re-examines Norton's (2000) constructs of investment, investigates its applicability and argues that L2 learners' desires and drives for learning an L2 are more diverse, unique and contextually situated than Norton's notion of investment alone can explain. The research will be of interest to researchers and students in the fields of applied linguistics, second language acquisition, foreign language education and language and literacy education.

This anthology focuses on the writing process itself and on fundamentals of compositional theory. Essays explore the psychology of composition, research on writing anxiety, the relationship of literary theory to composition, and reading theory as it relates to the composing process. The historical development of research methodologies in the field is examined, with particular emphasis on evaluation methods and construction of effective writing sequences and assignments. With recent educational trends toward basic writing, even teachers of the most advanced composition classes will welcome the contributions on sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, paragraphs, and volcabulary development. The essays that place composition within larger intellectual traditions will be particularly valuable to scholars currently extending their research into other disciplines. Two appendixes on text books and evaluation are designed to help composition educators and scholars select useful, innovative texts and handbooks.

The comprehension, retention and production of idiomatic expressions is one of the most difficult areas of the lexicon for second language (L2) learners, even very advanced students, to master. This book investigates this under-researched and interesting aspect of language acquisition, shedding light on both conventional uses of idiomatic expressions as well as creative variant forms. The chapters in the book delve into different aspects of idiomatic mastery: students' comprehension of canonically used idioms in both their first and second language; the effects of multimedia and visualization techniques on learners' comprehension and retention of L2 idioms; students' misinterpretations of L2 idioms; L2 learners' comprehension of creative idiom variants and their use of idioms in free composition writing.

This book offers new insights into the language gains of adult learners enrolled in an English-medium instruction (EMI) degree programme. It provides longitudinal empirical evidence of the phonological gains of the learners; discusses which individual factors contribute to the changes in the learners' pronunciation and investigates whether and to what extent increased exposure to the target language in EMI classrooms leads to incidental learning of second language pronunciation. Furthermore, it expands on the discussions surrounding the Critical Period Hypothesis, the native-speaker norm, foreign language accent and the role of English as a Lingua Franca. The comparative and longitudinal design of the research study fills a significant gap in the literature and the book offers considerable original and important research-informed insights into the fields of EMI, bilingual education and second language acquisition. As such, it is a valuable resource and must-read book for researchers, practitioners and policymakers in these areas.

Study abroad is now both an international industry and an experience that can have a deep impact on students' linguistic, cultural and personal development. This book explores 'the social turn' in the fields of study abroad and language learning strategies. The longitudinal qualitative study reported in this volume investigates the international educational experiences of Arab university students from diverse countries (Iraq, Libya, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the United Arab Emirates) and represents one of the few empirical studies to capture an in-depth understanding of the study abroad experiences of newly-arrived international students in higher education. Particular attention is paid to their changing learning goals, underlying motivations and strategy uses during their attendance on both short and long academic programmes in a study abroad context. It also examines their past language learning experiences in their homelands retrospectively. Readers will gain a better understanding of international students' study abroad experiences in terms of their expectations, aspirations, diverse difficulties and the strategies they deploy to deal with these difficulties.

This book studies the art of public speaking as oration instead of just ornamentation. It repositions public speaking as a fundamental business leadership act and a solution-enabling and problem-solving communication approach. Drawing on in-depth case studies, it considers various situations that a managerial leader encounters and delivers speech solutions as strategic manoeuvres for attaining desired targets. The volume: Deals with public speaking exclusively from a business perspective; Produces a workable manual of managerial public speaking that introduces the concept of oration as Or-Action (oratory that leads to desired action); Presents a variegated analysis of speech texts from history, politics, fiction, social media, film industry, platform content, and business-product presentations; Customises speeches into unique speech clusters where readers can readily find the type of speech texts they require for their own specific content development. The first of its kind, this book will be a key text for entrepreneurs, corporate managers, academic practitioners, and executives. It will also be of interest to students and researchers of behavioural economics, rhetoric, strategy, communication studies, business communication, fiction theory, generation studies, and virtual reality studies.

This book studies the art of public speaking as oration instead of just ornamentation. It repositions public speaking as a fundamental business leadership act and a solution-enabling and problem-solving communication approach. Drawing on in-depth case studies, it considers various situations that a managerial leader encounters and delivers speech solutions as strategic manoeuvres for attaining desired targets. The volume: Deals with public speaking exclusively from a business perspective; Produces a workable manual of managerial public speaking that introduces the concept of oration as Or-Action (oratory that leads to desired action); Presents a variegated analysis of speech texts from history, politics, fiction, social media, film industry, platform content, and business-product presentations; Customises speeches into unique speech clusters where readers can readily find the type of speech texts they require for their own specific content development. The first of its kind, this book will be a key text for entrepreneurs, corporate managers, academic practitioners, and executives. It will also be of interest to students and researchers of behavioural economics, rhetoric, strategy, communication studies, business communication, fiction theory, generation studies, and virtual reality studies.

This book cover the history of journalism as an institutionalized form of discourse from the acta diurna in ancient Rome to the news aggregators of the 21st century. It traces how journalism gradually distinguished itself from chronicles, history, and the novel in conjunction with the evolution of news media from news pamphlets, newsletters, and newspapers through radio, film, and television to multimedia digital news platforms like Google News. Historical Dictionary of Journalism, Second Edition covers 46 countries, it contains a chronology, an introduction, an extensive bibliography, the dictionary section has more than 300 cross-referenced entries on a wide array of topics such as African-American journalism, the historiography of the field, the New Journalism, and women in journalism. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about journalism.

The emergence of what are called `new media' and `social media' is one of the most discussed topics in contemporary societies. Because media and public communication are mostly analyzed within particular theoretical frameworks and within specific disciplinary fields, polarized views have been created with cyberoptimists and celebrants on one side and cyberpessimists and skeptics on the other. Thus we lack an understanding of the interdependencies and convergence between disciplines and practices. The second edition of this book expertly synthesizes competing theories and disciplinary viewpoints and examines the latest data, including international research from fast-growing markets such as China, to provide a comprehensive, holistic view of the twenty-first century media (r)evolution. Dr. Macnamara argues that the key changes are located in practices rather than technologies and that public communication practices are emergent in highly significant ways. Engaging and accessible, this book is essential reading for scholars and professionals in media and communication and an invaluable text for courses in media studies, journalism, advertising, public relations and organisational and political communication.

This book examines key issues in theories of what language is and what happens in the mind during second language acquisition (SLA), inspiring readers to think in new and exciting ways about language learning and teaching. Chapters, written by both established and rising star scholars, provide cutting-edge insights and new empirical findings on major topics of formal and cognitive linguistics, psycholinguistics and second language development, and offer a coherent, wide-ranging, reader-friendly examination of learner-internal factors in SLA. The first section of the book focuses on issues that are pertinent to our understanding of language acquisition, particularly in relation to syntax. The second section comprises empirical chapters on syntax, the lexicon, phonetics/phonology and language production in English and other languages. These chapters refer to theories and frameworks from within SLA to enable the reader to grasp the key questions and issues that are currently relevant. The final section focuses on research relating to how second language (L2) learners make transitions from one stage of development to the next; it covers state-of-the-art psycholinguistic research concerning how L2 acquisition occurs in real time, and includes discussion of models of L2 development both in and out of the classroom.

This book examines key issues in theories of what language is and what happens in the mind during second language acquisition (SLA), inspiring readers to think in new and exciting ways about language learning and teaching. Chapters, written by both established and rising star scholars, provide cutting-edge insights and new empirical findings on major topics of formal and cognitive linguistics, psycholinguistics and second language development, and offer a coherent, wide-ranging, reader-friendly examination of learner-internal factors in SLA. The first section of the book focuses on issues that are pertinent to our understanding of language acquisition, particularly in relation to syntax. The second section comprises empirical chapters on syntax, the lexicon, phonetics/phonology and language production in English and other languages. These chapters refer to theories and frameworks from within SLA to enable the reader to grasp the key questions and issues that are currently relevant. The final section focuses on research relating to how second language (L2) learners make transitions from one stage of development to the next; it covers state-of-the-art psycholinguistic research concerning how L2 acquisition occurs in real time, and includes discussion of models of L2 development both in and out of the classroom.

Recent developments in education, such as the increasing linguistic diversity in school populations and the digital revolution which has led to new ways of being, learning and socialising, have brought about fresh challenges and opportunities. In response, this book shows how technology enriches multilingual language learning, as well as how multilingual practices enrich computer assisted language learning (CALL) by bringing together two, thus far distinct, fields of research: CALL and multilingual approaches to language learning. The collection includes contributions from researchers and practitioners from three continents to illustrate how native languages, previously studied languages, heritage languages or dialects are activated through technology in formal and informal learning situations. The studies in this book showcase multilingual language use in chat rooms, computer games, digital stories, ebook apps, online texts and telecollaboration/virtual exchange via interactive whiteboards. This volume will be of interest to researchers interested in language learning and teaching and to practitioners looking for support in seizing the opportunities presented by the multilingual, digital classroom.

Recent developments in education, such as the increasing linguistic diversity in school populations and the digital revolution which has led to new ways of being, learning and socialising, have brought about fresh challenges and opportunities. In response, this book shows how technology enriches multilingual language learning, as well as how multilingual practices enrich computer assisted language learning (CALL) by bringing together two, thus far distinct, fields of research: CALL and multilingual approaches to language learning. The collection includes contributions from researchers and practitioners from three continents to illustrate how native languages, previously studied languages, heritage languages or dialects are activated through technology in formal and informal learning situations. The studies in this book showcase multilingual language use in chat rooms, computer games, digital stories, ebook apps, online texts and telecollaboration/virtual exchange via interactive whiteboards. This volume will be of interest to researchers interested in language learning and teaching and to practitioners looking for support in seizing the opportunities presented by the multilingual, digital classroom.

Idiomatic expressions are the 'salt and pepper' of any language. They give Spanish its colour and imagery, its richness and variety. From set phrases and idioms to metaphorical expressions and proverbs, these essential components allow users to add humour and spice to their language, vividly embodying Hispanic culture while naturalizing their communication style to more closely resemble that of native speakers. Key features: Includes a selection of the most widely used idioms from Spain and Latin America; Idioms are classified into specific and easy-to-reference categories; Creative activities, exercises, mnemonic devices and learning strategies facilitate the acquisition and mastery of idiomatic language; Connections between the Spanish language and Hispanic culture are explained and illustrated; Reference tables at the end of each section highlight similarities between English and Spanish usage of idiomatic language; Original samples, as well as fragments from various Spanish-speaking countries and well-known literary works, are included to help expose students to the use of idioms in journalistic and literary writing. Practical, informative and highly entertaining, this is the ideal text for all intermediate and advanced learners of Spanish.

Old New Media examines how the introduction of a new medium threatens those accustomed to the old media environment. Taking a media ecology perspective to examine the historical transitions from oral to literate, print, electronic and virtual media environments, the book includes theoretical chapters and case studies in five areas: media ecology; critical media theory; freedom of expression; Eastern thought; and the body and the media environment. The book argues against the "newness" of each new medium, which is often associated with unprecedented technological change, stating that the patterns of change identified with the most recent smartphone or computer are related to the patterns of change in human perception and social affairs that accompany the electronic media environment. It cautions against condemning the new medium with technological horror as the cause of all of our problems or celebrating it as the technological sublime that will cure all our social ills. If we are aware that media are extensions of the human, we can overcome the alienation and shock they cause, and be sensitive to the fluid boundaries between the human and the technological. The book ends by discussing how new media environments disrupt the balance in our lives and suggests strategies to help restore that balance.