Module 1: Reading Academic Texts

Lesson 1 Academic Language used from Various Disciplines

Nature and Characteristics of an Academic Text
An academic text is a written language that provides information, which contain ideas and
concepts that are related to the particular discipline. Essay, Research Paper, Report, Project, Article,
Thesis, and Dissertation are considered as academic texts.
Structure- The basic structure that is used by an academic text is consist of three (3) parts introduction,
body, and conclusion which is formal and logical. This kind of structure enables the reader to follow the
argument and navigate the text. In academic writing a clear structure and a logical flow are imperative
to a cohesive text.
Tone- This 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.
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 pointof-view should be
used. Technical language appropriate to area of study may also be used, however, it does not mean
using “big words” just for the sake of doing so.
Citation- 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.
Complexity- An academic text addresses complex issues that require higher-order thinking skills to
comprehend.
Evidence-based Arguments- 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.
Thesis-driven- 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.
Features of Academic Texts:
1. Complex
- Written language has no longer words, it is lexically more varied vocabulary.
- Written texts are shorter and the language has more grammatical complexity, including more
subordinate clauses and more passives.
2. Formal- Should avoid colloquial words and expressions.
3. Precise - Facts are given accurately and precisely.
4. Objective
- has fewer words that emphasize on the information you want to give and the arguments you want to
make
- mostly use nouns (adjectives), rather than verbs (adverbs)
5. Explicit- It is the responsibility of the writer in English to make it clear to the reader how the various
parts of the text are related.
6. Accurate
- Uses vocabulary accurately
- Most subjects have words with narrow specific meanings.
7. Hedging- It is necessary to make decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of
the claims you are making.
8. Responsible- You must be responsible for and must be able to provide evidence and justification for
any claims you make.
9. Organize
- Well-organized.
- It flows easily from one section to the next in a logical fashion.
10. Plan
- Well-planned.
- It usually takes place after research and evaluation, according to specific purpose and plan.
Purposes in Reading an Academic Text
1. To locate a main idea;
2. To scan for information;
3. To identify gaps in existing studies;
4. To connect new ideas to existing ones;
5. To gain more pieces of information;
6. To support a particular writing assignment; and,
7. To deeply understand an existing idea.
Factors to Consider in Writing Academic Text
1.State critical questions and issues;
2. Provide facts and evidence from credible sources;
3. Use precise and accurate words while avoiding jargon;
4. Take an objective point of view;
5. List references; and,
6. Use cautious language.
Academic Language
Academic language is the language needed by students to do the work in schools. It includes, for
example, discipline-specific vocabulary, grammar and punctuation, and applications of rhetorical
conventions and devices that are typical for a content area (e.g., essays, lab reports, discussions of a
controversial issue.) Students who master academic language are more likely to be successful in
academic and professional settings.
Social language is the set of vocabulary that allows us to communicate with others in the context of
regular daily conversations.
Characteristics of Academic Language
A. Formal- It should not sound conversational or casual. Colloquial, idiomatic, slang or journalistic
expressions should particularly be avoided.
Examples: Use… Consider, monitor, Revise, review, Solve, repair, amend
Instead… Look at Go over Fix
B. Objective - This means it is unbiased. It should be based on facts and evidence and are not influenced
by personal feelings.
C. Impersonal - This involves avoiding the personal pronouns ‘I’ and ‘we’. For example, instead of writing
‘I will show’, you might write ‘this report will show’. The second person, ‘you’, is also to be avoided.
Lesson 2 Text Structure
Common Text Structures
Text structures (WDPI, 2012) refer to the way authors organize information in text. Recognizing the
underlying structure of texts can help students focus attention on key concepts and relationships,
anticipate what is to come, and monitor their comprehension as they read.
Why is Text Structure Important? The readers can significantly improve their comprehension and
retention of information when they can identify and recognize the text structure of a text. It can also
help them:
1. Organize information and details they are learning in their minds while reading.
2. Make connections between the details being presented in a text
3. Summarize the important details shared in a text
Lesson 3 Techniques in Summarizing Variety of Academic Texts
Techniques in Summarizing Academic Texts
Summarizing is how we take larger selections of text and reduce them to their bare essentials: the gist,
the key ideas, the main points that are worth noting and remembering. Webster's calls a summary the
"general idea in brief form"; it's the distillation, condensation, or reduction of a larger work into its
primary notions. (“Reading Quest Strategies | Summarizing”)
Basic Rules:
A. Erase things that don’t matter. Delete trivial material that is unnecessary to understanding.
B. Erase things that repeat. Delete redundant material. In note taking, time and space is precious. If a
word or phrase says basically the same thing you have already written down, then don’t write it again!
C. Trade, general terms for specific names. Substitute superordinate terms for lists (e.g., flowers for
daisies, tulips for roses). Focus on the big picture. Long, technical lists are hard to remember. If one
word will give you the meaning, then less is more.
D. Use your own words to write the summary. Write the summary using your own words but make sure
to retain the main points.
Techniques:
1. Somebody Wanted But So. The strategy helps students generalize, recognize cause and effect
relationships, and find main ideas.
2. SAAC Method. This method is particularly helpful in summarizing any kind of text. SAAC is an acronym
for “State, Assign, Action, Complete.” Each word in the acronym refers to a specific element that should
be included in the summary.

3. 5 W's, 1 H. This technique relies on six crucial questions: who, what, when where, why, and how.
These questions make it easy to identify the main character, important details, and main idea.

4. First Then Finally. This technique helps students summarize events in chronological order.
First: What happened first? Include the main character and main event/action.
Then: What key details took place during the event/action?
Finally: What were the results of the event/action?
Here is an example using "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." First, Goldilocks entered the bears' home
while they were gone. Then, she ate their food, sat in their chairs, and slept in their beds. Finally, she
woke up to find the bears watching her, so she jumped up and ran away
5. Give Me the Gist. This type of techniques is like giving a friend the gist of a story. In other words, they
want a summary – not a retelling of every detail.
Quarter 1 – Module 2: Thesis Statement and Outline Reading Text
Thesis Statement
Definition
A thesis statement is the controlling idea that you will develop in your paper. This can be found
usually at the end of an introduction. A thesis statement can be one sentence. However, if necessary, it
can also be two or three sentences.
Elements of a Thesis Statement
1. Topic. The topic of your paper.
2. Argument/Claim. This depends on the type of paper you are writing. If it is an argumentative paper,
then this should express your opinion. If it is a research or explanatory paper, this should explain the
purpose of your paper.
3. Evidence. The support for your argument/claim.
Outline
An outline is a design to follow when writing a structure, a discourse, or a article. It arranges a material
in a logical way into main ideas, supporting ideas, and supporting details.
The main idea or topic is the main topic of the outline. All main topics are indicated by Roman Numeral.
Subtopics are noted by letters and supporting details are indicated by Arabic Numerals.
An outline can be a sentence outline or topic outline. A sentence outline is written in full sentence while
a topic outline is in words or phrases.
Guidelines in Writing an Outline:
1. Place the title at the center above the outline.
2. Every level of the outline must have at least two items (I and II, A and B, 1 and 2).
3. Put a period after each numeral and letter.
4. Indent each new level of the outline.
5. All items of one kind (roman numerals, capital letters, Arabic numerals) should lineup with each other.
6. Capitalize the first letter of each item.
7. The terms Introduction, Body, and Conclusion do not have to be included in the outline. They are not
topics; they are merely organizational units in the writer’s mind.
Quarter 1 – Module 3 Approaches in Literary Criticism
Lesson 1 Approaches in Literary Criticism
1. Formalist Criticism - This approach regards literature as “a unique form of humanknowledge that
needs to be examined on its own terms.”
2. Gender Criticism - This approach “examines how sexual identity influences the creation and
reception of literary works.”
3. Historical Criticism - This approach “seeks to understand a literary work by investigating the social,
cultural, and intellectual context that produced it—a context that necessarily includes the artist’s
biography and milieu.” A key goal for historical critics is to understand the effect of a literary work upon
its original readers.
4. Reader-Response Criticism - This approach takes as a fundamental tenet that “literature” exists not as
an artifact upon a printed page but as a transaction between the physical text and the mind of a reader.
It attempts “to describe what happens in the reader’s mind while interpreting a text” and reflects that
reading, like writing, is a creative process.
5. Media Criticism - It is the act of closely examining and judging the media.
6. Marxist Criticism
-It focuses on the economic and political elements of art
-Marxist criticism “can illuminate political and economic dimensions of literature other approaches
overlook.”
7. Structuralism - It focused on how human behavior is determined by social, cultural and
psychological structures. It tended to offer a single unified approach to human life that would embrace
all disciplines. The essence of structuralism is the belief that “things cannot be understood in isolation,
they have to be seen in the context of larger structures which contain them.
Quarter 1 – Module 4 Writing the Reaction Paper/ Review/ Critique
Lesson 1 Writing the Reaction Paper/ Review / Critique
REACTION PAPER
 a form of paper writing in which the writer expresses his ideas and opinions about what has
been read or seen.
 Reaction paper is evaluated due to the writer's communication skills and only then due the
unique ideas and the content.
 This paper writing may be informal, two pages long.
 As all essays, a reaction paper comprises introduction, body, and conclusion.
 In introduction the writers states the main premise, in a body he expresses his ideas and in
conclusion summarizes the results.
 The reaction paper is not a summary of the article although information should be included.
follow an appropriate structure.
• Read the material carefully
Whether it is a book, article, or a film, make sure to read or watch it very carefully. Sometimes, you will
need to repeat this procedure for a couple of times.
• Mark interesting places while reading/watching
This will help you focus on the aspects that impressed you the most and come back to them after you
are done with reading or watching.
• Write down your thought while reading/watching
Doing so, you won’t forget any important ideas that came to your head.
• Come up with a thesis statement
Use your notes to formulate a central idea you will develop in your further work. Then put it in one
sentence and make it your thesis statement.
• Compose an outline
Every time you write an academic paper, you need to make an outline. Try at least once and you will see
how helpful an outline could be!
• Construct your paper
Only when all the preparations are done, start writing a paper itself.
recommendations, which will help you complete an outstanding reaction paper:
• Read the original article carefully and highlight the main ideas and points you want to discuss;
• Describe your point of view and back it with additional information if needed. Use vivid examples;
• Use various sources to make your statement more argumentative.
Handicap a circumstance that makes progress or success difficult:
"a criminal conviction is a handicap and a label that may stick forever"

Forge make or shape (a metal object) by heating it in a fire or furnace and beating or hammering it:

"he forged a great suit of black armor"

Execution the carrying out or putting into effect of a plan, order, or course of action:

"he was fascinated by the entire operation and its execution"

Exonerate (especially of an official body) absolve (someone) from blame for a fault or wrongdoing,
especially after due consideration of the case:

"they should exonerate these men from this crime" 

Perplex(of something complicated or unaccountable) cause (someone) to feel completely baffled:

"she was perplexed by her husband's moodiness"

Caricature a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are
exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect:

"there are elements of caricature in the portrayal of the hero"

Cronyism the appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard
to their qualifications:
"there are complaints that cronyism is behind the rise of various executives through the ranks"
Undercurrent an underlying feeling or influence, especially one that is contrary to the prevailing
atmosphere and is not expressed openly:

"an undercurrent of anger and discontent"

Compensate give (someone) something, typically money, in recognition of loss, suffering, or injury
incurred; recompense:

"payments were made to farmers to compensate them for cuts in subsidies"

Quarter 1 – Module 5: Writing the Concept Paper

Lesson 1 Concept paper and its parts
Concept paper is an academic paper which tells about a brief summary of a certain research project, its
importance and how it will be carried out.
The main purpose of writing a concept paper is to convince your reader that your proposed research
project is worth doing.
There are many types of concept paper such as discussions, business projects, commentaries, and
academic research.
The structure of the paper depends mainly on the type of concept paper that the author or writer wants
to write.
Seven important aspects to consider when writing a concept paper in academic research.
1. Title – this can be best presented in a question form.
2. Introduction – this is the brief overview of the topic or issue you wish to study.
3. Background - This section describes the current condition of the field you're researching, including the
knowledge and issues that the study will address. You can also include the reason why you want to
investigate or study the topic.
4. Preliminary Literature review - In this section, you will write related studies and papers that will
support your research topic.
5. Methodology – This section contains the data analysis system, data gathering procedure, instruments
to be utilized or used, and participants of the study.
6. Timelines - provide a reasonable and achievable timeline for your project.
7. References – provides all the list of all sources of your research such as books, journals, and other
resources cited in your paper. You may use American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language
Association (MLA) and the Chicago style.
Lesson 2 Ways in Explaining a Concept
A concept paper may be explained through different modes or patterns.
1. Definition - It is a technique for recognizing a phrase and clarifying its meaning; its primary goal is to
clarify and explain concepts, ideas, and issues.
Three ways in presenting definition:
a. Formal definition– Explains a term by clarifying where it originates from and the characteristic that
distinguishes it from others. This can be done also through term, class, and distinguishing features.
b. Informal definition – It is done through brief explanation. It only includes the term to be defined and
its class. Below is the diagram presentation on informal definition.
c. Extended definition – It consists of at least one paragraph with a detailed description and facts
2. Explication - It is an explanation method in which words, verses, quotes, or paragraphs are taken for a
literary or academic work and then interpreted and described in detail.
3. Clarification - It is a method in which the points are organized from a broad abstract concept to more
specific and particular details.

Signal Words ➢ After all, as an example, for instance, in other words, in particular, specifically, to
clarify, to be specific
MODULE 5
MODULE 4
MODULE 3