MODULE 1

UNDERSTANDING ACADEMIC TEXTS

LEARNING
COMPETENCIES EXPLORE
The learner …
1. determines the structure of a Check the following items if the statement is true to you. Listen to the teacher
specific academic text
2. differentiates language used in for the discussion of your results.
academic texts from various
disciplines
3. explains the specific ideas ❑ I find it difficult to gain information from written and spoken text without
contained in various academic
texts teacher assistance
4. uses knowledge of text structure to
glean the information he/she needs
❑ I fail to fully comprehend text, e.g. I find it difficult to draw conclusions and
5. uses various techniques in predicting outcomes
summarizing a variety of academic
texts ❑ I find it difficult to draw inferences, i.e. I find it difficult to connect what’s on
6. states the thesis statement of an
academic text
the page, what’s in my head and reading between the lines
7. paraphrases/ explains a text using ❑ I find it difficult to ‘see’ the connection or relationships between more
one’s own words
8. outlines reading texts in various complex ideas
disciplines
9. summarizes the content of an
❑ I find it difficult to identify the main idea and providing supporting details
academic text relevant to a topic
10. writes a précis/abstract/ summary
of texts in the various disciplines ❑ I find it difficult to paraphrase or put information into own words

What do you think are the skills you need based on the statements
above?

BUILD YOUR BACKGROUND

Academic Language vs. Social Language

Academic language and social language are not two separate languages. Social language is the
language of everyday communication in oral and written forms. When using social, or informal language in
daily conversation, it’s possible to communicate by using slang and without using English in a grammatically
correct way. You can be understood without using articles, prepositions, sophisticated vocabulary, and
pronoun reference.

Academic language is more demanding and complex than social language. Academic language is the
language used in the classroom and workplace. Academic language is also a part of speaking. Mastering oral
academic language will allow students to participate in academic discussions, debates and project
presentations.

When comparing social and academic language, you should look for the following differences:

Informal Language Academic Language

variety of words, more
repetition of words
sophisticated vocabulary
sentences start with transition
sentences start with
words, such as “however,”
“and” and “but”
“moreover,” and “in addition”
use of slang: “guy,” “cool,” and
No slang
“awesome”

Academic Writing

The term academic writing refers to the forms of expository and argumentative prose used by university

students, faculty, and researchers to convey a body of information about a particular subject.
Generally, academic writing is expected to be precise, semi-formal, impersonal, and objective.

Structure of Academic Texts

An important feature of academic texts is that they are organized in a specific way; they have a clear
structure. This structure makes it easier for the readers to navigate your text and understand the material
better. It also makes it easier for the writer to organize his material. The structure of an academic text should
be clear throughout the text and within each section, paragraph and even sentence.

Most academic texts in the sciences adhere to the model called IMRaD,
which is an acronym for introduction, methods and materials, results, and
discussion.

Features of Academic Texts

Formal
Formal writing requires considerable effort to construct meaningful sentences, paragraphs, and
arguments that make the text easy to comprehend. In general this means that conversational English should
be avoided and facts and figures should be presented in a clear manner. Academic texts should be factual,
concise and accurate. Choose words precisely and carefully so that the reader can accurately understand the
concepts within the text.
It is important to remember that academic texts are written with an academic audience in mind and
writing style needs to conform to the conventions of the field you are studying.

Analytical
In academic writing, the complexity of the subject matter is acknowledged through critical analysis.
This can be done through asking questions and examining and evaluating evidence. Through critical analysis
we are able to add a new perspective to a subject instead of just rewriting what has already been written.

Treating the topic and the material in an analytical manner should seep through in your language. Part
of being analytical in your writing is to compare and contrast, evaluate and consider both sides of an issue. It
also means that you explain, give reasons, draw conclusions, make suggestions and recommendations and
support this with evidence.
Objective
Academic writing is based on research and not on the writer’s own opinion about a given topic. When
writing objectively one is concerned about facts and not influenced by personal feelings or biases. When
presenting an argument to the reader, try to show both sides if it can and avoid making value judgments.

At the same time you will probably have to do an analysis or a discussion and in that manner express
an attitude. In order to convey attitude without using for example “I think”, you may use words such as
apparently, arguably, ideally, strangely and unexpectedly. Note that the attitude you are expressing should not
be based on personal preferences but rather on the evidence that you are presenting.

Explicit
Academic writing is explicit in several ways. First and foremost, it means that there is a clear
presentation of ideas in the paper. The text should have a well-organized structure and be easy for the reader
to follow. One way to accomplish clarity and structure in your text is through the use of signposts. Signposts
are words and phrases that you can use in your text in order to guide the reader along. Signposting can be
divided into two different categories: major signposting and linking words and phrases.

Academic Disciplines

An academic discipline or field of study is a branch of knowledge that is taught and researched as part
of higher education. A scholar's discipline is commonly defined and recognized by the university faculties and
learned societies to which he or she belongs and the academic journals in which he or she publishes research.
However, no formal criteria exists for defining an academic discipline.

There are many variations of the classification of academic disciplines. This course shall be using the
following classification (adapted from World Heritage Encyclopedia):

1. Humanities – includes history, language, and literature.

2. Fine Arts – includes performing arts, visual arts and applied arts
3. Social Sciences – includes economics, area studies and archaeology
4. Natural Sciences – includes biology, chemistry, and physics
5. Mathematics – includes statistics, logic, and pure mathematics
DEEPEN

Critical Reading [CITATION Dan17 \l 13321 ]

Non-critical (or pre-critical) reading is concerned with recognizing what a text says about the topic. The
goal is to make sense of the presentation as a sequence of thoughts, to understand the information, ideas, and
opinions stated within the text from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph. This is a linear activity.
Critical reading is an analytic activity. The reader rereads a text to identify patterns of elements -- information,
values, assumptions, and language usage-- throughout the discussion. These elements are tied together in an
interpretation, an assertion of an underlying meaning of the text as a whole.

Critical thinking involves bringing outside knowledge, biases, and values to bear to evaluate the
presentation and decide what ultimately to accept as true.

The initial step of critical reading involves recognizing a text as a presentation in its own right. This step is
concerned with identifying such elements as

1. The existence of a beginning, middle, and end

2. The use of illustrations to explicate remarks
3. The use of evidence to support remarks
4. The use of stylish language to portray topics

The next step involves describing the nature of these aspects of the text, of classifying the nature of the
material within the text

1. The nature of the examples – what the examples are examples of

2. The nature of the evidence – what kinds of authorities are invoked, what types of evidence are
provided
3. The nature of the choice or terms– what types of terms are applied to what topics

The final step involves inferring the underlying assumptions and perspectives of the discussion, taking into
account of all of the elements of the text being as they are throughout the text as a whole. This step is
concerned less with sequential development and more with recognizing patterns of elements interwoven
throughout the presentation as a whole.

1. What is achieved by describing topics a certain way

2. What is assumed by selecting certain types of evidence
Throughout, critical reading relies on abstracting, on classifying the nature of things,

1. The nature of the structure of the text

2. The nature of the language employed
3. The nature of the examples invoked
4. The nature of the illustrations brought to bear

And the nature of the thinking that would explain all aspects of the text being as they are.
In the end, readers must take control of the text, not just repeat its assertions. At its core, critical reading
involves becoming the author of one's own understanding.

Facts v. Interpretation

To non -critical readers, texts provide facts. Readers gain knowledge by memorizing the statements
within a text.
To the critical readers, any single text provides but one portrayal of the facts, one individual’s “take” on
the subject matter. Critical readers thus recognize not only what a text says, but also how that text portrays the
subject matter. They recognize the various ways in which each and every text is the unique creation of a
unique author.

**A non-critical reader might read a history book to learn the facts of the situation or to discover an accepted
interpretation of those events. A critical reader might read the same work to appreciate how a particular
perspective on the events and a particular selection of facts can lead to particular understanding.
What a Text Says, Does, and Means: Reaching for an Interpretation

Non-critical reading is satisfied with recognizing what a text says and restating the key remarks.
Critical reading goes two steps further. Having recognized what a text says, it reflects on what the text does by
making such remarks. Is it offering examples? Arguing? Appealing for sympathy? Making a contrast to
clarify a point? Finally, critical readers then infer what the text, as a whole, means, based on the earlier
analysis.

These three steps or modes of analysis are reflected in three types of reading and discussion:

What a text says – restatement

What a text does – description
What a text means – interpretation

You can distinguish each mode of analysis by the subject matter of the discussion:

What a text says – restatement – talks about the same topic as the original text
What a text does – description – discusses aspects of the discussion itself
What a text means – interpretation — analyzes the text and asserts a meaning for the text as a whole

Goals of Critical Reading

Textbooks on critical reading commonly ask students to accomplish certain goals:

1. to recognize an author’s purpose
2. to understand tone and persuasive elements
3. to recognize bias

Notice that none of these goals actually refers to something on the page. Each requires inferences from
evidence within the text:
1. recognizing purpose involves inferring a basis for choices of content and language
2. recognizing tone and persuasive elements involves classifying the nature of language choices
3. recognizing bias involves classifying the nature of patterns of choice of content and language

Critical reading is not simply close and careful reading. To read critically, one must actively recognize and
analyze evidence upon the page.

Analysis and Inference: The Tools of Critical Reading

These web pages are designed to take the mystery out of critical reading. They are designed to show
you what to look for ( analysis ) and how to think about what you find ( inference ) .
The first part —what to look for— involves recognizing those aspects of a discussion that control the meaning.

The second part —how to think about what you find— involves the processes of inference, the
interpretation of data from within the text.

Recall that critical reading assumes that each author offers a portrayal of the topic. Critical reading thus
relies on an examination of those choices that any and all authors must make when framing a presentation:
choices of content, language, and structure. Readers examine each of the three areas of choice, and consider
their effect on the meaning.

REFERENCES

American Federation of Teachers. (n.d.). Academic Language for English Language Learners. Retrieved from
www.ColorinColorado.org/webcasts.
Kurland, D. (2000). How the Language Really Works: The Fundamentals of Critical Reading and Effective
Writing. Retrieved from www.criticalreading.com:
http://www.criticalreading.com/critical_reading_core.htm