LESSON 1: ACADEMIC LANGUAGE USED FROM VARIOUS DISCIPLINES

Academic Vs. Non-Academic Text

Academic Text ​
★​ Objective
★​ Written language that provides information; related to particular
discipline.
★​ Formal, objective, and specialized writings based on
★​ facts and written by experts.
★​ Examples
○​ Essay
○​ Research Paper
○​ Reports
○​ Projects
○​ Articles
○​ Theses
○​ Dissertation

Non-Academic Text
★​ Subjective
★​ Complete opposite of academic text.
★​ Informal writings and dedicated to lay an audience.
★​ Emotional, Personal, and Subjective
★​ Anyone can write non-academic text.
★​ Uses casual language.
★​ Any point-of-view, opinion-based, and free of rigid structures, and
tackle general topics.
★​ Examples
○​ Personal journal Entries
○​ Memoirs
○​ Autobiographical writings
○​ Letters
○​ Emails
 Characteristics of Academic Text

1.​ Structure
★​ Introduction
★​ Body
★​ Conclusion
2.​ Tone
★​ Refers to the attitude conveyed in a piece of writing.
★​ Must be objective.
3.​ Language
★​ Unambiguous language; clear topic sentence, formal language,
and third person POV.
★​ Technical language may also be used.
4.​ Citation
★​ Always acknowledge the source.
★​ Defense against allegations of plagiarism.
5.​ Complexity
★​ Academic text addresses complex issues that require
higher-order thinking skills to comprehend.
6.​ Evidence-Based Arguments
★​ Opinions are based on pertinent evidence.
7.​ Thesis-Driven
★​ Starting point must have a particular perspective, idea, or
position.
Academic Vs. Social Language

Academic Language
★​ Needed by students to do their schoolworks.
Social Language
★​ Set of vocabulary that allows to communicate with others in the
context of regular daily conversation.
 Characteristics of
Academic Change

1.​ Formal
★​ Must not sound conversational or casual.
★​ Colloquial, idiomatic, slang or journal expressions should be
avoided.
​ ​
Types of
Colloquialisms

1.​ Regional Colloquialism

2.​ Social Colloquialism
3.​ Generational Colloquialism
4.​ Linguistic Colloquialism
5.​ Shortened Colloquialism
6.​ Idioms

2.​ Objective
★​ Should be based on facts, evidence, and not influenced by
personal feelings.

3.​ Impersonal
★​ Avoid first-person (I, Me, We, Us, etc,.) and second-person (You,
Your, Yours, Yourself, and Yourselves) pronouns.

Lesson 2: Text Structure

★​ Refers to the way authors organize information.

6 Common Text Structure

1.​ Narrative
★​ Narrates an event or story
★​ Follows Freytag’s Pyramid
 ★​ Transition/Signal words: Descriptive language (Adjective,
Adverbs, Simile, Metaphor)

2.​ Process/Sequence
★​ Present ideas or events in order in which they happened.
★​ Transition/Signal words: First, Second, Third, Later, Next Before,
Then, etc,..

3.​ Cause and Effect

★​ Shows the reason (cause) and result (effect).
★​ Transition/Signal words: If/Then, Reason why, As a result, etc,..
4.​ Problem-Solution
★​ Identifies problems and poses/suggest solutions.
★​ Transition/Signal words: Problem is, The dilemma is, If/Then,
etc,..

5.​ Compare and Contrast

★​ Differences and similarities.
★​ Transition/Signal words: However/Yet, On the other hand, on
one hand, etc,..

6.​ Definition and Description

★​ Describe a topic by listing characteristics, features, attributes,
and examples.
★​ Transition/Signal words: For example, etc,..
 Techniques in Summarizing Academic Text

Summarizing

★​ Process of taking larger selections of text and reducing them to their

bare essentials.
★​ Distillation, Condensation, or reduction of a larger work into primary
notions.

1.​ Somebody-wanted-but-so-them
★​ Recognizes cause-and-effect.

2.​ SAAC Method (State, Assign, Action, Complete)

★​ Summarizing any kind of text.

3.​ 5 W’s and 1 H (What, When, Where, Who, Why, How)

★​ Identify the main character, important details, and main ideas.

4.​ First, Then, Finally

★​ Summarize events in chronological order.

5.​ Give me the gist

★​ Very Brief summary— not retelling every detail.

Writing a reaction paper

REACTION PAPER
-​ writer expresses his ideas and opinions on a material viewed or read.
-​ Introduction - Body - Conclusion
-​ may become informal; typically 2 pages long.
-​ Evaluating, weaknesses, critical assessment, content, style,
effectiveness
PARTS OF A REACTION PAPER
Introduction
-​ Main premise (information about the author and the subject matter)
-​ Avoid personal opinion
-​ Thesis statement (Main idea)

Body
-​ State your thoughts
-​ Strengths & weaknesses
-​ Relate to modern world, society, person

Conclusion
-​ Summarize
-​ Statements displaying your stand

STEPS IN WRITING A REACTION PAPER

-​ Read and watch the material carefully.
-​ Write your thoughts while reading or watching.
-​ Come up with a thesis statement.
-​ Create an outline.
-​ Compose your reaction paper.

Writing a concept paper

Concept
-​ Abstract idea, plan, intention

Concept paper
-​ Summary
-​ Project proposal - background reason
-​ Manner of execution

Uses of a concept paper

1.​ Foundation
2.​ Feasibility
3.​ Piques interest - potential funding agency
4.​ Informal feedback ideas
5.​ Addressing social issues
Parts of a concept paper (for a project proposal)
1.​ Cover page
-​ Proponent’s name
-​ Proponent’s contact number and email address
-​ Proponent’s agency
-​ Date of Submission
2.​ Introduction
-​ Short description of the proponent’s agency, major
accomplishments, and capabilities
-​ Reasons why the funding agency should support the project
3.​ Rationale
-​ Problem to be solved
-​ Project’s significance
4.​ Project description
-​ Objective of the project
-​ Methodology
-​ Timeline
-​ Anticipated outcome (Vision Statement)
-​ Ways in evaluating the outcome
5.​ Project Needs and cost
-​ Budget, item description, and amount
-​ Personnel or equipment needed

WAYS IN ELUCIDATING A CONCEPT PAPER

1.​ Definition
-​ What does it mean
3 ways of defining
-​ Informal - brief explanation of the concept
-​ Formal - term, category, quality
-​ Extended - detailed way, one paragraph, incorporates various
patterns

2.​ Explication - explaining sentences, verses, quotes, phrases

3.​ Clarification - points are organized, general abstract idea to specific
and concrete examples
(ArCIE)
1.​ Argument - Reasons
2.​ Claim or stand - Demand
3.​ Issue - Topic or problem
4.​ Evidence - Facts

Types of Evidence
1.​ Factual Knowledge - Verifiable
2.​ Statistical Inferences - Analyzing data
3.​ Personal testimony - Personal experience