Book review: Larissa Goulart, Variation in university student writing: A communicative text type approach. (Studies in Corpus Linguistics 117). Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 2024. Pp. xviii + 239. ISBN 9789027215000

Extensive research on university student writing (as detailed in the first chapter) has shown us that there is variation, and that it is useful to capture that variation not only as a matter of research interest, but also because of those with a vested interest in university student writing – those who teach it on pre-sessional and in-sessional courses and those who write materials which are used in these courses. So do we really need another approach? A communicative text type approach? Goulart clearly thinks so. She acknowledges disciplinary differences and differences in register, and argues that a communicative approach should focus on purpose. This is a detailed and persuasive argument, so it is worth considering the steps she goes through.