November 26, 2018

“
◆ILLUSTRATI
VE POINT
LITERARY TEXTS
ACADEMIC TEXTS
 “
◆FUNDAMENTALS OF
READING ACADEMIC
TEXTS
 “
◆What is an Academic
Text?
ACADEMIC TEXT
◆An academic text is a kind
of text that is commonly characterized
with being formal, studied, researched,
objective, exact, direct, and has the
ability to influence its readers.
KINDS OF ACADEMIC
TEXTS
Kinds of Academic Texts

◆Articles
◆Conference papers
◆Reviews
◆Theses, Dissertations
Articles
Articles
◆Articles are published in scholarly
journals, this type of academic text
offers results of research and
development that can either impact the
academic community or or provide
relevance to nation-building.
Conference Papers
Conference Papers
◆These are papers presented in
scholastic conferences and may be
revised as articles for possible
publication in scholarly journals.
Reviews
Reviews
◆These provide evaluation or
reviews of works published in
scholarly journals.
 Theses,
Dissertation
Theses, Dissertation
◆These are personal researches
written by a candidate for a college
or university degree.
Reading Goals
Before reading an academic text, ask yourself
the following questions:

◆Why am I reading this text?

◆What information or pieces of
information do I need?
◆What do I want to learn?
Purposes of Reading
Academic Texts
Purposes of Reading Academic Texts

◆To better understand an existing idea

◆To get ideas that can support a particular
writing assignment
◆To gain more information
◆To identify gaps in existing studies
◆To connect new ideas to existing ones.
Structure of Academic Texts

◆Academic texts are typically FORMAL.

◆They have clearly stated introduction,
body, and conclusion. They also include
information from credible sources which are
cited. They also have a list of references.
Content and Style of
Academic Texts
Content and Style

◆They state critical questions and issues.

◆They provide facts and evidence from
credible sources.
◆They use precise and accurate words
while avoiding jargon and colloquial
expressions.
Content and Style

◆They take an objective point-of-view and

avoid being personal and subjective.
◆They list references.
◆They use hedging or cautious language to
tone down their claims.
 Types Examples As used in a sentence

Modal Auxiliary verbs May, might, can, could, The measure might
would, should have negative effects on
the patient’s health.
Modal lexical verbs To seem, to appear, to The discussion appears
doubting and evaluating believe to have positive
rather than merely implications.
describing
Probability adjectives Possible, probable, A number of significant
un/like changes is are possible.

Nouns Assumption, claim, There are a number of

possibility, estimate, claims pertaining to the
suggestion possibility of a divorce
 Types Examples As used in a sentence

Adverbs Perhaps, possibly, The proposal is

probably practically on answer to
the confusion.
Indicators of degree, Approximately, roughly, Fever is present in about
quantity, frequency, and about, often, a third of cases.
time occasionally
Introductory phrases Believe, to our The committee believes
knowledge, we feel that that the issue needs to
be explored.

“If” clause If true, If anything If anything, the opinion

holds a number of truths.
 Types Examples As used in a sentence

Compound hedges Seems reasonable, This probably indicates

looks probable, it may that the assigned
suggest that personnel is
misinformed.
Critical Reading
Strategies
Before Reading

◆Determine which type of academic text

you are reading
◆Determine and establish your purpose for
reading
◆Identify the author’s purpose for writing.
Before Reading

◆Predict or infer the main idea or argument of the

text based on its title.
◆State what you already know and what you want to
learn about the topic.
◆Determine the target audience.
◆Check the publication date
◆Check the reference list.
◆Use a concept map.
During Reading

◆Annotating a text can help you

determine essential ideas or information,
main ideas or arguments, and new
information or ideas.
Annotating a Text
◆Write keywords or phrases on the margins in bullet
form
◆Write brief notes on the margin
◆Write questions on information that you find
confusing.
◆Write what you already know about the ideas
◆Write the limitations of the author’s arguments
◆Write notes on the reliability of the text
◆Comment on the author’s bias.
After Reading

◆Reflect on what you learned.

◆React on some parts of the text through writing
◆Discuss some parts with your teacher or
classmates
◆Link the main idea of the text to what you already
know.
SQ3R Method
SQ3R Method
STAGE Guidelines
Survey • Skim the target text
• Check the headings and tables, diagrams,
• Read the first few and last sentences of the text to determine
key information
• Get a feel of the text

Question • Annotate the headings with your questions

• Develop questions on types of information you
expect from the text.
Read • Look for answers to your questions as you read in the text.
• Stop and slow down if the passage is not clear.

Recite • Recount the main points of the text, write a

summary, highlight important points.
STAGE Guidelines
Review • After finishing the text, go back and reread the
questions you wrote and see if you can answer them.
• Evaluate what you learned to ensure that you are
convinced and satisfied with the information
presented in the text.
KWL Charts
KWLH Charts

◆A KWL Chart is used

to record ideas prior to
and after reading.
WHAT I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO
WHAT I LEARNED
KNOW

PRIOR TO AFTER
READING READING
ASSESSMENT
ACTIVITY
ACTIVITY

◆Create a venn diagram

showing the difference
between academic and
non-academic text.