This book is a study of techniques used to introduce, continue and change the discourse topic in expository writing. Discourse topic is examined by focusing on the sequential techniques and strategies in a step-by-step process. To describe the process a model of sequentiality is proposed. The aims of the book are to advance current thinking in discourse analysis and to provide a practical exemplar of expository discourse.

...a scholarly and ambitious work, which attempts to integrate insights from many theoretical positions on discourse-all the gurus are there...The reader activities should be of considerable interest to all teachers and students in the field of discourse studies. The texts are immensely diverse, ranging from plot summaries to "NYPD Blue," to excerpts from books by Stephen Hawking and Peter Hoeg, to comments by Sviatoslav Richter -Jenny Miller (University of Queensland), "Discourse and Society"

.,."characterised by in-depth discussions of theoretical issues, accompanied by profound practical analyses of authentic data... a guide to the analysis of narrative and non-narrative authentic texts that combines a structure-oriented and a function-oriented viewpoint." Wolfram Bublitz (University of Augsburg), Zeitschrift fA1/4r Anglistik und Amerikanistik

A clear and lively introduction to the current trends in theory, method and tools of discourse studies.This book is a valuable guide for students and teachers of linguistics as well as those with an interest in the linguistic methods of analysing discourse (media, rhetoric and stylistics, pragmatics, communication studies, etc).

* Comprehensive, accessible, state-of-the-art textbook

* Close analyses of a wide range of narrative and non-narrative texts, both spoken and written

* Emphasis on practical text analysis: includes guided activities for self-study or use in a classroom

* Suggestions for further reading in each chapter.

This revised second edition registers key changes in a rapidly expanding area and thoroughly updates suggestions for further reading and the bibliography.