Academic Writing for International Students of Business

One negative aspectof homeworking can be the loss of regular contact with

colleagues.

A significant benefitof working from home is the saving of time by not

commuting.

 Fill the gaps in the following paragraph using language from the table on p. 89.

90 Part 2: Elements of Writing

Every year, millions of students choose to study in a foreign country. This can have

considerable (a) _______________, such as the chance to experience another culture,

but also involves certain (b) _______________, which may include feelings of

isolation or homesickness. Another (c) _______________ aspect may be the high

cost, involving both fees and living expenses. However, most students appear to

find that the (d) _______________ outweigh the (e) _______________, and that the

chance to join an international group of students is a major (f) _______________ in

developing a career.

Organisation

The discussion section can be organised in two ways: either by grouping the benefits and
disadvantages together, or by examining the subject from different viewpoints. For example,
the following essay title can be discussed in the two ways as shown:

‘Environmental considerations have no place in a company’s strategy – discuss.’

(a) Grouping all the drawbacks together in one or more paragraphs, then treating the benefits
in the same way:

Drawbacks: May increase costs (e.g. ‘green’ electricity)/delay projects/extra work for

managers

Benefits: May save money (e.g. reduced packaging)/good PR = increased

sales/employee job satisfaction may also be increased

Discussion: Depends on nature of business/some costs will rise, others

fall/important long-term benefits as consumers place more weight on ‘green’

considerations