Prepared by: Ms. Rica Shayne M.

Medallo

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

REVIWER FOR SECOND QUARTERLY EXAMINATION

I. WRITING A CONCEPT PAPER

A. Concept Paper – short summary; pre-proposal; overview of the project
- introducing/explaining a concept/term before proceeding to the proposal
- foundation of a full proposal
- 500 to 2000 words; may vary depending on the nature of the project/activity
B. Two Types of Concept Paper:
1. Project Concept Paper – proposes a certain tangible project
2. Research Concept Paper – presents an idea or concept.
C. Three Ways in Explaining a Concept:
1. Definition – define a term/concept; to make its meaning clearer
a. Informal Definition – some definition contains parentheses; some just
briefly explain or simply explain/define the term; these definitions may be
synonyms or antonyms introduced by or, in other words, or like. It could
also be stipulation, analogy, or illustration.
Example:
Voltaire was imprisoned twice in the Bastille (French fortress), once
in 1717 and a second time in 1726.
b. Formal Definition – more formal; pattern or equation; Species (term to
be defined) + genus (general category) + differentia (what makes it
different from other terms). S + G + D = Definition
Example:
Legend: - A comparator is a digital circuit used to compare two voltages.
S – Species S G D
- How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom which depicts
G – Genus
S G
D – Differentia the life of Ted Mosby, and his group of friends in New York City's
Manhattan. D

c. Extended Definition – most formal; various patterns of development;

written in one paragraph; this may use a transitional device to see the
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patterns of development of the definition. (for example, description,

process narration, causal discussion, and classification)
Example:
When my friend Katrice was young, she disobeyed her parents near
Christmas. I don't recall the crime, but I do recall the consequence. When
Process Narration she woke up on Christmas morning, there were no presents for her under
the tree from "Santa Claus." To make matters worse, she had to watch her
younger siblings open all their presents in front of her. Santa did not come
for Katrice that year because she was on the "naughty list." While her
parents may well still stand by their decision, Katrice maintains that she
was the victim of cruel and unusual punishment. I tend to agree, as it seems
Term that the consequences were too drastic for any child, no matter how
naughty she may have been.

2. Explication – analyze and develop an idea in detail; interpret the passages taken
and used from a text.
Example:
“On the banks of the distant river, I have never known you, But your blood
Excerpt/Passage
flows in my veins.” In David Diop’s Africa, My Africa, the word "distant"
symbolize how far he is from his country, a feeling based on his real life as
Interpretation/ he was born in France and lived there for most of his life. Despite of that,
Analysis the blood that running through his veins is pure African because his parents
were both Africans.

3. Clarification – uses deductive approach (general abstract to specific concrete);

clarifying the concept by giving examples; uses signal words
Signal words: Example:
✓ After all; As an example
✓ Consider the following Love is a set of emotions, behaviors, and beliefs with strong feelings
✓ For example; For instance of affection. For example, a person might say he or she loves his or her
✓ In other words; In short dog, loves freedom, or loves God. The concept of love may become an
✓ Specifically; to be specific unimaginable thing and also it may happen to each person in a
✓ To clarify; to illustrate particular way.

D. Qualities of a Good Concept Paper

• Examines the what-ness or nature of something.

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• Seeks to present an idea for consideration

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• Persuasive intent to get a ‘yes’

Prepared by: Ms. Rica Shayne M. Medallo

II. Writing a Critique Paper

A. Critique Paper - expanded version of reaction paper; allows writers to express their
views, enabling others to share their point or a contrary viewpoint.
B. Critique VS Criticism
CRITIQUE CRITICIZE/CRITICISM
Careful judgment in which someone gives Act of criticizing
an opinion about something
To help improve quality of work; critical Activity of making judgments about the quality of
assessment, analysis, or evaluation. books, movies, etc.
Specialized form of writing Remark that expresses disapproval

C. Structure

Comparative analysis

D. Literary Theories and Approaches

1. Formalist – analyzes a literary text by looking at its elements; author is dead;
understanding the text through the text itself; the text already has a meaning.
2. Feminist – a type of gender theory criticism that looks at how female characters
uplift their status as women
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Example:
MAU by Shanti Dope
Neneng B by Nik Makino
Run the World (Girls) by Beyonce
Themes Explored in Feminism:
a. Discrimination – male dominating women
b. Stereotyping – how/what people think about the sole of woman
c. Oppression – violence
d. Patriarchy – male -> decision-maker/head of the family

3. Readers-Response – concerned with the reviewer’s reaction as an audience of

a work and claims that the audience’s role cannot be separated from the
understanding of the work; a text does not have meaning until the audience reads
it and interprets it

NOTE:
Reader creates the meaning of the text
Advantage: diff POV of readers -> people’s interpretation changes over time
Disadvantage: interpretations may become too subjective

4. Marxist – based on Karl Marx’s ideology; focuses on the gap between the rich
and the poor and is related to how social classes work and the use power, wealth
(money), and politics
Example: Bamboo’s Tatsulok
Tatsulok – a Filipino translation of
the shape triangle/pyramid
Triangle/Pyramid – symbolism of
Marx’s class theory
Habang may tatsulok at sila ang nasa tuktok
Di matatapos itong gulo
“It simply means that as long as the elites are
ruling, the continuous problems will go on until the
status quo changes. In short, it is about the Marxist
perspective that says that equality will only
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happen if capitalism will be stopped.” (The

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Adventures of Heri into Politics – Agere Sequitur

Esse, 2015)
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Example: Gloc 9’s Upuan

Kayo po na naka upo
Upuan – chair Subukan nyo namang tumayo
At baka matanaw, at baka matanaw
Chair – symbolism of authority
na nyo
Person who sits on the chair – someone who Ang tunay na kalagayan ko
rules/government Those who belong to the upper
class does not know the struggle
Government – usually belongs to the upper class from the lower class.
(refer to the Marx’s social class theory)

E. Other critical approaches

• Deconstructionist (language as an unstable entity)
• Psychological (effects of modern psychology on both literature and literary
criticism)
• Gender criticism (gender identity and sexual orientation)
- Love, Simon
- Gloc 9’s Sirena
• Biographical (understanding the author’s life to comprehend the work)
- Erik Clapton’s Tears in Heaven (song dedicated to his deceased son)
• Historical (the social, cultural, and intellectual context that produced the work)
- Goyo, Heneral Luna
• Mythological (use of myths and symbols common to different cultures)
- Harry Potter

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