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Figure 5.4 The Discourse Map for an Academic Essay 
 
ODUCTION 
ke a scene more vivid or to bring a character to life. 
ademic purposes 
me learners will eventually have to use English as the medium through which they receive their advanced 
ucation. Some will also need to use English in their professional careers. The type of discourse which they 
st learn to handle differs in significant ways from narrative and expressive literature. Moreover, th
writing also differs from the usual way of reading 
says, reports, reviews, and the like) will follow these same patterns. Therefore, mu
cussion about common features of academic prose is just as relevant to the teaching 
d
skills as it is to the teaching of reading. In fact, you will find that many of the textbooks for high intermediate 
and advanced learners of English are intended to teach both reading and writing. 
The most common pattern for organizing an academic essay is shown in Figure 5.4, which may be referred 
o as the "discourse map." You will note, first of all, that the map 
t
in oduction, body, and conc
pter of a textbook, or a research paper), the body of the essay is greatly expanded, and even the 
oduction and conclusion may increase in length. 
the teaching of reading and writing, this statement of focus is variously referred to as the purpose, 
trolling idea, thesis, thesis statement, and still other terms.) In one or two sentences the author tells the 
precisely what the topic of the essay is, as well as the point of view from which the topic will be 
ated. For example, in an essay on the causes of the American Civil War (18611865) the author might 
te the focus in the following way: 
n the sections which follow we will examine the causes of the conflict in terms of the political an
I
economic differences between the North and the South. 
rnatively, the author may wish to argue that the causes
e
statement of focus would probably incorporate a thesis that the author will defend
. 
tems: one industrial, the other agricultura
INTR
Openi
s interest
ng statements:
Capture the reader'
Orient the reader to the topic of the essay 

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Fo
ssay:
cus statement for the Identifies the topic of the essay
e
Indicates how the topic will be treated