Investigating current status of english for academic purposes (EAP) in Iran; Revisiting ESP specificity continuum

Abstract

The EAP textbooks which are currently taught in Iranian universities don't seem to satisfy the necessary requirements current in new enquires of EAP research. An EAP book sample from SAMT 1 publications for the students of medicine was chosen for a critical analysis on three criteria including: evaluating the objectives, reviewing the content, and evaluating the overall structure. The exploratory reviews showed that there must be major changes in EAP for medical students of SAMT to meet the specific needs of the target group above. In this article, the general status of ESP material development approaches is also depicted diachronically in order to evaluate the present situation in Iran against appropriate recent approaches towards EAP material development in the world. Recommended implications of some kind are presented throughout the various parts of the present survey.