St. Rose Catholic School, Inc.

PANIQUI, TARLAC

Academic Text Academic Language

✓ is a reading material that provides ✓ refers to the oral, written, auditory, and
information which include concepts and visual language proficiency required to
theories that are related to the specific learn effectively in schools and
discipline. academic programs.
✓ Research Paper, Conference Paper, ✓ It is also the language used in
Feasibility Study, Thesis/Dissertation, classroom lessons, books, tests, and
Reviews, Essay, Academic Journals, assignments.
and Reports. ✓ It is the language that students are
expected to learn and achieve fluency
Nature and Characteristics of an in
Academic Text
Academic Language vs. Social
1. The structure is formal and logical.
Language
2. The arguments of others are fairly
presented and with an appropriate SOCIAL LANGUAGE ACADEMIC
narrative tone. LANGUAGE
3. The language used is clear. repetition of words variety of words, more
4. Proper citation is used to give credit and sophisticated
vocabulary
acknowledgement to the source.
sentences start with sentences start with
5. An academic text addresses complex “and” and “but” transition words, such
issues that require higher-order as “however,”
thinking skills to comprehend. “moreover,” and “in
6. Arguments are evidence-based. addition”
7. Academic Texts are Thesis- Driven. use of slang: “guy,” No slang
“cool,” and “awesome”
Characte- Academic Non-Academic
ristics Text
Audience Academia Mass Public Characteristics of Academic
Purpose Inform the Inform, Language
readers entertain,
with solid persuade the Formal
evidence readers It should not be conversational and casual.
Style Formal and Personal, Avoid colloquial and idiomatic expressions,
impersonal impressionistic, slang, and contractions.
emotional or Example:
subjective This music is much more my cup of tea than
Structure Standard No rigid this new stuff.
structure structure Better:
Language Formal Informal and This music is preferred by many.
language casual language
avoids
Impersonal
colloquialis
ms Do not refer to yourself as the performer of
Subject Shared Personal life and actions. Do not use personal pronouns.
/Content historical everyday events
events or
literature or
other forms of
knowledge
 Example:
Many of my friends and colleagues say that
Sagada is a promising place.
Better:
It is commonly said that Sagada is a great
place.
Precise
The facts are presented accurately. The
choice of words are appropriate.
Example:
The examination results are okay.
Better:
85% of the class, passed the examination.
Objective:
It is unbiased, based on facts and is not
influenced by personal feelings.
Example:
“I do not like the essay”.
Better:
“The essay on mental health is distressing
Summarize:
- An academic text should clearly state
its thesis, argument or proposition.
- It is acceptable to include one’s
judgment but should be supported by
evidence.
- Both academic and non-academic
texts can be used to inform.
- Language used in academic texts
employ technical terms specific for
each field and/or discipline.
- Academic language should be
objective, precise, impersonal and
formal
- Students who master academic
language are more likely to be
successful in academic and
professional settings.
ACADEMIC TEXT FROM VARIOUS
DISCIPLINES
Academic Language
- represents the language demands of
school (academics).
Academic Structure
- includes the established ways of
organizing writing (which can affect
how one reads) in a discipline.
Academic Vocabulary
- used in all academic disciplines to
teach about the content of the
discipline, e.g., a water table is different
from a periodic elements table
In determining the language used in
academic text from various discipline, be
reminded of the following:
✓ Identify the text and then analyze the
genre, academic structure and
academic vocabulary.
✓ Identify and analyze the explicit
instruction/deconstruction concerning
the text; consider multiple models if
necessary.
✓ Use explicit, scaffolded instruction
✓ Bring academic language to the
surface:
STRUCTURE OF ACADEMIC LANGUAGE
Structure 1
(I-B-C)
Introduction - background of what the topic
is
- sets and prepares the mind of the
readers of what the topic is all about.
Body - discusses the topic elaborately.
- contains the major points to explain the
topic
- expected to be the longest part of the
essay.
Conclusion - closes the essay
- closing statements
- summarizing the whole points on the
essay.
Structure 2
(IMRAD)
Introduction – What is the problem?
- Why do you want to study the problem?
- What did other researchers find about
the problem?
Methods - How did you gather data?
- What instrument did you use?
Results and; - What are your findings?
- What have you collected?
Discussions - What is the meaning of the
results?
- What future action/s do you
recommend?
ACADEMIC READING STRATEGIES
Strategies differ from reader to reader. The
same reader may use different strategies for
different contexts.
Reading Purposes
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.
Strategies in Reading Academic Text
Before Reading - Establish your purpose for
reading
- Speculate about the author’s purpose
for writing
- Review what you already know and
want to learn about the topic
- Preview the text to get an overview of
its structure, looking at headings,
figures, tables, glossary, etc.
- Predict the contents of the text and
pose questions about it.
- Note any discussion questions that
have been provided.
During Reading - Annotate and mark
(sparingly) sections of the text to easily
recall important or interesting ideas
- Check your predictions and find
answers to posed questions
- Use headings and transition words to
identify relationships in the text
- Create a vocabulary list of other
unfamiliar words to define later
- Try to infer unfamiliar words’ meanings
by identifying their relationship to the
main idea
- Connect the text to what you already
know about the topic
- Take breaks (split the text into
segments if necessary)
After Reading - Summarize the text in
your own words
- Talk to someone about the author’s
ideas to check your comprehension
- Identify and reread difficult parts of the
text
- Define words on your vocabulary list
and practice using them
Why do we use reading strategies?
• Strategies create a plan of attack.
Then you can solve any reading
problems yourself.
• Strategies help you learn HOW to
understand. If you know HOW to
understand, then you are more likely
TO understand.
• Strategies help you realize HOW
you are thinking so that you can
think more deeply and more
consciously.
Summarizing and Paraphrasing
Summarization - is a short restatement of the
main idea of the text. The output is called a
Summary.
 - It is the shortened version, ideally, only
one-third of the original text.
- It contains the main points and
important details of the text and should
be written in your own words.
TIPS
➢ Read the original text not just once but
several times. Make sure to
comprehend it well.
➢ Identify the text structure.
➢ Take note or highlight the important
details in the text.
➢ After getting the main idea and
important details, write your preliminary
summary.
➢ Make sure to use your own words.
➢ Check if your work does not go stray
from the original text.
➢ Read it again and make necessary
revision or editing.
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING
1. Use of Graphic Organizers
2. Outline (traditional or modern)
Paraphrasing - Paraphrasing is restating text
giving the meaning in another form.
TIPS
➢ Repeatedly read the passage to be
paraphrased until you have completely
understood what it says.
➢ Do not look at the passage while you
are writing your paraphrase.
➢ After writing your paraphrase, read the
original passage once again to check if
you were able to accurately capture its
meaning.
➢ Check whether your paraphrase has
errors in grammar or mechanics.
EXAMPLE:
Original: Giraffes like Acacia leaves and
hay and they can consume 75 pounds of
food a day.
Paraphrase: A giraffe can eat up to 75
pounds of Acacia leaves and hay everyday.
Original: A group of US researchers has
carried out trials on a new vaccine.
Paraphrase: A team of American scientists
has conducted tests on a new vaccine.
Original: Usually, female kangaroos give
birth to one joey at a time. Newborns weigh
as little as 0.03 ounces at birth. After birth,
the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch,
where it will nurse and continue to grow
and develop. Red Kangaroo joeys do not
leave the pouch for good until they are
more than eight months old.
Paraphrase: After a female kangaroo gives
birth to a joey, the newborn crawls into its
mother’s pouch where it feeds and grows
until its eight months old.
TECHNIQUES IN PARAPHRASING
1. Change word form or part of speech.
2. Use synonyms of “relationship words”
such as contrast, cause, or effect, and
substitute a word or phrase that
conveys a similar meaning
3. Use synonyms of phrases and words.
4. Change passive voice to active and
move phrases and modifiers
5. Do not change concept words, special
terms, or proper names.