Writing book reviews: Perceptions and experiences of Chinese novice scholars

Jiang, Feng (Kevin) and Hyland, Ken (2024) Writing book reviews: Perceptions and experiences of Chinese novice scholars. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 71. ISSN 1475-1585

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Abstract

Writing book reviews is often assumed to provide junior scholars with the valuable experience of critical engagement and development of academic writing skills, but it also confronts them with rhetorical and publishing challenges. Given the enduring value of the genre and its potential importance in English for Research and Publication Purposes courses, we investigate how academics who have published book reviews view their experience of this. Based on in-depth interviews with fifteen Chinese scholars of varied professional status, we find that authors encounter the genre early in their careers and appreciate the advantages of developing their academic writing skills, gaining an appreciation of reader neds, becoming familiar with publication practices, and advancing their careers. Concerns were raised, however, about the extent to which institutions value book reviews for advancement. Despite varying opinions, the respondents saw book reviews as affording them tangible gains in writing for publication and learning disciplinary norms of communication. Thus the genre merits respect from institutions and a more central place in ERPP training programmes and postgraduate writing courses.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Education and Lifelong Learning
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Language in Education
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	13 Aug 2024 17:30
Last Modified:	13 Aug 2024 17:30
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/96244
DOI:	10.1016/j.jeap.2024.101409

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