Academic genres in EFL medical educational contexts: The medical case-report

Abstract

In genre analysis literature medical case-reports can be said to be almost underrepresented when compared to other scholarly specimens that have been thoroughly researched, like the research article, the master’s thesis or the doctoral dissertation. As a written academic variety little is known to English as a foreign language practitioners about the medical case report’s format and about its use in language for specific purposes classes. The aim of this note is to offer a preliminary description of the case-report’s main sections and to suggest some activities to be exploited in English as a foreign language classes. The hope is that these insights can call genre analysts’ attention on this medical genre to develop appropriate research that will result in new educational texts.