ABSTRACT
Chapter 6: Genre. In this chapter, potential developments in disciplinary genres are considered. In particular, it is argued that the development of the world wide web and new forms of participatory knowledge creation (e.g. Wikipedia) have had an effect on the range of possible audiences for disciplinary experts, who can now more easily engage with non-specialists. At the same time, there are increased expectations that specialists will make their knowledge available to such audiences. As a result, it is important for courses in ESP to be designed in such a way that specialist and non-specialist genres are addressed. This principle is illustrated by a research study of the way that students on the English for science course in question have tackled two genres: the scientific documentary for a non-specialist audience and the scientific report for a specialist audience.
