English (applied linguistics, London Metropolitan U., UK) questions the dominance of the essay in relation to disciplinary learning and teaching and shows that when students are given the chance to write differently, new learning opportunities and experiences emerge. She describes written work in a variety of genres produced by her university students in response to an end-of-module assignment. Follow-up interviews with the students and some of their teachers add further insight. The book begins with an introduction to the module the author taught, the students who participated, and the wider institutional and political context in which the project took place. Later chapters investigate the dual role of the essay as summative and formative assessment within the context of the 'marketization' of higher education. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)