LESSON 2.

COMMUNICATION FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

Academic Integrity

Academic writing can be a challenging task to some, so much so that sometimes,

academic integrity is compromised.

What is academic integrity?

Alison Kirk (1999) explains that academic integrity is the moral code or ethical
policy of academia. This includes values such as avoidance of cheating or plagiarism,
maintenance of academic standards, honesty and rigor in research and academic
publishing.
Academic integrity is practiced in a majority of educational institutions, it is
noted in mission statements and represented in honor codes, but it is also being taught
in ethics classes, and being noted in syllabuses.

Forms of academic dishonesty:

Academic dishonesty refers to committing or contributing to dishonest acts by
those engaged in teaching, learning, research, and related academic activities, and it
applies not just to students, but to everyone in the academic environment (Cizek, 2003;
Whitley, Jr. & Keith-Spiegel, 2002).

1. Cheating
Cheating involves unauthorized use of information, materials, devices, sources
or practices in completing academic activities. For example, copying during an exam
that should be completed individually is an unauthorized practice, and, therefore, is
considered cheating. A student who allows another student to copy from his or her work
is considered to be facilitating or contributing to cheating.

2. Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a type of cheating in which someone adopts another person's ideas,
words, design, art, music, etc., as his or her own without acknowledging the source, or,
when necessary, obtaining permission from the author. For example, copying and
pasting material from a web site into your own document without proper citation is
considered plagiarism.

3. Fabrication or falsification
Fabrication or falsification involves the unauthorized creation or alteration of
information in an academic document or activity. For example, artificially creating data
when it should be collected from an actual experiment or making up a source of
information that does not exist is considered fabrication or falsification.

Source: https://www.niu.edu/academic-integrity/faculty/types/index.shtml

Learning Activity:
In 3 to 5 sentences, reflect on the following quotation:

“A single lie discovered is enough to create doubt in every truth”

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 __________________________________________________________________________
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Methods of Writing
According to Magan et. al. (2018), academic writing is constantly challenged by
several conventions. It may rise or fall depending on the political forces present.

Sygaco (2018) says that in writing an academic paper, it is best to list the topic
sentence first so that along the way, you will be able to merge and incorporate other
paragraphs. Also, it keeps your writing focused and it makes it easier for you to achieve
unity and coherence in your writing.

Write down your thesis statement—a statement or theory that is put forward as
a premise to be maintained or proved. This makes or breaks your paper since the thesis
statement is the major element in your paper that shows assertion, message, central
idea, and the remaining paragraphs demonstrate support to the topic.

Also, make sure to write an outline too so you could organize your ideas logically
and sequentially.

In the introduction, mention the specific topic as this allows you to frame the
thesis or the purpose statement. After the introduction, the background of the topic
comes nest. In here, the review of related literature is being included as well as the
historical perspective. This allows you to find out the latest research related to your
topic and what is known and what is not yet known.

The body of your research provides clear ideas to support your thesis or your
argument. This is the part where you state your evidences and major ideas. Finally, the
conclusion knits all the main points that answer the central argument or thesis.

Take a look at the example below:

Why We Should Not Compare Ourselves with Others

In our culture a lot of times people advise us to compare
ourselves with others. "You should be like your father," "You can win;
the others aren’t as good as you," "You must be the best of your class,"
etc., and this is not always the best way of thinking. There are many Introduction
reasons to change this way of thinking and begin to compare ourselves
only with ourselves. This is the way it should be, and in this essay, I will thesis statement
discuss some of the most important reasons for this.
The first reason to avoid comparing yourself with others is that
there will be always someone better than you. It does not matter in
which aspect, but it is always true. Therefore, you could feel inferior to

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others and maybe without a real reason. For example, you can be an
incredible architect and the best of your generation, and this can make
you feel incredibly good, but if someday someone is better than you
are, you could feel sad although you are still the same incredible
architect that you were before.
The second reason to elude this kind of comparison is that you
will always find someone worse than you, but as opposed to the first
reason, this can make you feel better than the others, and this feeling
can turn into a horrible pride. For example, if you are the second-best
student of your class, and one day the very best student leaves the
school, you will then be the best one although you are still only as good
as you were before.
These two first reasons lead us to a third one: If you want to be
better than the others, you don’t need to improve yourself; you only
have to make the others look bad. If I want to be the leader of the group,
but you are the leader now, what I need to do is to make you look like
a traitor or stupid and then I can take your place. Then I will be better
than you.
To put it simply, to stop comparing ourselves is that the one who
compares him/herself with others is judging, and this does not help us
develop as human beings. Nobody knows the internal reality of the
Conclusion
other; nobody knows his/her story and his/her intentions, and when we
judge it is harder to accept the others.

Learning Activity:
Let’s check your analysis of the above-given sample by answering the questions below:
1. What are the four reasons why we should not be comparing ourselves to others?
A. ____________________________________________________
B. ____________________________________________________
C. ____________________________________________________
D. ____________________________________________________
2. What is the speaker trying to persuade you to do?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. Do you think his or her argument is convincing? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

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 Genres of Academic Writing

Communication for Academic Purposes

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) teaches students to use language
appropriately to study and publish in the academy. Also, EAP focused on the
processing and creation of English as it is used in the academic context…”with
the teacher facilitating the student’s’ participation in the academic world”
(Hackett, 2017).

Genres are categories of texts which follow specific:

1. rules which simply mean the things that can and cannot be done;
2. convention which refers to the traditional or expected ways of doing
things.

Offers consensual, structured ways of writing, reading,

and thinking
GENRE
serves as a contract between the writer and the reader in
which particular expectations are observed and followed.

Academic genres are those genres of written and oral communication

privileged in places of higher learning like professional and comprehensive
universities. They are governed by rules and conventions regarding language,
standards, and ethics of research, and professional conduct where one is
expected to acknowledge sources. A firm command of these genres does not
come naturally; they must be learned, and true expertise is a long-term goal
achieved through practice.

GENRES OF ACADEMIC WRITING

1. Abstract
An abstract is a brief summary of a research article, thesis, review,
conference proceeding or any in-depth analysis of a particular subject or
discipline and is often used to help the reader quickly ascertains the
paper’s purpose. It always appears at the beginning of a manuscript,
acting as the point-of-entry for any given scientific paper. In science, an
abstract may act as a standalone entity in lieu of the paper.
The abstract can convey the main results and conclusions of a
scientific article but the full text article must be consulted for details of
the methodology, the full experimental results, and a critical discussion
of the interpretations and conclusions. Consulting the abstract alone is
inadequate for scholarship. Abstract length varies by discipline and
publisher requirements. Typical length ranges from 100 to 500 words, but
very rarely more than a page. Abstracts are typically sectioned logically

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 as an overview of what appears in the paper (e.g. background,
introduction, objectives, methods, results, conclusions).
An abstract allows one to look through copious amounts of papers
at once in which the researcher can have more confidence that is relevant
to the research. Abstracts help researchers decide which papers might be
useful or connected to their research.

2. Book review
This genre of academic writing typically evaluates recently-written
works. It offers a brief description of the key points of a text and often
provides a short appraisal of its strengths and weaknesses. Unlike articles,
book reviews tend to be solicited. They typically rand from 500 to 750
words by maybe longer or shorter. The length and depth of research book
reviews vary much from journal to journal.

3. Laboratory report
Experimental reports, also known as “lab reports”, detail the
results of experimental research projects and are most often written in
experimental psychology (lab) courses. Experimental reports are write-
ups of your results after you have conducted research with participants.

4. Research article
A research paper is the culmination and final product of an
involved process of research, critical thinking, source evaluation,
organization, and composition. We can think of the research paper as a
living thing, which grows and changes as the student explores, interprets,
and evaluates sources related to a specific topic.
Sources act as evidence to back up your thesis. There are the two
types of support: primary and secondary. They serve as the heart of a
research paper and provide its nourishment. The primary source is an
original document or account that is not about another document or
account but stands on its own (i.e., novel, poem, play, diary, letter). The
data from a research study also constitutes a primary source because it
comes straight from the participants' replies. On the other hand, a
secondary source gives information about a primary source and is
considered secondhand information. A journal article or book about a
poem, novel, or play or a commentary about what an interview signifies
is a secondary source. Your paper will then become a secondary source.
The research paper serves not only to expand the field in which it
is written, but also to provide the students or researchers with an
exceptional opportunity to increase their knowledge in that field. Its goal
is not to inform the reader what others have to say about a topic, but to
draw on what others have to say about a topic and engage the sources in
order to offer thought fully a unique perspective on the issue at hand.

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 5. Conference presentation
Conferences are a major source of cutting edge research, particularly
in science and engineering. At conferences, researchers present papers on
the research they completed and obtain feedback from the audience. The
papers presented in the conference are usually published in a volume
called a conference proceeding.

Most academic work is published in a journal article, book, or thesis

form. The majority of academic publishing relies on peer review or editorial
refereeing to qualify texts for publication. This part of the EAP will enhance
more our reference skills.

Academic Reference Skills

Reference skills are an umbrella term that comprises a range of sub-skills
relating to various types of reference materials. Sometimes, the reference skills
are sub-divided into language reference skills, which include the efficient use
of dictionaries, books, and academic reference skills, which also include library
use, and giving references in theses and dissertations. At times, the label
"research skills" is used instead of "academic reference skills.” It might also
include the keeping of record cards (or information on computer) on which note
books, journals, and articles are referred to-and the layout of research papers.
Occasionally the term "study skills" is used to refer to some of the more
mechanical aspects of the above, but this is to be discouraged as it can be
confusing. It will be seen that using a dictionary and the library are, in any case,
far from being "mechanical skills" (Jordan, 1997).

Audience, Tone, and Content

Imagine yourself reading one long block of text, with each idea blurring
into the next. Even if you are reading a thrilling novel or an interesting news
article, you will likely lose interest in what the author has to say very quickly.
During the writing process, it is helpful to position yourself as a reader. Ask
yourself whether you can focus easily on each point you make. One technique
that effective writers use is to begin a fresh paragraph for each new idea they
introduce.
Paragraphs separate ideas into logical, manageable chunks. One
paragraph focuses on only one main idea and presents coherent sentences to
support that one point. Because all the sentences in one paragraph support the
same point, a paragraph may stand on its own. To create longer assignments and
to discuss more than one point, writers group together paragraphs. Three
elements shape the content of each paragraph:
1. Purpose. The reason the writer composes the paragraph.

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 2. Tone. The attitude the writer conveys about the subject of a paragraph.
3. Audience. The individual or group whom the writer intends to address.
Audience

CONTENT

Tone Purpose
The purpose, audience, and tone dictate what the paragraph covers and
how it will support one main point. This section covers how purpose, audience,
and tone affect reading and writing paragraphs.

THINKING ABOUT ACADEMIC PURPOSES

When we write, it is tantamount to know the purpose by which we write.
The purpose for a piece of writing identifies the reason you write a particular
paper. Basically, the purpose of a piece of writing answers the question, Why?
For example, Why write a diary? Your answer expresses your emotions and
insights. Another is, Why do we write a book review? Your answer gives an
evaluation of the book and recommendation for others to read it, too.

In academic settings, the reasons for writing fulfill four main purposes: to
summarize, to analyze, to synthesize, and to evaluate. You will encounter these
four purposes not only as you read for your classes but also as you read for work
or pleasure. Because reading and writing work together, your writing skills will
improve as you read.

Writing often has many purposes, and whenever we write, we usually

focus on one. When you get an assignment or see a need to write, ask yourself
what is your prime purpose for writing: Is my purpose to entertain, inform,
persuade, or demonstrate my writing ability? You also ask yourself: What are my
goals? What are my audience's expectations, and do they affect the way I define
my purpose? Likewise, you can also start to think of your audience, too, by asking
the following questions:

1. What do I want my audience to do, think, or feel? How will they benefit
from what I will tell them?
2. 2. What does this writing task ask me to do? Do I need to show that I have
expertise on a specific subject matter or content? Do I have an assignment
that specifically asks me to use a specific strategy or genre (e.g., memo,
essay, email, note, speech)-to compare two concepts, perhaps, or to
argue a position?

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 3. What are the best ways to achieve my purpose? What kind of stance should
I take? Should I write in a particular way? Do I have a choice of medium?
Does my text require any special format or design elements?

Eventually, your professors will ask you to complete your assignments,

specifically designed to meet one of the four purposes. As you will see, the
purpose for writing will guide you through each part of the paper, helping you
make decisions about content and style. For now, identifying these purposes by
reading paragraphs will prepare you to write individual paragraphs and to build
longer assignments.

THINKING ABOUT AUDIENCES

Audiences may be defined as known, multiple, or unknown. Known
audiences can include people with whom you are familiar as well as people you
may not know personally but those whose needs and expectations you know.
Examples of these are your relatives, family members, friends, teachers,
classmates. You would know the readers' wants and needs, even if you have not
met them personally, if you have a specific shared context. For instance, you
have experienced war on drugs, computer games, a strong earthquake or you are
all active social media users. You may not know these people but you know about
the experience or the game and what they need to know, and you know how to
write about it in ways they will be able to relate.

You often write memos or reports for multiple audiences. These may be
written initially for your teachers or supervisors but they may pass them along
to others. Following are some questions you may want to answer in order to know
more your audience:

1. To whom are you writing for? or speaking?

2. What is your audience's background-their education and life experiences?
3. What are their interests? Do they have advocacies? What motivates
them?
4. What is their demographic information (e.g., race, gender, sexual
orientation, disabilities, occupations, religious beliefs, economic status)
you should keep in mind that might affect what or how you write?
5. What political circumstances may affect their readings? What attitudes,
opinions, special interests, biases-may affect the way your audience reads
your piece? Are your readers conservative, liberal, or neutral?
6. What does your audience already know-or believe-about your topic? What
do you need to tell them? What would be the best way to do it? You have
to consider which strategies will be effective—narrative, comparison and
contrast, cause and effect, and the like?
7. What is your relationship with your audience, and how does it affect your
language and your tone? Are they your friends, supporters, or critics? Are
they strangers or public school children? Will they likely share your stance?

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 8. What does your audience need and expect from you? What genre would
be most suitable?
9. What kind of response do you want? Do you want to persuade readers to
do or believe something? To accept your information? To take the same
side you took?
10. How can you best appeal to your audience? Is there a particular medium
that will give the best result? Are there any design requirements? (Children
and the elderly may need larger font size).

To understand your audience better, read the examples below:

Example A:
Last Saturday, I volunteered at a local hospital. The visit was fun and
rewarding. I even learned how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR.
Unfortunately, I think I caught a cold from one of the patients. This week, I will rest
in bed and drink plenty of clear fluids. I hope I am well next Saturday to volunteer
again.

Example B:
OMG! You won’t believe this! My adviser forced me to do my community service hours
at this hospital all weekend! We learned CPR but we did it on dummies, not even real
peeps. And some kid sneezed on me and got me sick! I was so bored and sniffling all
weekend; I hope I don’t have to go back next week. I definitely do NOT want to miss
the basketball tournament!

Learning activity:
In 3 to 5 sentences, share your observation on the presented examples.
__________________________________________________________________________
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Most likely, you matched each paragraph to its intended audience because each
paragraph reveals the author's relationship with the intended readers; you can identify
the audience fairly quickly. When writing your own paragraphs, you must engage with
your audience to build an appropriate relationship to your subject. Imagining your
readers during each stage of the writing process will help you make decisions about your
writing. Ultimately, the people you visualize will affect what and how you write. Keep
in mind that as your topic shifts in the writing process, your audience may also shift.
Always remember that decisions about style depend on audience, purpose, and content.
Identifying your audience's demographics, education, prior knowledge, and expectations
will affect how you write, but purpose and content play an equally important role. The
next subsection covers how to select an appropriate tone to match the audience and
purpose.

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 MODULE SUMMARY

Write a one-page essay on the significance and importance of communication

effectively in the academe. You essay should be reflective, meaning it should show your
insights. You may follow the structure of the sample essay provided above.
__________________________________________________________________________
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REFERENCES

Art Lynch (2013, April 21). Listening and critical thinking. Retrieved from
https:// www.compressor.com/ 2011/04/listening-and-
Creating multimodal text. Retrieved from https:// sites.google.com
site/aismultimodaltext/1-what-is-multimodal-text

Dainton, M. & Zelley E. (2015). Applying communication theory for

professional life: A practical introduction (3rd ed.) Sage Publications.

King, D. (2020). Effective communication skills. Hamatea Publishing Studio.

Lim, J.M., A., Hamada, I., & Alata, E.J. (2019). A course module for purposive

communication. Rex Bookstore.

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