Preparing an academic paper can be difficult, especially if English is your second language. For one thing, rules for content, formatting, documenting, and communicating ideas differ throughout the world. However, several universities have recently conducted studies of ESL/EFL writers. They report that by the time these students are writing English on a day-to-day basis, they have attained: - Greater richness of expression - Tolerance for divergent views - Varied life experiences to call upon - Ability to accept criticism - Openness to new ideas