Academic Writing for International Students of Business

2 Types of text

 The table below lists the most common written sources used by business students.
Work with a partner to consider their likely advantages and disadvantages.

12 Part 1: The Writing Process

Using reading lists

Your teacher may give you a printed reading list, or it may be available online through the
library website. The list will usually include textbooks, journal articles and websites. If the list
is electronic, there will be links to the library catalogue to let you check on the availability of
the material. If the list is printed, you will have to use the library catalogue to find the texts.
You do not have to read every word of a book because it is on the list. Your teacher will
probably suggest which pages to read, and also tell you which parts are more important.
On reading lists, you will find the following formats:

Books ‘The European Workforce: Change and Regulation’ (2001) Chapter 6 in
S. Mercado, R. Welford and K. Prescott, European Business, Fourth
Edition, Prentice Hall, London, pp. 203–247

Journal articles W. Mayrhofer and C. Brewster (1996) ‘In praise of ethnocentricity:
expatriate policies in European multinationals’, The International Executive
38(6), 749–778

Websites http://europa.eu/pol/socio/index_en.htm

Text type Advantage Disadvantage

Textbook

Website

Journal article

Official report (e.g. from

government)

Newspaper or magazine

article

e-book

Written for students May be too general or

outdated