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Social Psychology (University of the Philippines Visayas)

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ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

ELLA KATE RODRIGO 12 HUMSS-B

WHAT .IS ACADEMIC TEXT?

LANGUAGE
An academic text is a reading material that provides
information which include concepts and theories that are It is important to use unambiguous language. Clear topic
related to the specific discipline. sentences enable a reader to follow your line of thinking
without difficulty. Formal language and the third person point
EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC WRITING of view should be used. Technical language appropriate to the
• Books and book area of study may also be used, however it does not mean
• Translations
using “big words” just for the sake of doing so.
• Essays reports
• Research papers and Research Articles CITATION
• Conference paper
• Academic journal Citing Sources in the body of the paper and providing a list of
• Dissertation and Thesis - These are written to obtaining an
references as either footnotes or endnotes is a very
advanced degree at a college or university
• Abstract - This is a short summary of a long document. important aspect of an academic text. It is essential to always
acknowledge the source of any ideas, research findings, data,
WHAT IS NON-ACADEMIC WRITING ? or quoted text that have been used in a paper as a defense
against allegations of plagiarism.
Non-academic writing is writing that is not intended for an academic
audience. They are written for a lay audience or the mass public. This COMPLEXITY
type of writing may be personal, impressionistic, emotional, or
An academic text addresses complex issues that require to
subjective in nature.
higher-order thinking skills comprehend.
Memoirs, newspaper articles, magazine articles, personal or business
letters, novels, websites, text messages, etc. are some examples of
non-academic writing. EVIDENCE-BASED ARGUMENTS

Most non-academic writings do not include references, citations or a What is valued in an academic text is that opinions are based
list of sources. Nor are they extensively well-researched as academic on sound understanding of the pertinent body of knowledge
writing. Moreover, non-academic writing often does not have a rigid and academic debates that exist within, and often external to a
structure as academic writing. It is often free-flowing and reflects the specific discipline.
style and personality of the writer. THESIS-DRIVEN

The starting point of an academic text is a particular

NATURE OF AN ACADEMIC TEXT perspective, idea or position applied to the chosen research
problem, such as establishing, proving, or disproving solutions
STRUCTURE to the questions posed for the topic.
Unlike fiction or journalistic writing, the overall structure of an
academic text is formal and logical (Introduction, Body, Conclusion). WHAT IS ACADEMIC WRITING?
It must be cohesive and possess a logically organized flow of ideas;
this means that various parts are connected to form a unified whole. Academic writing is a formal and rather impersonal mode of
writing that is intended for a scholarly audience. It tends to
TONE depend heavily on research, factual evidence, opinions of
The overall tone refers to the attitude conveyed in a piece of writing. educated researchers and scholars.
The arguments of others are fairly presented and with an Scholarly essays, research papers, dissertations, etc. are some
appropriate narrative tone. When presenting a position or argument examples of academic writing. Each subject discipline will have
that disagrees with one’s perspectives, describe the argument certain writing conventions, vocabulary and types of discourse
accurately without loaded or biased language. that you will become familiar with over the course of your
degree. However, there are some general characteristics of
academic writing that are relevant across all disciplines.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ACADEMIC WRITING?

The main aim of academic writing is to inform the audience while

providing non-biased information and backing up the writer’ s claims
with solid evidence

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PRECISE

The facts are presented accurately. The choice of words are

Why is academic language important? appropriate. The use of technical terms to achieve
precision is applied.
Students who master academic language are more likely to be
successful in academic and professional settings. For example: “85% of the population”. “The results are okay
(satisfactory).”, asphyxiation (medical term)
WHAT IS..ACADEMIC READING?

Academic reading differs from reading for pleasure. You will often not
read every word, and you are reading for a specific purpose rather STRUCTURE OF AN ACADEMIC TEXT
than enjoyment. This page explains different types of purpose and how
Introduction or the opening paragraph(s) aims to make a
the purpose affects how you read, as well as suggesting a general
good impression on readers.
approach to reading academic texts.
Body - The body is composed of several paragraphs that
cohesively discuss the thesis. These paragraphs are your
means to lead your readers, so they can make sense of your
Difference Between Social Language composition
and Academic Language
Lastly, you need to bring the write-up to an emphatic
conclusion and leave the impression that the topic has
SOCIAL LANGUAGE ACADEMIC LANGUAGE been relevantly and thoroughly dealt with. Some
appropriate words or phrases that you can use to signal
Social language is the simple, Academic language is what students this include, “Finally, “As I have argued, “As I have shown,”
informal language we use when read in textbooks and on tests and
“Therefore,” “The bulk of the evidence, then, points to
talking face to face with family what they hear during instruction in
“However as I have shown,.. “ and “Based on this evidence,”
members and friends. It allows us to the classroom. Students with limited
use contemporary or or low academic language skills are
slang terms like "cool," "awesome," or more than likely to have low academic
"dude." We can also communicate performance in classroom settings.
feelings, needs, and wants using TEXT STRUCTURE
symbolic hand gestures for drink,
eat, hot, cold, hurt, or tired, Social
- internal organization of a text
language also includes writing emails,
- (Meyer, 1985) As authors write a text to communicate
friendly letters, and texts or
an idea, they will use a structure along with the idea.
retelling stories.
TYPES OF TEXT STRUCTURES
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ACADEMIC TEXT
(1) Descriptive
FORMAL - lots of details so you can visualize, picture what the
It should not be conversational and casual. Avoid colloquial and idiomatic author is describing (event, character, short story, etc.)
expressions, slang, and contractions. Academic writing requires that you use Signal Words:
full forms rather than contractions. For example, write do not instead of
‘don’t’, ‘it is’ instead of ‘it’s’. ‘they have’ instead of “they’ve’ and ‘we will’ for example, in addition, such as, most important, for
instead of we’ll. instance, in particular, in fact

IMPERSONAL (2) Sequence / Process – sometimes called chronological,

the author organizes the text in a specific order that makes
Do not refer to yourself as the performer of actions. Do not use personal sense. (sequence of events, directions, steps in practices
pronouns. of a brief history)
For example: “It is commonly said that” instead of “Many of my friends and (3) Compare and Contrast – A process of finding
colleagues say that…”. “Research revealed that…” instead of “I discovered similarities and differences between 2 things
that…”
Compare: how things are alike
OBJECTIVE
Contrast: state how the two things are different
Academic writing is based on research and not on the writer’s own
opinion about a given topic. When you write objectively, you are concerned Some signal words for compare and contrast:
about facts and not influenced by personal feelings or biases. When
presenting an argument to the reader, try to show both sides if you can and however, but, still, yet, in contrast, nevertheless, even
avoid making value judgments. though, instead, on the contrary, on the other hand,
although, though, despite, different from

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(4) Cause and Effect – shows the relationship between two things when one
thing make something happens SUMMARIZING A TEXT
Signal words: What is summarizing?

because, then, since, if… then, when, whenever, thus, as a result, after, Summarizing is the process of retelling the important
consequently, hence, therefore, from… to, until parts of a passage in a much shorter form. A summary
is a short description of the most important events in
(5) Problem and Solution – shows the development of a problem or the story. It tells what happens. To summarize a story,
problems and offers one or more solutions readers need to think about the important story
- may tell what action (s) were taken to solve a problem elements such as: characters, plot and setting.
- may tell what happened as a result of the action WHY IS SUMMARIZING IMPORTANT?

• Summarizing helps us remember the most

important parts.

• Summarizing helps us remember our favorite parts.

Main Idea and Details

Main idea is what the story or passage is mostly talking
about.

Details are facts that support the main idea.

Why should you find the main idea of a story?

1)Determining the main idea from supporting details is

an important skill in both reading and writing.

2)Determines the most important idea the author is

trying to make.

3)Helps organize the information given in the text.

4)Helps readers understand the text.

5)Helps you become a better reader.

Main idea is the point the author is making about a topic.

The main idea is the most important information in a text
or statement.

The supporting details are the details that help us

understand the main idea.

Not all information is equally important. Some is more

important than the rest.

TAKE NOTE:

- A SUMMARY is a short account of the central idea of a text.

- Summaries are NOT a place for opinions, background
knowledge, and personal Information

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TOPIC SENTENCE
The topic sentence is usually the first sentence of the paragraph. It Paraphrasing in Everyday Life
gives the reader an idea of what the paragraph is going to be about.
a. When do we paraphrase?
• Always look at the FIRST sentence and the LAST sentence.
Why paraphrase?
• If the main idea is not there, it will be in the rest of the passage.
a. To avoid plagiarism
• All topic sentences are supported by sentences that give details to
b. To write most of your paper (66-75%) in your own words
support the main idea topic Sentence

Example Paragraphs: BASIC RULES TECHNIQUES

IN IN
A tornado is a powerful, twisting windstorm. It begins high in the air
as part of a giant storm cloud. People who have watched a tornado’s 1) Erase things that don’t • OUTLINING
wind have said it’s the most frightening thing they have ever seen. In matter.
• SWBST
some parts of the United States, these windstorms are called twisters
2) Only write down
or cyclones. • SAAC
important point.
Main Idea: Tornadoes are powerful, twisting windstorms sometimes • 5Ws and 1H
3) Erase things that repeat.
called twisters or cyclones.
4) Trade, general terms for • FIRST THEN FINALLY
Yesterday was my birthday. When I woke up. I noticed my brother
specific names.
Todd hung up a big sign that said. “Happy Birthday, Joey!” Mom made
spaghetti for dinner. It’s my favorite food in the whole world. My 5) Use your own words to
friend Dave came over and handed me a wrapped gift. I wondered write the summary.
what it was. It was a new basketball! I had a great day

Main Idea: It was Joey’s birthday

Which sentence support this main idea? Dolphins are smart Outlining technique- making an outline of the original text
animals. then writing a summary based on the outline.
*Remember a good supporting sentence adds details to the main idea An outline is a map of your essay. It shows what
(It supports the main idea) information each section or paragraph will contain and in
a. Dolphins look the sharks. what order.

b. Whales and dolphins are both mammals. I. Main Idea II. Main Idea

c. Dolphins can learn to do new tricks quickly. A. Supporting Details A. Supporting Details

d. You can see dolphins swim from ships. B. Supporting Details B. Supporting Details

Somebody Wanted But So Then- Identifies specific

information from the text and then connects the ideas into
a summary. Transition words are necessary.
SUMMARIZING AND PARAPHRASING
“Somebody Wanted But So Then” is an excellent
summarizing strategy for stories. Each word represents a
What is Paraphrasing?
key question related to the story’s essential elements:
Paraphrasing is the use of other’s ideas written in your own words.
 Somebody: Who is the main character?
Paraphrases must be introduced using a signal phrase and must be cited.
 Wanted: What does the main charter want?
A paraphrase is generally the same length as the original text.
 But: Identify a problem that the main character
What is Summarizing? encountered.
 So: How does the main character solve the
Summarizing, like paraphrasing, is putting an author’s thoughts and problem?
ideas in your own words. However, summarizing focuses on a larger  Then: Tell how the story ends.
portion of information, like a whole book, article, or a movie. A
summary is generally ¼ the length of the original text.

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SAAC is an acronym for “State, Assign, Action, Complete.” Each word Why do we need a thesis statement?
in the acronym refers to a specific element that should be included in
the summary. •To have a clear direction in writing

 State: the name of the article, book, or story • To set a limit to what we will be writing
 Assign: the name of the author • To clearly express our claim, stand, or position about a topic
 Action: what the author is doing (example: tells, explains)
 Complete: complete the sentence or summary with
keywords and important details The Troublesome Thesis Statement
5 Ws, 1 H The Five Ws, One H strategy - relies on six crucial
1) A mere statement of fact.
questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how.
- The thesis statement should have an argument or an
 Who is the main character of the story?
assertion
 What did they do?
 When did the action take place? Example:
 Where did the story happen?
 Why did the main character do what she/he did? Henri Matisse was considered, with Picasso, one of the two
 How did the main character do what she/he did? great artists of the twentieth century.

First Then Finally- arranges the most important events or steps in Better:
chronological order and in the correct sequence.
Henri Matisse is superior to Picasso because of Matisse’s
The “First Then Finally” technique helps students summarize brilliant ability to shift between realism, abstraction, fauvism
events in chronological order. and classicism.

 First: What happened first? Include the main character and 2) Too broad or too general
main event/action.
- It might become too large to be developed in an essay or a
 Then: What key details took place during the event/action?
research.
 Finally: What were the results of the event/action?
Example: Crime is too prevalent in our society.

Better:

Our judicial system should give tougher sentences to criminals

REMEMBER!! who are repeat offenders.
Summaries are short restatements of a work’s main points. 3) Too specific

- You will have too little to write about.

THESIS STATEMENT Example:

What is a thesis statement? Getting into Disneyland on the Saturday during Labor Day
weekend can be difficult.
- It is a sentence that expresses a claim, stand, or position about
a topic or issue Better:

Where is it used? Getting into Disneyland can be difficult depending on the time
of year.
- It is used in writing essays and in research
4) Has more than one main idea

Examples: - It might become confusing to the reader.

Violent video games should be made illegal, for it might incite some
people to commit violent acts. Example:

The proposed transit system is worth examining but it has

An after-school job can be harmful to teenagers as
working not only reduces opportunities for social and several weaknesses so it should be run only on an
recreational time but also takes valuable time away from schoolwork. experimental basis for a limited period of a couple of years.

Cell phone usage while driving should be banned, for it creates an Better:
unsafe environment not only for drivers using cell phones but also for
other people in nearby vehicles. The proposed transit system should be run on an
experimental basis for a limited period of a couple of years.
Attending a community college like CSM makes sense since the cost is
low and the quality of instruction is high.

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5) A fragment and not a complete sentence THESIS STATEMENT

- A good thesis statement is expressed in a complete sentence. A thesis statement is the central idea of an essay, around
which all other ideas revolve. It is not just the most
Example:
8
important idea; it also controls the essay by determining
How Life is in New York after September 11th what should you include in your work.

Better: The thesis statement reflects your purpose for writing. It is a

constant reminder of your main point and your stand,
After September 11th the city of New York tends to have more cases of directing the entire flow of your writing.
post-traumatic disorder than other areas of the United States and
rightfully so. It should be clear that the thesis statement is not the subject
or topic itself, but an interpretation of the topic.
6) A question
A strong thesis statement usually contains an element of
- It should present a position or claim and not ask questions. uncertainty, risk, or challenge (Ramage, Bean, and Johnson
2006:34). This means that your thesis statement should offer
Example:
a debatable claim that you can prove or disprove in your
Should an eighteen year old have the right to drink? essay.

Better:

Anyone old enough to fight a war should be old enough to drink. OUTLINE
7) Contains phrases such as “I think.” “I believe,” or “in my opinion,” An outline is a summary that gives the essential features
of a text. It shows how the parts of a text are related to one
- These words weaken a statement.
another as parts that are of equal importance, or sections
Example: that are subordinate to a main idea.

GOP candidate Bill Simon and Governor Gray Davis may appear to be KINDS OF OUTLINES
different, but in my opinion they are very similar.
1. Reading Outline
Better:
2. Writing Outline
To the unsuspecting voter. GOP candidate Bill Simon and Governor Gray
Davis might seem to offer a choice in the gubernatorial race however, in
fact they take very similar stands on certain issues READING OUTLINE
8) Vague language - Is used to get the main ideas of a text that is
already written. It helps you understand the text’s
- Try to avoid vague terms such as “things,” “neat.” “interesting.” “nice.”
structure more critically because you will have to
“good” and “great” should be avoided.
find the text’s thesis statement and supporting
Example: details. You will better understand how a writer
connects and sequences the information in the
Negative things have resulted from religion being taught in our schools. reading text.
Better:
WRITING OUTLINE
Religion as part of the school curriculum should be avoided because a
person’s religious beliefs are highly personal and require individual - Is a skeletal version of your essay. It is used as a
commitment. guide to organize your ideas. It is usually done before
you write the first draft of your essay.

Types of Outlines:
SUMMARIZE: 1. Topic outline – the headings are given in single words
or brief phrases
1. Avoid making an overly-opinionated stands.
2. Sentence outline – all headings are expressed in
2. Avoid making announcements. complete sentences

3. Avoid stating only facts.

Note: The use of roman numerals, capital letters, numbers
and lower case letters will vary depending on the length of
the section or paragraph.

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FACT OPINION
CITATIONS
- OBJECTIVE - SUBJECTIVE
A quotation from or reference to a book, paper, or author, especially in a
scholarly work. - STATES REALITY - INTERPRETS REALITY

TWO TYPES OF CITATIONS - CAN BE VERIFIED - CAN NOT BE VERIFIED /

PRESENTED WITH VALUE
1) APA Format - PRESENTED WITH WORDS
2) MLA Format UNBIASED WORDS
“SPINACH TASTES
“SPINACH IS A SOURCE OF AWFUL”
IRON”
American Psychological Association (APA)

APA (American Psychological Association) format is a format and style

used for writing academic documents such as scholarly books and DEFINITION OF TERMS
journal articles. It is commonly used within the field of behavioral and
1) Criticize – to judge or to evaluate someone or something
social sciences for citing sources.
2) Critique – the paper or essay – the product of criticizing

3) Critic - the person doing the criticism

1 author (Taylor, 2018, p. 23)

2 authors (Taylor & Kotler, 2018, p. 23)

3 or more authors (Taylor et al, 2018, p. 23) The Review, the Reaction
Paper and The Critique
Modern Language Association (MLA)
- These are specialized forms of writing in which a
Modern Language Association, or MLA, format is a style of crediting reviewer or a reader evaluates any of the
following:
sources you use to write a paper. This style is typically used for research
papers for English Composition and other communication classes. • a scholarly work (e.g, academic books and articles) a work
of art (e.g., performance art, play, dance, sports, film,
exhibits)
1 author (Taylor 23)
• designs (e.g., industrial designs, furniture, fashion design)
2 authors (Taylor and Kotler 23)
• graphic designs (e.g., posters, billboards, commercials, and
3 or more authors (Taylor et al. 23) digital arts)

TAKE NOTE!
FACTS VS OPINIONS
• Reaction Papers, reviews, and critiques usually range in
WHAT IS FACT? length from 250-750 words
Southern (2003) defined facts as information that can be verified these • It is a critical assessment, analyses, or evaluation of
are based from direct experience and observation. Moreover, these usually different works.
involve specific information such as numbers, dates, time and other
statistics as well as names of people, places or events. • It uses proofs and logical reasoning to substantiate
comments.
SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PROVEN

WHAT IS OPINION?
What is Critical Approach to Literature?
On the other hand, opinions are statements that convey beliefs,
- Critical approaches to literature reveal how or why
feelings, judgements, attitudes, and preferences Unlike, facts, opinions
a particular piece of work is constructed and what
cannot be verified because these are based on one’s perception
its social and cultural implications are.
AN OPINION IS WHAT SOMEONE THINKS, FEELS OR BELIEVES
- This allows the reader to apply critical
perspectives that will help you to see and
appreciate a literary work as a multilayered piece
of meaning.

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The Literary Approaches

FORMALISM

- This emphasizes the form of a literary work to determine its meaning,

focusing on literary elements and how they work to create meaning.

- This claims that literary works contain intrinsic properties and treats
each work as a distinct work of art. Thus, interpretation is NOT affected by
the author, the historical context or any other external factors.

BIOGRAPHICAL CRITICISM

- This emphasizes the importance of the author's life and background

into account when analyzing a text.

HISTORICAL CRITICISM

- This states that every literary work is the product of its time and its
world.

MARXIST CRITICISM

-This emphasizes on how power, politics, and money play a role in

literary texts and amongst literary societies and characters.

FEMINISM

- This emphasizes the roles, positions, and influences of women within

literary texts.

- This focuses on how literature presents women as subjects of socio-

political, psychological, and economic oppression.

READER-RESPONSE CRITICISM

- This emphasizes that the meaning of a text is dependent upon the

reader’s response to it.

- This is concerned with the reviewer’s reaction as an audience of a work.

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