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Rizal Institute
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ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

Midterm Learning Module: Lesson 1
READING ACADEMIC TEXTS
Learning Goals
At the end of this lesson, I will be able to:
Topic: Imorta
1. differentiate academic texts from non-academic texts;
2. examine an academic text to establish its nature and characteristics;
3. recognize the characteristics of language used in academic texts;
4. analyze academic texts according to its language use;
5. evaluate academic texts based on its use of language; and
6. define academic writing and distinguish its purposes.

Explore
1. What will happen if most of the words used in an essay are violent words? Does the reader will continue
reading it?
2. Why is it that when writers/authors write, they seem to catch our attention? Can we do the same when we
write?

Input
Nature and Characteristics of an Academic Text
An academic text is a reading material that provides information which include concepts and theories
that are related to the specific discipline.
The following are considered as academic texts:
Research Paper Thesis/Dissertation
Conference Paper Reviews
Feasibility Study Essay
Academic Journals Reports

Unlike fiction or journalistic writing, the overall structure of an academic text is formal
and logical (Introduction, Body, Conclusion). It must be cohesive and possess a logically
organized flow of ideas; thus mean that various parts are connected to form a unified
whole.

The overall tone refers to the attitude conveyed in a piece of writing. The arguments of
others are fairly presented and with an appropriate narrative tone. When presenting a
position or argument that disagrees with one’s perspectives, describe the argument
accurately without loaded or biased language.

It is important to use unambiguous language. Clear topic sentences enable a reader to

follow your line of thinking without difficulty. Formal language and the third person point-
of view should be used. Technical language appropriate to the area of study may also
be used, however it does not mean using “big words” just for the sake of doing so.

Citing sources in the body of the paper and providing a list of references as either
footnotes or endnotes is a very important aspect of an academic text. It is essential to
always acknowledge the source of any ideas, research findings, data, or quoted text that
have been used in a paper as a defense against allegations of plagiarism.

What is valued in an academic text is that opinions are based on a sound understanding
of the pertinent body of knowledge and academic debates that exist within, and often
external to a specific discipline.

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The starting point of an academic text is a particular perspective, idea or position applied
to the chosen research problem, such as establishing, proving, or disproving solutions to
the questions posed for the topic.

CHARACTERISTICS ACADEMIC TEXT NON-ACADEMIC TEXT

Audience Academia Mass Public
Purpose Inform the readers with solid evidence Inform, entertain or persuade the readers
Style Formal and impersonal Personal, impressionistic, emotional or subjective
Structure Standard structure No rigid structure
Language Formal language avoids colloquialism Informal and casual language
Subject/Content Shared historical events or literature or Personal life and everyday events
other forms of knowledge

Academic Language refers to the oral, written, auditory, and visual language proficiency required to learn
effectively in schools and academic programs. It is also the language used in classroom lessons, books, tests, and
assignments. It is the language that students are expected to learn and achieve fluency in.

Why is academic language so important?

Students who master academic language are more likely to be successful in academic and professional
settings.

What is difference between academic language and social language?

Social language is the simple, informal language we use when talking face to face with family members and
friends. It allows us to use contemporary or slang terms like “cool,” “awesome,” or “dude.” We can also communicate
feelings, needs, and wants using symbolic hand gestures for drink, eat, hot, cold, hurt, or tired. Social language also
includes writing emails, friendly letters, and texts or retelling stories.

Academic language is different from everyday social language. It is the vocabulary students or adults must learn
to succeed in the classroom or in the workplace. We use academic language to describe and comprehend complex
ideas, process higher-order thinking, and understand abstract concepts. Academic language is what students read in
textbooks and on tests and what they hear during instruction in the classroom. Students with limited or low academic
language skills are more than likely to have low academic performance in classroom settings. Source: www.handyhandouts.com

Some of the differences between social and academic language that students should look for include:

Social Language Academic Language

Repetition of words Variety of words, more sophisticated vocabulary
Sentences start with “and” and “but” Sentences start with transition words, such as “however,”
“moreover,” and “in addition”
Use of slang: “guy,” “cool,” and “awesome” No slang

CHARACTERISTICS OF ACADEMIC LANGUAGE

FORMAL It should not be conversational and casual. Avoid colloquial and idiomatic expressions, slang, and
contractions.
 Dig in
 Cup of tea
 Dude
 Don’t
IMPERSONAL Do not refer to yourself as the performer of actions. Do not use personal pronouns.

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For example:
“It is commonly said that”… instead of “Many of my friends and colleagues say that…”
“Research revealed that…” instead of “I discovered that”
PRECISE The facts are presented accurately. The choice of words are appropriate. The use of technical terms
to achieve precision is applied.
For example: “85% of the population”, “The results are okay (satisfactory).”, asphyxiation (medical
term)
OBJECTIVE It is unbiased, based on facts and is not influenced by personal feelings.
For example: “The essay on… is distressing.” instead of “I do not like the essay”

Academic writing is a process that starts with posing a question,

problematizing a concept, evaluating an opinion and ends in answering the
question or questions posed, clarifying the problem and/or arguing for a
stand.
It is thinking; you cannot just write anything that comes to your mind. You
have to abide by the set of rules and practices in writing. You have to write
in a language that is appropriate and formal but not too pretentious. You
also have to consider the knowledge and background of your audience. You have to make sure that you can back up
your statement with a strong and valid evidence. Writing academic papers requires deliberate, thorough and careful
thought and that is why it involves research.

Purposes of Academic Writing:

1. to inform
2. to argue a specific point
3. to persuade
4. to entertain

Academic Writing is a form of communication that is shaped by the following factors:

1. Topic – What is the text about? What details am I imparting to the readers?
 The subject the writer chooses to address in his or her writing.
2. Role – Who am I as a writer? Do I write as a sibling? A student? A son/a daughter? A customer?
3. Purpose – Why am I writing this in the first place?
 The intent of the writing to inform or teach someone about something, to entertain people, or to
persuade or convince the audience to do or not do something.
4. Audience – Who is reading this piece? What knowledge does he/she need to understand in my
writing?
 The audience is your teacher (for the most part), your peers who will read and evaluate your work,
and the academic community that may also read your work.

Enrich
I. Read the passages below. Then, identify whether each passage can be an academic text or non-academic
text. Write AT for academic text and NAT for non-academic text.
______1. Just as the sun rises and peeps from the east, and as the roosters of the neighborhood crow,
the man gathered his be longings and left his house.
______2. When synthesizing information, a new understanding about a topic is developed by using
information from more than one source.
______3. Depression is one of society’s prevailing issues that requires attention. One’s mental health is
as important as one’s physical health.
______4. I want to obtain answers to the questions that are swarming in my mind. But, it seems
everything in life is just a cycle of questions with no answers in sight.
______5. He saw the pure crystal water turned crimson red as the monster devoured the victim. He
cried for help but it was too late.
______6. Statistics show that the higher percentage of the population prefer dogs over cats.
______7. Yesterday was a beautiful day. It was warm enough to feel comfortable in shorts. A nice
breeze made the air feel fresh. The flowers vibrated with color. It felt good to be alive.

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______8. Antibiotics are prescribed to fight infections. Sore throats, earaches, and other symptoms may
be caused by the growth of bacteria in your body. As the antibiotics fight to destroy the
bacteria, the bacteria struggle to become stronger.

II. Using the criteria, evaluate the language of the following sample of academic texts from various
disciplines.

A. This essay intends to investigate whether there is a causal relationship between music listened to and
the mood of individuals. Additionally, it will seek to explore whether this relationship is used in advertising
to encourage people to spend money.
B. This essay on how the lyrics of hip-hop developed as a form of protest against a society segregating the
working classes based on the premise of the music having a distinct and energizing rhythm that really
inspires people to move, thereby reaching out to audiences who wouldn’t normally believe in protest, let
alone speak out in public. Thus, the music becomes a vehicle for words of protest that can and indeed
have changed the world.
C. The researcher found out that the male population has a higher chance of being hired compared to the
females. Eighty percent of the employers stated that since females are privileged with maternity leave, they
leave their work for some time resulting to a decline on the overall production of the company. I think this
is very judgmental on the part of the employers. It goes against the Women Empowerment Movement. I
strongly urged the employers to rethink their choices because women are great workers.
D. This essay is focused on investigating the photo tactic responses of three different species of fish that
occupy different areas of an aquarium: danios (Danio rerio), which group near the surface of the water,
black skirt tetra (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), which swim in the middle of the tank, and kuhli loach (Pangio
kuhlii), which swim near the bottom of tank. It is anticipated that they will respond differently to light
according to their niche with the tank.
E. As a student, I want to understand how Multiple Intelligences Theory affect students’ learning. For
example, I learn better when I listen to music while my circle of friends learn best when they discuss the
lesson together. I believe that all of us are unique. We have our own ways to excel in school. That’s why I
want to conduct a study on this particular matter.

Characteristics A B C D E
Does the text use a formal
language? (Yes/No)
Is the language impersonal?
(Yes/No)
Are the choice of words
appropriate for an academic
text? (Yes/No)
Does the text use technical
terms? (If yes, write 1 term
found in the text./No)
Does the text use technical
terms? (If yes, write 1 term
found in the text./No)

Output
Write a short essay on your thoughts about the use of language in academic texts for various
disciplines.

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Self-Check!
Wow! You did it! Let’s check how much you learned by giving yourself a score on each item (10-
highest; 1-lowest). Briefly explain the score you give to yourself.

Criteria Score Remarks

1. I can differentiate academic texts
from non-academic texts.
2. I can examine an academic text to
establish its nature and
characteristics.
3. I can recognize the characteristics
of language used in academic texts.
4. I can analyze academic texts
according to its language use;
5. I can evaluate academic texts based
on its use of language.
6. I can define academic writing and
distinguish its purposes.

Prepared by: Mrs. Steffie Mary D. Santos, LPT

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