ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND

PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES

MODULE
 Learning how to read and write is the first goal of education, but once a person learns how to read
and write, his or her skills should be enhanced and continuously developed and improved through
challenging tasks in school. Skills development is essential to be prepared for the workplace.

BEST WAYS TO LEARN ENGLISH

1. Take a course. 2. Learn English Grammar.

Studying on your own can only get you so far- if
you are serious about learning English, it is
definitely a wise idea to take an English course in
any available phase in your area.
3. Learn a new English word every day.
The more English words you know, the better you
will be able to express yourself. The only way to
improve and expand your vocabulary is to learn
more words. Aim to learn a new English word
every day.
5. Read a book written in English.
Reading the classics is an excellent way to pick up
on the finer, nuanced points of English language
expression. If you are just getting started with
English and cannot handle a classic just yet, do not
hesitate to pick a children’s book.
7. Purchase a computer program.
Software in English Enhancement can be a great
way to learn the language. They can be especially
ideal if you are serious about learning English but
simply do not have time to make it to an English
course on a regular basis.
Learning grammar is an essential part of learning
any language. In spite of the difficulty of the task,
thoroughly understanding English grammar is
essential to mastering English.
4. Make an English-speaking friend.
When it comes to learning, practice is crucial. It is
best to practice with a native speaker. You can also
do it with English speakers you know.
6. Watch an English movie.
There is abundance of English movies out there,
from romances to horror films to comedies, so
there is something to suit everybody’s interest.
8. Work on perfecting your accent.
When it comes to mastering any language,
pronunciation is the key. Remember, there are
many different dialects of English so think about
where you will be using your English and what
specific dialect you want to learn.

Learning to effectively speak the English language is challenging but if you will apply the
abovementioned tips, surely you will be able to improve your speaking skills. English is considered to be
the universal language. It is used globally to interact between and among countries. English has evolved
through generation of speakers undergoing changes over time. There are three (3) main periods which
covers its origin.

FROM HAND TO MOUTH

(Brief History of English)

THREE MAIN PERIODS:

1. Old English (450 -1100)
2. Middle English (1100-1500)
3. Modern English (1500 – Present)

OLD ENGLISH
Old English is the language of the Germanic (a group of people from a particular part of the
world who once probably spoke a common language, a language that doesn’t exist today) (English,
Swedish, Danish and Dutch and more) inhabitants of England, dated from the time of their settlement in
the 5th century to the end of the 11th century. It is also referred to as Anglo-Saxon, a name given in
contrast with the Old Saxon of the inhabitants of northern Germany; these are two of the dialects of West
Germanic, along with Old Frisian, Old Franconian, and Old High German. Sister families to West
Germanic are North Germanic, with Old Norse (a.k.a. Old Icelandic) as its chief dialect, and East
Germanic, with Gothic as its chief (and only attested) dialect. The Germanic parent language of these
three families, referred to as Proto-Germanic, is not attested but may be reconstructed from evidence
within the families, such as provided by Old English texts.
 covers the years from 449 (or 450) to 1100 (or 1150), we get the words like Beowulf
 The Angles, the Saxons, and Jutes- “the Founders of the “English Nation” brought English to the
British Isles in the 5th and 6th Century.
 England was under the control and protection of the Romans; The Romans left Britain around 400
 A.D. which allowed Germanic tribe to come in and settle
 Vikings invaded bringing them another language, Old Norse (Thursday – Thor’s Day)
MIDDLE ENGLISH
Middle English is the language spoken and written between about 1100 and about 1500. In this period,
English is influenced in many aspects of its vocabulary by a new French ‐speaking ruling class, and by a
clergy that wrote mainly in Latin. Middle English grammar and syntax are clearly those inherited from
the Germanic basis of Old English, although now shedding its inflections and distinctions of gender.
Strong differentiation appears among dialects, of which the East Midlands variety proved to be the most
important basis of modern English.
 covers the period from 1100 (or 1150) to 1500
 William (The Conqueror) of Normandy conquered England in 1066 (Norman Question) allowing the
French to come in
 French were spoken more by the upper class, Old English were spoken by common people
 Lawyer – attorney; hunt – chase; cow – beef; freedom –liberty, weird – strange; pig – pork
 Canterbury Tales
MODERN ENGLISH
Modern English is conventionally defined as the English language since about 1450 or 1500. Distinctions
are commonly drawn between the Early Modern Period (roughly 1450-1800) and Late Modern English
(1800 to the present).
 Shakespeare is one of the notable writers of Early Modern English who created words such as
manager, comfortable, assassination, cold-blooded
 The Great Vowel Shift in the 15th Century (a, e, i, o, and u)
 covers the period 1500 to present
 introduction of the movable printing process in England by William Caxton in 1476
 Anglo-Saxon- term that came about with reference to the Teutonic tribes that invaded England
 Britain began to explore the world via trading and colonization, some words trickle back slowly to
England, (pajamas – India) (trek – Africa) (ketchup – China)

INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGE
 the family of language in which English belongs
THE CELTS
 the original inhabitants of the British Isles
DIALECT
 variation of a language
CASE
 the choice of form depending on the function of words in the sentence
STANDARDIZATION
 the “ideal” norm or model of usage
MUTUALLY INTELLIGIBLE LANGUAGE
 language are distinct from each other and are not dialects of the same language

COMPONENTS OF ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING

1. Context
 It refers to the situation; people involved; time and place. Answers the question what, when who and
where.
2. Message
 It is the content of the document. It is the idea and the emotions.
3. Language
 The channel used (visual or textual, formal or informal, verbal or non- verbal) in presenting your
output. Can be visual, textual, formal, or informal
4. Purpose
 It determines your goal, reason or motive in writing. It can be general or specific. (inform, entertain,
convince)
5. Audience
 The person/group of people who serves as the receiver of the message. They can be categorized in
two: primary or secondary.
  Primary Audience - consists of person(s) to whom a message is directed. For example, a
letter or memo is addressed to a specific person or persons. The persons that are directly
addressed make up the primary audience.
 Secondary Audience - consists of persons who may not be direct recipients of
communication, but may have some interest in the message for record-keeping or other
reasons.
6. Product
 It is mostly known as the “Output.”
 Academic Writing- Academic essays; thesis, dissertation, library research
 Professional Writing- Instructional materials, specifications, brochures, business
correspondences (letter, memos) business and technical reports.

SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES
 Academic and professional writing are the  One of the biggest differences is that academic
same in that they both are organized to satisfy writing is done mostly to showcase your
the readers. Academic writing is utilized to research and expertise in a specific area or
show somebody how to compose or to show topic of interest, while professional writing is
them how to grow their written work. They often done to influence or convince someone of
both incorporate composing by individuals who something. Usually, you would write a
need to convey scholastic, expert and professional document in a business setting to
specialized data. Needless to say, both types of project an idea to colleagues or propose a
writing require you to formulate your idea project.
clearly and to make sure that you have  Your audience is typically different in both of
everything laid down in a precise manner these situations. Academic writing is done for
which is easy to digest. academia: professors, fellow students,
researchers, and industry experts such as
scientists or historians. Professional writing is
targeted to colleagues, businesspeople,
managers, and sometimes clients.
 Professional documents can be written in a
different tone than academic works because
you have a little more wiggle room to present
your ideas. For example, most academic papers
are written in third person narrative, while
professional writing can sometimes be written
in first person depending on the specific
situation or context.

GENERAL TIPS IN WRITING ACADEMIC TEXTS

1. Follow the basics in the writing process.
 Be clear with the assignment or prompt.  Have a clear purpose and audience in
 Analyze the context of writing mind.
 Make your thesis evident.
  Stay focused on your topic; eliminate  Avoid wordiness and redundancies
unnecessary details.  Edit and proofread your work.

2. Use quotations sparingly. Paraphrase information as much as possible. Do not overuse

3. As much as possible, avoid using an imperative tone.
DON’T: DO
Remember the objectives presented in this The objectives presented in this introduction are
introduction, as these are instrumental in the instrumental to the analysis of the results in the
analysis of the results in the second experiment. second experiment.

4. Avoid excessive fonts such as too much use of bold face, underline and italics.
DON’T: DO
Harper Lee’s book, “To Kill a Mocking Harper Lee’s book, “To Kill a Mocking Bird,”
Bird,” clearly illustrates the struggle “colored” clearly illustrates the struggle “colored” people
people underwent during the early 20th century and underwent during the early 20th century and how
how racial inequality proved detrimental to the racial inequality proved detrimental to the
achievement of justice. achievement of justice.

5. Be consistent with the type of English you use. If you use British English, stick to it and do not
shift to American English.
DON’T: DO
Harper Lee’s book , “To Kill a Mocking Harper Lee’s book, “To Kill a Mocking Bird,”
Bird,” clearly illustrates how coloured people clearly illustrates the struggle “colored” people
agonized under racial injustice during the early underwent during the early 20th century and how
20th century and how even in a relatively civilized racial inequality proved detrimental to the
time, white people’s worth was still aggrandized. achievement of justice.

6. Plan wisely. Allot ample time in preparing your writing assignment.

GENERAL TIPS IN WRITING PROFESSIONAL TEXTS

1. Follow the basics of the writing process.

 Be clear with your purpose and target reader.
 Consider the context of writing the document.
 Organize your ideas using cohesive devices.
 Avoid wordiness or redundancies.
 Be objective and factual.
 Edit and proofread your work.
2. Anticipate the reader’s belief, values, motivations, and possible objections. Need to understand the
culture and background of the audience). Be open for suggestions and recommendations.
DON’T: DO
The proposal is good and has various gains, and so When viewed from a business perspective, the
should be approved and implemented. proposal can be seen as a large risk for the
company, but it gains and high probability of
success easily allays this concern.

3. Adjust your language based on your relationship with the receiver of the document. If the person is
higher rank, you should use honorific terms. Otherwise, it’s all right to use informal words.
DON’T: DO
The attrition report for the quarter shows that a The attrition report for the quarter shows that a
total of 39 employees voluntarily left the company, total of 39 employees voluntarily left the company.
which is a big number to be honest. This is a new In the company’s history, this quarter saw the
record for the company, and not a good one. largest number of separated employees.

4. Study the format used by your organization and incorporate it in your writing. USL uses the block
format for the letter.
5. Avoid excessive fonts such as too much use of bold face, underline and italics. These may distract
your audience
6. Be consistent with the type of English you use. If you use British English, stick to it and do not
shift to American English.
DON’T: DO
The behaviour of the staff toward their labor The behavior of the staff toward their labor
requirements was the center of the attendance requirements was the center of the attendance
issues last year. issues last year.

English language is a living stream of world knowledge. It has a universal use and it appeals as a
language in businesses and professions. Writing is the only window to your thoughts. Therefore it is
important that you learn how best it is to write in a way which will convince yourself and your audience
that you understand what you are talking about. Get into the habit of using your own words. Like physical
exercise, it may be hard work at first but you will get better at it until you have a good strong intellectual
physique.

To take the short cut of relying on other peoples' words bypasses thought processes and will make
the material very hard to remember as it has not been assimilated into your own mind - it is not your
possession. You are not primarily a collector of information, a recorder of the wisdom of others - that
would be very boring. You are an active learner and a unique interpreter of the information which comes
your way.

READING

Students of the 21st century must be able to locate, understand, evaluate and use
written information in their personal and academic lives. Their ability to do so
FISHER and FREY
will profoundly affect the trajectory of their adult lives. Capacity to use multiple
(2008)
literacies will lead your life as 21st Century Literature. Read to absorb and to
observe.
Reading is a skill.
Reading is defined according to two types. First, reading is a decoding
LAPP and FLOOD
process- the breaking down of written codes. We convert the things we read in a
(1978)
matter that we can understand. Second, reading is seen as a comprehension
process. We extract meaning to what we have read.
It is a process of involving the readers into an interaction with the text and
DAVID (2005) enables them to use the reading strategies in getting the meaning of the printed
text. Since reading is a skill, it can be learned.

READING STRATEGIES
 SKIMMING
Skimming is sometimes referred to as gist reading.
Skimming may help in order to know what text is
about at its most basic level. You might typically
do this with a magazine or newspaper and would
help you mentally and quickly shortlist those
articles which you might consider for a deeper
read. You might typically skim to search for a
name in a telephone directory.
INTENSIVE READING
The intensive reading technique is reading for a
high degree of comprehension and retention over a
long period of time. Intensive reading is basically a
“study” technique for organizing readings which
will have to be understood and remembered. One
may have good comprehension while reading line-
by-line, but remembering is what really counts.
TEXT STRUCTURE
NARRATION
Narration is a basic strategy used by writers
for presenting action. It used by writers for a
variety of purposes: to illustrate and support ideas
with anecdotes, entertain the readers with stories,
predict what will happen with scenarios, and
explain how something happen (or should happen)
with process narratives.
Narration tells a story or explains a sequence
of events. It can be fiction or non-fiction. Examples
are novels, fables so forth
It can be objective or subjective.
Objective narration presents facts to create an
accurate time line of events. Doctors use objective
narration to document a patient’s history.
Subjective narration conveys the impressions,
feelings, insights, or point of view. A student’s
personal essay
STRATEGIES IN NARRATION:
FLASHBACK
Uses past stories
FORESHADOWING
Uses present or future events
CLASSIFICATION
Classifying is one of the strategies in writing which
involves combining objects or items into categories
based on distinct characteristics. Classification
paragraphs can be organized using an official or
personal classification. Official classification
includes widely-known and accepted categories
used by the government, a business, or an
organization. (Example: yellow rain fall, orange
rain fall)
SCANNING
Scanning is reading a text quickly in order to find
specific information, for example, figures or
names. Picture yourself visiting a historical city,
guide book in hand. You would most probably just
scan the guide book to see which site you might
want to visit. It can be contrasted with skimming,
which is reading quickly to get a general idea of
meaning. Scanning involves getting your eyes to
quickly scuttle across sentence and is used to get
just a simple piece of information.
EXTENSIVE READING
Extensive reading involves reading for pleasure.
Since there is an element of enjoyment in extensive
reading, it is unlikely that students will undertake
reading of a text they do not like. It also requires a
fluid decoding and assimilation of the text and
content in front of you. If the text is difficult and
you stop every few minutes to figure out what is
being said or to look up new words in the
dictionary, you are breaking your concentration and
delivering your thoughts.
DEFINITION
It is used explaining unfamiliar terms. It has two
major purposes: to explain (unfamiliar ideas are
looked for to make things clear) or to convince
(readers will buy an idea if supported by a clear
evidence or definition)
TYPES OF DEFINTION
1. Standard Definitions are definitions which
meaning rarely change and is universally
accepted. (e.g. definition of right angle)
2. Regulatory Definitions are the meanings
assigned by organizations and changes
depending on how it is used. (e.g. PAG-ASA's
definition of critical level)
3. Qualifying Definitions meanings of words that
are subject for interpretation (e.g. delinquent) -
interpreted in different ways.
4. Personal definitions are definitions which
depend on the interpretations or assigned
meaning of the 'writer himself. (e.g. the
definition of friendship)
5. Invented definitions meaning given to words
which are newly-coined as already being used
in the society. (e.g. the definition of flash mob)
COMPARISON & CONTRAST
Comparison is to see how two objects or items are
alike while contrast is to identify their differences.
It is a way of thinking and learning; new concepts
are acquired if they are compared and contrasted
first. The two in using comparison and contrast in
writing are in chunks and in sequence. In
chunking, the feature of the items being compared
is presented separately. Whereas, in sequencing
the attributes of the objects are presented point by
 point. (Feature by feature)
CAUSE AND EFFECT
Cause and effect as a writing strategy states or explains reasons why things happen or explains the results
of certain phenomena.
TEXT STRUCTURE SIGNAL WORDS
DESCRIPTION For example, for instance, specifically, in particular, in addition
CAUSE and EFFECT Consequently, therefore, as a result, thereby, leads to
COMPARISON and However, unlike, by, in comparison, although, whereas, similar to,
CONTRAST different from
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER Next, first, last, second, another, then, additionally

In cases when there is a mismatch of elements and the text structure identified, you can do two
(2) things: (1) reevaluate your knowledge of the text structure; and (2) reevaluate your own
understanding of the text.

As most people say, reading is basic. But, being basic means, it offers a lot to its readers. It leads
us to a new world and broadens horizons. It’s also our way of coping with the changing mood of the
world. It also directs us to place we’ve never been and ideas that never crossed our minds. However,
reading is also complex. That is why; learning the different reading strategies and text structures will help
you read comprehensively and intellectually.
 Language use is the appropriate language or words or the writer’s tone of writing (subjective or
objective). Level of formality in writing should be considered

In using a certain language, context is an important aspect to be considered. In the context of

academic writing, language has its own style, with varying degrees of formality and objectivity. For
example, in writing application letters or memos, you can’t just use “Hey there!” in addressing your
readers; instead we use “Dear … or Sir/Ma’am” depending on the context of your message. Consider the
language used in novels, conversation, newspapers or law courts. In these contexts, language is usually
formal, objective, and impersonal.

With these, we can say that language use is the appropriate language or words. It is also the
writer’s tone of writing. Language use may be subjective or objective.

Below is a list of some informal use of words and their formal equivalent.

ask for = request find out = discover/determine/identify give out = distribute

come after = succeed
come up to = reach/attain
deal with = manage
go before = precede
go out of = exit
go without = be deprived
lead to = cause
look at = regard
look for = seek
look into = investigate
look like = resemble
break off = suspend/adjourn
break up = disintegrate
bring in = introduce
come back = return
come/go in = enter
get away = escape give up = quit
give/bring back = return go ahead = proceed
give in = yield go away = depart
take on = oppose go on = continue
throw away = discard link up = connect
throw out = eject make out = discern
make up = comprise make up = invent
put up with = tolerate put/set down = deposit
refer to = consult put on = apply
settle for = choose set out (1) = display
speak to = address set out (2) = depart
talk about = discuss/consider take away = remove
think about = consider/ponder
think of = conceive
work on = develop
break down = fail/collapse

Look at this example:

INFORMAL: Kindly bring in the guest speaker for today’s event.
FORMAL: Kindly introduce the guest speaker for today’s event.

THESIS STATEMENT

What is a thesis statement?

It is the central idea of a multiple-paragraph composition. It covers what the paragraph is all
about. Take note, it does not simply announce a topic, but it says something about the topic.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A THESIS STATEMENT
 Covers exactly the topic you want to talk about.
 Lets your reader know what to expect – an overview of what the paragraph is all about
 Usually appears in the introductory part (usually, not all the time)
 Helps you better organize and develop the contents of your paper.

CONSIDERATIONS IN WRITING A THESIS STATEMENT

In identifying the thesis statement, there are three (3) things that you have to look into:
1. Claim- what is the author telling you? (argument or point)
2. Evidence- how do you know this? (supports the claim)
3. Significance- why does this matter?

It is clear that TV triggers violence. According to a study, the

average child living in a developed country will view 8000 murders and
100,000 other acts of violence before finishing elementary school. The
average 27 hours a week kids spend watching TV- much of it violent-
makes them prone to aggressive and violent behavior as adolescents and
 adults.
THESIS STATEMENT: It is clear that TV triggers violence

Aside from the fact that the thesis statements usually appear in the introductory part, the thesis
statement in this example gave the readers an overview on what to expect. The following sentences were
merely examples and evidences about violence to support the claim that TV clearly triggers violence.

How to write an effective thesis statement?

Here is an example:
Topic: Jogging
Question: Why is jogging beneficial?
Thesis Statement: Jogging is beneficial because it positively affects physical well-being and mental
fitness

Based from the given example, you can write an effective thesis statement by formulating
questions about a certain topic, in which the answer must concisely answer. But, make sure it says
something about the topic not merely telling or announcing the topic.

The following are things we must take into account in writing an effective thesis statement with some
examples of DOS and DON’TS:

1. It should be written in a complete sentence with a clearly stated subject.

DON’T: DO
Computers as helpful tools in teaching Computers can help a teacher effectively impart the
lesson.

2. It should not be too narrow or too broad, and it should contain at least two details.

DON’T:
Many events in the history of the Philippines
contributed to the country’s changes.
DO
In the history of the Philippines, People Power I
was one of the major events which changed our
country, especially the culture, structure, and
politics of the Philippines

3. Avoid an awkward thesis statement which states the obvious.

DON’T: DO
I will tell you about how the increase in the number An increase in the number of squatters in Metro
of squatters in Metro Manila can be attributed to Manila can be attributed to the effects of
the effects of overpopulation and gentrification. overpopulation and gentrification.

4. Enumerated details should have the same level of significance

DON’T:
Although Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) help
raise country’s economy, add more revenues, and
promote the hospitality of Filipinos, the
government has to increase more jobs so that
OFWs do not have to leave their families.
DO
Although Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) help
raise country’s economy and promote the
hospitality of Filipinos, the government has to
create more jobs so that OFWs do not have to leave
their families.

5. It should not state an absolute fact. It should have more than one point.(At least two details)

DON’T: DO
Rizal park is located in Manila. (Absolute fact) Rizal Park, which is located in Manila, is a
reminder of our nationalism and revolution.

GENERALIZATION
 In reading, identifying a thesis statement is as important as knowing what you are saying. In a
paragraph, no sentence can exist in isolation, thus the need to make one that puts them together. Reading
indeed entails looking at the smallest detail, but with these small details put together, reading eventually
requires looking at the bigger picture.

WRITING A PRECIS OR ABSTRACT

PRECIS
In a normal classroom set up, especially in college, students are often confronted to reading a
myriad of long and rigorous papers. These may be researches or even literary works. But as time goes by,
many would think that confiding from a single work may reduce the overall quantity and later on may
affect the quality of reviewing related literatures. Writing a précis of an original work may be presented
so easily and can help the readers identify only the most characterized parts of a work.

What is a Precis?
Etymologically, a précis is a French word which means “exact” and “terse”. This may be a
summarized version of a speech, a publication, a journal, a thesis or any other long textual outputs. It is a
summarized form of a long sentence. Precis involves subjectivity to achieve personalized content and
conciseness. A Precis is concise, subjective and concrete. Read, Don’t Argue and Avoid Quotations.

Remember:
 A précis is not a paraphrased form of a long
text.
 It is not a list of analysis.
 It may be put with the objective
interpretation of a writer.
 A concise version of a literary or original
work.
 It is a short summary of a text.
 Gist of a passage expressed in few words as
possible.

Steps in Writing a Critical Summary:

1. Read and re-read the original txt carefully.
2. Resist the urge to argue or critique right away.
3. Try to avoid excessive quotations.

Sample 1: A Paper that discusses reading from modern television

In his article ‘Reading is no longer popular’ (2002), Henry Smith proves that Americans read more than
ever, although common opinion is completely different. Especially this statement concerns all sorts of
‘high culture’ literature. Smith supports his ideas on modern reading with statistics and facts, which
make a comparison of reading practices now and in the past. He also challenges modern assumptions by
questioning value of reading. His goal is to prove that reading remains popular and to remind how
important it is for our culture.
Sample 2: An article that discusses the individual duty of men in society
Money making is not the sole object of the well-educated, intellectual, or brave men. A brave soldier’s ain
notion of life is to fight to win battles, not to be paid for winning them. A noble clergyman is concerned
more with the welfare of the humanity than his pay. A good doctor desires far more to cure his patient
that to get his fee. Thus, for all cultured people, their duty comes first, then their fee.

ABSTRACT
Abstracts highlight key content areas, research purpose, relevance or importance of your work and the
main outcomes. It usually composed with a maximum of 250 words. It is likewise indented and single
spaced. Mainly, it outlines briefly all parts of the paper. An abstract should be data-based or resourceful
and not subjective. It is mostly used in academic writing in contrast to precis, which can be used for
personal purposes.

Why write an abstract?

It Is Required For:

 submission of articles to journals  Completion and submission of theses
 application for research grants
  submission of proposals for
conference papers
It Is Used For:
 bibliographical data bases to search  detailing points, analyses, and
for titles and key words arguments in a full paper
 indexing a published paper

FIVE SECTIONS OF AN ABSTRACT

What is the importance of the research? Why would a reader be interested in
1. Reason of Writing
the larger work?
What problem does this work attempt to solve? What is the scope of the
2. Problem
project? What is the main argument, thesis claim?
3. Methodology It includes specific models or approaches used in the larger study.
4. Results It includes specific data that indicates the result or outcome of the project.
How does this work add to the body of knowledge on the topic? Effects of the
5. Implications
result to a new or existing body of knowledge

HOW TO WRITE AN ABSTRACT

1. Introduction: in one sentence, indicate the topic of the paper. The topic usually is contained within a
sentence or two. Be direct and on-point.
2. State the problem you tackle. This can be separated and at the same time included with the topic.
The problem must be clear enough to avoid ambiguity on the part of the readers and for skimming to
be fast-paced.
3. Summarize (in one sentence) why nobody else has adequately answered the research question yet.
4. Explain in one sentence how you tackled the research questions.
5. In one sentence, explain how you went about doing the research that follows from your big idea.
6. As a single sentence, what’s the key impact of your research? Indicate these suggestions based on
facts that can be used for future studies and may open gaps for further research evaluations.

SAMPLES:
TITLE: The Literacy Program at Gawad Kalinga: Its Benefits to Student Volunteers
ABSTRACT: This study sought to discover the benefits gained by nine (9) education student-volunteers
(from Arellano University-Main Campus),who participated in the literacy program at Gawad Kalinga,
Tatalon, Quezon City, from July, 2008 to February, 2009. The problems they encountered, as well as the
solutions they recommended, were also looked into. From the findings, the researchers developed a
conceptual framework that may be of help to would-be volunteers of outreach programs. The research
was carried out qualitatively. Data were primarily taken from the reflection papers of nine(9) respondents.
Interview was employed to verify the findings derived from the respondents’ replies as reflected in the
questionnaire/ reflection papers. Replies were based on the experience they had as volunteers of the
literacy program spearheaded by the School of Education of Arellano University-Main. They were asked
to handle classes of children who, because of financial constraints, do not attend formal schooling,
Heinrich Anton de Bary’s “Symbiotic Relationship” served as the grounding of the study.
Keywords: bayanihan, community development, community outreach, literacy program

GENERALIZATION
In the most recent history of science, all fields of specialization take part in the occurrence of the
modern and unique search for information. It is indeed that writing abstracts or summaries of longer texts
disallows one to fully appreciate the time and effort of a person put in a longer textual work but it allows
many to gather quick yet reliable information for a progressive life project. Same is true with life, we can
only appreciate those who stay for a longer time but we must also know to give credit to those who just
stay briefly.

SYNTHESIZING A TEXT THROUGH PARAPHRASING AND SUMMARIZING

 Academic writing is an essential skill set that requires you to communicate your ideas with
clarity and logic. Academic writing can be improved with practice and persistence. As you continue in
widening your knowledge and enhancing your prowess in writing Academic Text, you shall be learning
the concepts and processes of synthesizing texts through summarizing, and paraphrasing.

Being inspired by another’s idea opens up a world of possibilities and thus several ways to
incorporate and assimilate them in writing, namely, paraphrasing, and summarizing. However, mere
incorporation does not bring writing alive and make it appealing to readers. The incorporation of various
ideas must reflect the writer’s understanding and interpretation of them as well.

PARAPHRASING

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a paraphrase as “an expression in other words, usually fuller
and clearer, of the sense of any passage or text; a free rendering or amplification of a passage.
Paraphrasing is to express the meaning of a word, phrase, passage, or work in other words, usually with
the object of fuller and clearer exposition to bring out the sense.
It is extracting the main point from a quote and rephrasing it in your own words. It is also known
as “indirect quotation”. Paraphrasing is an alternative for quoting.
Paraphrasing allows you to reproduce another writer’s argument and adapt the way it is phrased.
Its real purpose is to make the original text more easily understandable and to cast it in a slightly different
light – so that the rhetorical purpose of the passage fits in with your own paper’s argument. It usually
reproduces the original author’s idea in roughly the same number of words as the original, and fits it in
seamlessly with your own text.
Important things to remember in Paraphrasing:
 A paraphrase is in your own words.
 It cannot change the author’s meaning or intent.
 You must cite the source accurately.
Here are the steps in creating an effective Paraphrasing:
1. Reread the original passage.
2. Rewrite each sentence or point in your own words.
3. Use quotation marks to identify any borrowed words or phrases.
4. Cite the source.
Original Text: Paraphrased Text:
“Chronological consistency of cultural Although Tolkien believed that it was very
artifacts, including language, cannot really be seen important to link his antique world of Middle Earth
as a defining feature of the Tolkienian narrative, to real languages and cultures, this connection is
however much the author seems to have wanted to not always an accurate one in terms of time. As
make it so -- after the fact. As T.A. Shippey has T.A. Shippey has noted, there are many examples
pointed out, the Shire is Edwardian England, with of the cosy rituals of everyday life in Edwardian
postal service, pipes after dinner, teatime and England (smoking a pipe after a meal, tea, mail
‘weskits’” (Straubhaar, 110). delivery, wearing of vests) in the life of the Shire
(Straubhaar, 110).

Original Text: Paraphrased Text:

Most nuclear power plants generate more energy Nuclear power plants are one of the highest
on average than any other type of energy source. producing energy sources.

Original Text: Paraphrased Text:

Common beliefs can change over time. For People believed at one time that the Sun orbited the
example, most people once thought the Sun orbited Earth. Nowadays, people know the opposite,
around the Earth. showing that common beliefs don’t stay the same.

SUMMARIZING

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the act of summarizing as “to sum up; to state briefly or
succinctly” and the characteristics of a summary as “containing or comprising the chief points or the sum
and substance of a matter usually with implication of brevity
  Summarizing sums up the main points of a passage in your own words
 It is short, condensed, and concise.
 Focus is on the main point length of summary depends on length of source

When you are writing papers, it is often necessary to condense the gist of a long argument or a
passage into a short version. Summarizing is a particularly important skill for science writers, who often
have to refer in a sentence or two to research done by others, and it is a necessary skill for those who are
writing a review of literature or an annotated bibliography. All of us use summaries at some point when
we write, incorporating these allusions to other people’s ideas or findings into our own papers to support
our arguments.

Important things to remember in Paraphrasing:

 A summary is in your own words.
 You cannot change the author’s meaning or intent.
 The source must be cited accurately.

As to creating a good summary:

 Remember that it should be in the form of a paragraph.
 A summary begins with an introductory sentence that states the text’s title, author and main point
of the text as you see it.
 A summary is written in your own words.
 A summary contains only the ideas of the original text. Do not insert any of your own opinions,
interpretations, deductions or comments into a summary.
 Identify in order the significant sub-claims the author uses to defend the main point.
 Copy word-for-word three separate passages from the essay that you think support and/or defend the
main point of the essay as you see it.
 Cite each passage by first signaling the work and the author, put “quotation marks” around the
passage you chose, and put the number of the paragraph where the passages can be found
immediately after the passage.
 Using source material from the essay is important. It is used in defending claims with source material
is what you will be asked to do when writing papers for your college professors.
 Write a last sentence that “wraps” up your summary; often a simple rephrasing of the main point.
Here are some of the questions you need to ask yourself in creating a summary:
 What is the main idea?
 What details are necessary?
 What is the shortest way I can get the point across?
Original Passage: Summarized Passage:
“Chronological consistency of cultural Despite his intent, Tolkien’s work contains
artifacts, including language, cannot really be seen anachronisms, so even in Middle Earth his
as a defining feature of the Tolkienian narrative, characters live like Edwardian Englishmen.”
however much the author seems to have wanted to
make it so -- after the fact. As T.A. Shippey has
pointed out, the Shire is Edwardian England, with
postal service, pipes after dinner, teatime and
‘weskits’” (Straubhaar, 110).
Original Passage: Summarized Passage:
Alexander Fleming is well-known for his Penicillin was discovered in the early 1940s.
accidental discovery of penicillin. In 1940, after Alexander Fleming had returned from a trip and
returning home from a vacation, he discovered found mold growing on a petri dish. Its effects on
mold growing on a laboratory petri dish. Noting the disease led to it being used as a clinical drug.
that the mold was adept at killing the disease in the
same dish, he actively tried to replicate it.
Eventually, this resulted in the innovation of the
penicillin drug.

PARAPHRASING AND SUMMARIZING TIPS

 Most people suggest that the best way to write a paraphrase or a summary is to read the original
text over, then put it aside. Write your own piece, then check back to see if you have accurately
reproduced the original ideas and have done so in your own words without plagiarizing. Remember to
include all of the necessary information about the source.

When summarizing a longer piece, it helps to ask the following questions as you read through the
text. If you are using a photocopy or if you own the text, underline the places where you see the answers
to the following questions. After you have done that you can begin to write, using the answers to these
questions as your focus.

 What was the problem or the focus of the original text?

 What was the hypothesis or thesis argument?
 What were the results or what evidence was given?

If you are writing a summary for a specific purpose, such as an annotated bibliography or review of
literature you will also want to make note of the following, marking it in your rough notes so that it will
be highlighted as your own analysis.

 What was the author's method or line of approach?

 What was the author's bias, or what school of thought within the field does s/he belong to?
 Is there anything in the author's text that would be important for my own research project?

GENERALIZATION

Writing information in your own words is a highly acceptable way to include the ideas of other
people in your writing. There are two ways you can do this: paraphrasing and summarising. It is very
important, however, to paraphrase and summarize correctly because there is a fine balance between
paraphrasing and summarizing which is considered acceptable and that which is unacceptable and could
be considered plagiarism.
The great danger when paraphrasing or summarizing is that we will re-use the language of the
original text. This is something that must be avoided, although there are some words that can be repeated
because they are, so to speak, in the public domain and it would be virtually impossible to refer to them in
any other way.
Copying other words from the original is, however, plagiarism. The general rule for paraphrasing and
summarizing is that you should not repeat more than four sequential words from the original text,
although some authorities have limited the number to three sequential words. Nor can you jumble the
words from the original text into a different order and consider that by changing the order in which you
say something you have avoided any charges of plagiarism. This particular method of plagiarizing even
has its own name: “the mosaic.”

OUTLINING
 Outlining is a device we utilize in the writing process to help put together our thoughts, picture
our paper's expected construction, and to further flesh out and create points. It permits the writer to see
how the person will unite information and shorten it as easiest and as most effective manner as possible.
An outline gives the writer a space to consider thoughts effectively without expecting to compose
complete paragraphs or sentences.
 A document that briefly summarizes the information that will be included in a paper, book,
speech, or similar document
 Usually in the form of a list divided into headings and subheadings that distinguish main points
from supporting points

In simpler manner, an effective outline resembles a guide for your paper either formal or informal.
Outlining can assist you with keeping a reasonable focus in your paper on the grounds that it helps you
see your entire paper in a dense structure, which can assist make a good plan for how you'll sort out your
ideas and build up your thoughts.
Why do we need to create an outline?
There are many reasons, but in general, it may be helpful to create an outline when you want to show the
hierarchical relationship or logical ordering of information. For research papers, an outline may help
you keep track of large amounts of information. For creative writing, an outline may help organize the
various plot threads and help keep track of character traits. Many people find that organizing an oral
report or presentation in outline form helps them speak more effectively in front of a crowd. Below are
the primary reasons for creating an outline.
 Aids in the process of writing
 Helps you organize your ideas
 Presents your material in a logical form
 Shows the relationships among ideas in your writing
 Constructs an ordered overview of your writing
 Defines boundaries and groups

MAIN TYPES OF OUTLINING

TOPIC OUTLINE SENTENCE OUTLINE
 List words or phrases  Lists complete sentences
 Arranges your ideas hierarchically (showing  Shows exactly what you will say about each
which are main and which are sub-points), in mini-topic
the sequence you want and shows what you  Expresses the specific and complete idea that
will talk about they will cover as part of proving the overall
 Identifies all the little min-topic that your paper topic
will comprise and shows how they relate

FORMATS IN OUTLINING

1. ALPHANUMERIC OUTLINE
 most common type of outline
 it is recognizable by many people
 The formatting follows these characters, in this order:
1. Roman Numerals (I, II, ...)
2. Capitalized Letters (A, B, …)
3. Arabic Numerals (1,2, …)
 4. Lowercase Letters (a, b, …)

2. FULL SENTENCE

 Essentially the same as the Alphanumeric outline

 Most often used when preparing a traditional essay
 Full sentences are required at each level of the outline
Example:
I. Man-made pollution is the primary source of global warming.
A. Greenhouse gas emissions are widely identified by the scientific community to be harmful.
B. The burning of coal and fossil are the primary releases of hazardous greenhouse gases.
RULES OF OUTLINING
1. Identify at least two, but no more than five main points in a speech
2. Use Roman Numerals for main points; Capital Letters for sub-points; Arabic Numbers for sub-sub-
points; small letters for sub-sub-points, and small roman numbers for sub-sub-sub-sub-points
3. Show logical relationships of ideas through proper indentation
4. Wrap-around sentences MUST indent to the point where the first word of the sentence starts
5. Only one sentence per letter or number in an outline
6. Rule of Division: Never have a 1 without a 2 or an A without a B.
3. DECIMAL OUTLINE
 Similar in format to the alphanumeric outline
 The added benefits is a system of decimal notation that clearly shows how every level of outline
relates to the larger whole.

PROCESS OF OUTLINING

1. THESIS STATEMENT
 a guide throughout the writing process
 a brief articulation of your paper's central argument and purpose
 it should be concise, specific and arguable topic
Example:
A job interview can often make or break your chances of getting your dream job. There are several things
that you can do in an interview to increase the possibility of your success such as dressing properly,
answering interview questions, and asking questions at the end of the interview.
Note: The thesis statement focuses on job interview.
2. TOPIC SENTENCE
 support of the thesis statement
 need to agree with the main idea or sub-points in the thesis statements
 express specific and complete idea that the paper will cover as part of proving the overall thesis/main
idea
Example:
We can evaluate the given thesis statement above by giving its topic sentence/sentences. What are they?
Topic Sentence #1
The way you dress can have a big impact in an interview and will give an impression to the
panelists/interviewers.
Topic Sentence #2
An interview is an opportunity for potential employers to get to know you better, so it is important to
answer the questions as completely as possible.
Topic Sentence #3
By preparing some thoughtful questions, you can show the panel that you have prepared for the interview
and want the job.
3. SUPPORTING DETAILS
  Contain facts, statements, examples, observations, and ideas which guide you to a full understanding
of the main idea/thesis statement
 clarify, illuminate, and explain the main idea/thesis statement

Example:
Topic Sentence #1
The way you dress can have a big impact in an interview and will give an impression to the
panelists/interviewers.
Supporting details:
1. Men and women should consider wearing dark suits.
2. Conservative dress will show the interview panel you are serious about what you do.
3. Hair and nails should be clean and neat.
4. Don’t carry too many things into the interview.
As you noticed, the supporting details are associated with the topic sentence and thesis statement. It
gives thoughts and realities which fill in as a guide in understanding the thesis statement.

GENERALIZATION

In summary, the way in to any effective paper is outlining the points you wish to examine before you
really start composing. Outlining will help you build and sort out ideas in an orderly way and insightful
stream. Doing so permits you to set relevant information or statements from sources, giving writers’
consistent establishment and preparation when starting the process of writing.
Moreover, an outline keeps your article engaged and organized. Without an outline, it is not difficult
to invest an excessive amount of energy on distracting data. An outline fills in as a format for your article,
so as you are composing, you are not excessively troubled by sorting out what parts to make next or what
the following parts ought to incorporate—all that data has been noted on your outline. You would then be
focused entirely on clearly and persuasively ideas.

FORMING OPINIONS BASED ON FACTS

In writing a review or critique, you need to form your informed opinion based on facts. An
opinion is defined as a judgement, viewpoint, or statement about matters commonly considered to be
subjective. A statement that is neither true or false and relies on connotative language. Facts, on the other
hand, are verifiable and can be objectively proven to have occurred. It frequently uses measurable and
verifiable numbers, dates, statistics and measurements.

For example:
 It’s 32 degrees Celsius outside. (Fact)  A Long Champ bag costs P3,000. (Fact)
 It’s too hot outside. (Opinion)  Long Champ bags are too expensive.
(opinion)

In Forming your opinion based on facts, the following steps are followed:
 Clearly state your opinion on the issue. It  Research the issue. You must be
must be presented clearly and substantially knowledgeable on the issue you are talking
 Ask yourself why you hold your belief. about
What are your particular reasons that you are  Consider the tone of your writing. It should
on that side? have strong conviction or ideas when
presenting the ideas.

In writing the opinion statement, you need to state your opinion clearly by presenting
examples, facts, and statistics that support your opinion. You also need to use valid reasoning.

For example:

This is the best plan because it is better than others.

In the given example above, it is considered a circular reasoning which means a point is
restated without providing factual evidences. The meaning pf the word better is not quantified.
No one would vote for that candidate.
In the given example above, it is considered an over-generalization. It is a statement
which is too broad to prove.

The following are some of the phrases used in stating your opinion:
It seems to me that…, In my opinion…, I am of the opinion that…, My personal view is
that…, In my experience…, I might be wrong but…, I think/believe that…, I am convinced
that…

Opinions are affected by a person’s perspective, understanding, particular feelings, beliefs, and desires.
CITING SOURCES TO SUPPORT CLAIMS
 One needs to cite sources into incorporating new ideas in your paper.
REFERENCING BOOKS
One work by one author
 Author surname and year of publication
 (First Citation) Kubsch (2003) compared nurse staffing patterns.
 (Second Citation) In a recent study of nurse staffing patterns, it was found that… (Kubsch, 2003).
(Second Citation)
One work by two authors
 Always cite both names every time the reference appears.
 Connect the last names of a multiple author work with an ampersand (&) or and (Smith & Smith,
2004).
One work by three, four and five authors
 Cite all authors the first time the reference occurs.
 All further references, include only the surname of the first author followed by et al. and the year in
 (first citation) Block, Kubsch, and Gallagher-Lepak, (2003) found…
 (second citation) These authors found that .... (Block et al., 2003). or Block and colleagues (2003)
found that...
One work by six or more authors
 Cite only the surname of the first author followed by et al. and the year for the first and all subsequent
citations
 Forshee et al. (2007)…
 In the reference list, provide the initials and surnames of the first six authors, and shorten any
remaining authors to et al...
Cite the first few words of the reference list entry (usually the title) and the year.
 (Beverage Preferences, 1987) [book]
 Preferences, a ("Cocoa Beats Tea," 2007) [an article]
 Use double quotation marks around the title of an article or chapter.
 Italicize the title of a periodical, book, brochure, or
Secondary Citations
 You read Freud, who quoted a work by Dickinson, and you want, to cite Dickinson, but you didn't
read her work.
 Dickinson (as cited in Freud, 1930).
 In the References, you list Freud's work.
Referencing Personal Communication
 Any communication that can’t be directly retrieved by the reader
 Letters, class lectures, e-mail interviews etc.
 Cite in-text only - not in reference list.
 Pattern: (B. Emerson personal communication, November 15, 2007)
Referencing Electronic Sources
 Indicate the page, chapter, figure, table, or equation at the appropriate point in the text
 Always give page numbers for quotations
 The words "page" and "chapter" are abbreviated
 (Collins, 2000, p. 232) (Kau, 1989, chap. 3)
 If the electronic source does not provide page numbers, use the paragraph number preceded by the
paragraph symbol or the abbreviation "Para".
 If the paragraph and page number are not visible, cite the heading and the number of the paragraph
following it to direct the reader to the location of the material
 (Wilson, 2005)
  (Spender, 2000, Conclusion section, para. 1)
 If you cannot find an author, cite the first few words of the reference list entry (usually the title and
year). The homepage of UW-Green Bay's Professional Program in Nursing (2003) has a PowerPoint
presentation about APA format (American Psychological Association Writing, 2003).
 When possible, cite electronic sources, including online sources, as you would any other source,
giving the author and the year.
 Atkinson (2001) found that children who spent at least four hours a day watching
TV were less likely to engage in adequate physical activity during the week.
Referencing Organization as Author
 Obesity puts children at risk for a number of medical complications, including type 2 diabetes,
hypertension, sleep apnea, and orthopedic problems (Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2004, p. 1).
 First Citation
 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2009)
 Later Citations
 (CDC, 2009)
Referencing with the Same Last Name
 To avoid confusion, use initials with the last names if your reference list includes two or more authors
with the same last name
 Research by E. Smith (1989) revealed that…
 Research by E. Ruiz (1989) found that...
Referencing Two or More Works in the Same Parenthesis
 When your parenthetical citation names two or more works, put them in the same order that they
appear in the reference list, separated with semicolons.
 Researchers have indicated that studies of pharmacological treatments for childhood obesity are
inconclusive (Berkowitz et al., 2003; McDuffie et al., 2002).
Referencing Personal Communication
 Personal interviews, memos, letters, e-mail, and similar unpublished communications should be cited
in the text only, not in the reference list. (Use the first initial with the last name in parentheses.)
 One of Atkinson's colleagues, who has studied the effect of the media on children's eating habits, has
contended that advertisers for snack foods will need to design ads responsibly for their younger
viewers (F. Johnson, personal communication, October 20, 2009).
Referencing Unknown Author
 If no author is named, mention the title of the source in the signal phrase or give the first word or two
of the title in the parentheses.
 The body's basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is a measure of its at-rest energy requirement
("Exercise," 2003).
 Italicize the title of the article, book, brochure, or periodical
Referencing Sources with no Page Number
 APA ordinarily requires page numbers for quotations, summaries, and paraphrases. When an
electronic source lacks stable numbered pages, include paragraph numbers or headings to help readers
locate the particular passage being cited.
 If the source has numbered paragraphs, use the paragraph number preceded by the abbreviation
"para”: (Hall, 2008, para. 5), If the source contains headings, cite the appropriate heading in
parentheses; you may also indicate the paragraph under the heading that you are referring to, even if
the paragraphs are not numbered.
 Hoppin and Taveras (2004) pointed out that several other medications were classified by the
Drug Enforcement Administration the "potential for abuse" (Weight Loss Drugs section, pa 6).
 Note: Electronic files in portable document format (PDF) often have stable page numbers. For
such sources, give the page number m the parenthetical citation.
 Identify the text, the version or edition you used, and the relevant part (chapter, verse, line). It is not
necessary to include the source in the reference list
Referencing Sacred or Classical Text
 Identify the text, the version or edition you used, and the relevant part (chapter, verse, line). It is not
necessary to include the source in the reference list.
 Peace activists have long cited the biblical prophet's vision of a world without war: "And they
shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift
up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4, Revised Standard
Version).
Reference List (Bibliography)
 Provide bibliographic information so readers can find sources themselves
 Each entry includes this basic information:
  Author's name
 Date of publication
 Title of work
 Other publication information, such as source of work, page numbers
 Start the reference list on a new page
 Type the word 'References' center top of page
 Double space ALL LINES between and within entries
 Arrange alphabetically
 If same first author- arrange by year of publication

Table I: Acceptable Abbreviations for Reference List Entries

ABBREVIATION REFERENCE LIST ENTRY
chap. Chapter
Ed. Edition
Rev. ed. Revised edition
nd
2 ed. Second edition
Ed. (Eds.) Editor (Editors)
Trans. Translator(s)
n.d. no date
p. (pp.) page (pages)
vol. Volume (as in Vol. 4)
vols. volumes (as in 4 vol.)
No. Number
Pt. Part
Tech Rep. Technical Report
Suppl. Supplement

1. Periodical (includes journals and scholarly newsletters):

 Author, A. A., Author, B., B., & Author, C. C. (2003). Title of article. Title of Periodical, vol.(issue),
page numbers.
o Rush, N.M., Quick, C. F., & Scamper, A.A. (2020). The handwriting of psychology students
analyzed through the notation of the ampersand in final exams. The Psychic Calligraphist, 22(1),
1-18.
2. Non periodical (includes books, reports, manuals, and AV media):
 Author, A. A. (2003). Title of book. Location: Publisher.
o Dreyfus, H.A. (2021). Introduction to Existentialism. Vancouver, Canada: Tint Publishing
Company.
3. Chapter in an Edited Book:
 Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (2003). Title of chapter. In A. Editor, B. Editor, & C. Editor (Eds.),
Title of book (pp.) Location: Publisher.
o Dillard, J.P. (2020). Currents in the study of persuasion. In M.B. Oliver, A.A. Raney, &J. Bryant
(Eds.), Media effects: Advances in theory and Research (4th Ed, pp. 115-129). Routledge.
4. Journal Citations
GENERAL FORMAT
Author’s last name, First name initial. Middle name initial. (Year of publication). Title of article.
Name of journal, volume, pages.
a. One Author
 Brookfield, S. (1993). On impostor ship, cultural suicide, and other dangers: How nurses learn critical
thinking. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 24, 197-205.
b. Two Authors
 Kane, D., & Thomas, B. (2000). Nursing and the "F" word. Nursing forum, 35(2), 17-24.
c. Three to Six Authors
 Ossana, S, M., Helms, J. E., & Leonard, Min. (1992). Do "womanist" identify attitudes influence
college women's self —esteem and perceptions of environmental bias? Journal of Counseling and
Development, 70, 402-408.
d. More than Six Authors
 Sherr, M., Maddox, J. E., Mercandante, B., Prentice- Dunn, S.1., Jacobs, B., Rogers, R.W. Katz, M.,
et al. (1982). The self-efficacy scale: Construction and validation. Psychological Reports, 81 663-671.

5. Book Citation
 Give the name of the publisher as briefly as possible
 Write out the names of associations, corporations, and university presses
 omit superfluous terms such as Publishers, Co., or Inc.
 Retain words such as Books and Pres
GENERAL FORMAT
Last name, First name initial. Middle Initial. (Year of publication) Book Title. (edition). Place of
Publication: Publisher.
Examples of book citations:
 Vaill, P.B. (1996). Learning as a way of being. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Hayes, E., & Flannery, D. (2000). Women as learners. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
With an Edition:
 Hooks, B. (2000). Feminist theory: From margin to center (2nd ed.). Cambridge: South End Press.
With an Organization as Author, Edition, and Capitalization of Proper Noun:
 The American Nurses' Association (2003). Nursing's social policy statement (2nd ed.). Washington
DC: Author.
Edited Book:
 Belenky, M. F., Clinchy, B. M. Goldberger, N. R. & Tarule, M. (Eds.). (1997). Women's ways of
knowing. New York: Basic Books.
No Author or Editor:
 Roget's Il: The new thesaurus (3rd ed.). (1995). New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Chapter in a Book with an Unknown Editor:
 Jarvis, P. (1992). Learning practice knowledge. In Professional's ways of knowing: New findings on
how to improve professional education (pp. 89-95). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Chapter in an Edited Book:
 Hofstader, R., & Munger, P.D. (1990). Education in the workplace: An integral part of the
development of professionals. In R. M. Cervero & J. F. Azzaretto (Eds.), Vision for the future of
continuing professional education (pp. 79-109). Athens: The University of Georgia.
6. Dissertation/Theses
PUBLISHED UNPUBLISHED
Author, A.A. (Year Published). Title. Author, A.A. (Date). Title of doctoral
Degree type or dissertation, Name of or master’s thesis. Unpublished doctoral
institution. Database name, associated dissertation. Name of institution, Location.
number.  Alfred, M. (2001). The maintenance of an
 Martin, L. (1992). Structural Racism: underclass with manmade language and
Maintaining hegemony in a white society. institutionalized patriarchy. Unpublished
Doctoral dissertation, University of doctoral dissertation. University of
Minnesota. Dissertation Abstracts Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
International, 54(01), 296A. (UMI
No.2643857)
7. Electronic References
 Direct readers as closely as possible to the information being cited; reference specific documents
rather than home or menu pages.
 Provide addresses (URLs) that work.
 Give authors name whenever possible (may be the website name; go back to the home page or
navigate around the site to find it).
 If you cannot, find an author, cite the first few words of the reference list entry (usually the title) and
the year.
 Document title or description.
 Date of publication, update, or the date of retrieval.
 An Internet address or Uniform Resource Locator (I-JRL).
 Copy the URL directly from the address window in the browser and paste it into the paper
 Do not insert a hyphen if the URL needs to be broken.
 Always break a URL after a slash or before a period.
 Test the URL regularly.
 If, the document cited has moved, update the URL.
 If the document is no longer available, substitute another source or drop it from the paper
GENERAL FORM FOR ELECTRONIC REFERENCES
Online periodical:
 Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (2003). Title of Title of Periodical, volume, page
numbers. Retrieved month, day, year, from URL.
o Aspy, D. J., & Proeve, M. (2017). Mindfulness and Loving-kindness mediation.
Psychological Reports, 120 (1), 102-117. Retrieved January20, 2021 from mindfulness.com
Online document:
 Author, A. A. (2003). Title of work. Retrieved month day, year, from source.
o Ruxton, C. (2016). Natural labor pain management. Retrieved February 05, 2020 from
https.//scholarlyworks.waldenu.edu/snpubs/51/
8. Internet Article Based on a Print Source
 Articles are duplicates of print versions, therefore, he same basic primary journal reference is used
 Make a note of "electronic version"
 Goldberger, N. (1997). Ways of knowing: Does gender matter? [Electronic Version]. Journal of
Continuing Education in Nursing, 5, 117-123.
 Fredrickson, B. L. (2000, March 7). Cultivating positive emotions to optimize health and well-being:
Prevention & Treatment, 3, Article 0001a. Retrieved November 20, 2000, from
http://journals.apa.org/prevention lume3/pre00 30001a.htm1
 University of Wisconsin — Green Bay, (2000). The Green Bay idea. Retrieved July 10, 2001, from
UWGB website: http:// uwgb.edu/idea/uwgb-idea3.htm
 If the author is not identified, begin the reference with the title of the document
9. Electronic Article Retrieved from a Data Base
 Roberts, S.J. (2000). Development of a positive professional identity: Liberating oneself from the
oppressor within. Advances in Nursing Science, 22(4), 71-82. Retrieved July 20, 2000, from
CINAHL.
 PRESENTING IDEAS CONVINCINGLY
Persuading someone has always been a part of a person’s life as we all are confronted with
the facts of freedom and choice in life. “Convincing someone to finally accept and buy your idea
is a challenge. You have to set condition so that he/she embraces your new ideas.” According to
Richard Shell and Mario Moussa, co-authors of the article published in Sales Source newsletter,
you may present your ideas convincingly with these tips:
1. Make it Vivid
 Rather than abstract your concepts, use concrete, real-life examples that carry emotional heft with the
audience.
2. Put your heart into it
 If you don’t really believe in yourself, your firm, and its offerings, you’ll persuade nobody. And it’s
enough to simply believe. It must be obvious to the audience that you’re a true believer.
3. Tell a story
 Humans use stories to order events so that they make sense to their daily lives. Your presentation
should have a hero who overcomes obstacles to achieve a goal.
4. Personalize your examples
 A presentation should cause an emotional shift from being “undecided” to being “certain’. This is
only possible if your presentation is relevant to your audience’s work and life experiences.
5. Make it a puzzle
 If there’s some mystery to your presentation, your audience will get involved solving. So do not
reveal everything upfront, especially when you are telling a story. Let the story evolve into a
meaningful ending.
6. Use telling metaphors
 Drawing parallels with the familiar helps the audience grasp complex ideas.
7. Force them to think
 True decision makers are quickly bored by ideas and information that they already understand.
Instead, they opportunities to exercise their brainpower to learn something new and insightful.
A Teeny, Tiny Treasure Box
She took me by the hand and walked me into the lobby like a five-year old child. Didn’t she know I was
pushing 15? This was the third home Nancy was placing me in - in a span of eight months. I guess she felt
a little sorry for me. The bright fluorescent lights threatened to burn my skin as I walked towards a
bouncy-looking lady with curly hair and a sweetly-smiling man. They called themselves Allie and Alex.
Cute, I thought.
After they exchanged the usual reams of paperwork, it was off in their Chevy Suburban to get situated
into another new home. This time, there were no other foster children and no other biological children.
Anything could happen.
Over the next few weeks, Allie, Alex, and I fell into quite a nice routine. She’d make pancakes for
breakfast, or he’d fry up some sausage and eggs. They sang a lot, even danced as they cooked. They must
have just bought the house because, most weekends, we were painting a living room butter yellow or
staining a coffee table mocha brown.
I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. When would they start threatening a loss of pancakes if I
didn’t mow the lawn? When would the sausage and eggs be replaced with unidentifiable slosh because he
didn’t feel like cooking in the morning? But, it never happened. They kept cooking, singing, and dancing
like a couple of happy fools.
It was a Saturday afternoon when Allie decided it was time to paint the brick fireplace white. As we
crawled closer to the dirty old firepit, we pulled out the petrified wood and noticed a teeny, tiny treasure
box. We looked at each other in wonder and excitement. She actually said, “I wonder if the leprechauns
left it!” While judging her for being such a silly woman, I couldn’t help but laugh and lean into her a
little.
Together, we reached for the box and pulled it out. Inside was a shimmering solitaire ring. Folded
underneath was a short piece of paper that read:
“My darling, my heart. Only 80 days have passed since I first held your hand. I simply cannot imagine
my next 80 years without you in them. Will you take this ring, take my heart, and build a life with me?
This tiny little solitaire is my offering to you. Will you be my bride?”
As I stared up at Allie, she asked me a question. “Do you know what today is?” I shook my head. “It’s
May 20th. That’s 80 days since Nancy passed your hand into mine and we took you home.”
It turns out, love comes in all shapes and sizes, even a teeny, tiny treasure box from a wonderfully silly
lady who believes in leprechauns.
 WRITING A CRITIQUE ON ART
Basically, a criticism, in academic and professional writing, is a form of constructive
dispensing of both solicited and unsolicited ideas from writers. Criticism is a lengthy piece of
writing
What are the characteristics of Criticism? What is a Critique on Art?
1. an abstract, intellectual exercise A critique on art is basically a visual analysis. Its
2. an exchange of informed opinion purpose is to understand and recognize the choices
3. considered to be a discourse that an artist made in creating the artwork. It can
4. a lengthy piece of writing deal with the formal elements such as color, lone,
texture, and size.
Steps in writing claims in a critique on art:
1. Introduction – Name of the work, date when it is created, etc.
 What is the art made of?
 What is the medium used? If it’s a painting, what paint was used? If it’s a sculpture, what
material is used?
 What colors, shapes, and textures did the artist use?
2. Observe the artwork and write down your observations. Analyze the artwork in terms of elements
such as composition, colors, texture, size, space and other material attributes of the artwork.
3. Formulate your claim. Reflect on the overall organizations of the art. Consider how formal elements
contribute to the meaning of the artwork. Include how the art relates to other works of art.
4. Support your main claim with visual details. Organize your analysis using logical order.
Why critique art?
 to elucidate author/artist’s background profile
 to identify errors or faults for future improvements
 to provide sensual appeal to others
 to gratify one’s interpretative prowess
 to grant a someone’s bid for a bias-free opinion
ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION
 Do the points complement each other?  How does this art object make you feel?
 Do they create distress or harmony?  What do you think when you’re looking at the
artwork?
 What did the artist want to tell you as a
viewer?
JUDGEMENT
 How do you think? Is the work successful or not?
 Does this art object seem original or not?
 What do you feel when looking at this piece of artwork

WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL APPROACHES IN WRITING A CRITIQUE?

Critical Approaches are different perspectives we consider when looking at a piece of literature
or an art. These approaches are used in critiquing literary pieces. They seek to give us answers to these
questions, in addition to aiding us in interpreting literature: What do we read? Why do we read? How do
we read?
1. Formalistic Criticism 2. Biographical Criticism
It regards the subject as a unique form This approach is done when one looks
of human knowledge that needs to be into the history and personal life of the
examined on its own terms. The subject creator eliciting interpretations from his/her
can be understood only by an analysis of its past. The life of the author is helpful to
intrinsic elements. In using formalist understand the work because authors get
criticism, you need to focus your analysis inspiration from their own life.
on the formal feature of the subject.
3. Historical Criticism 4. Gender Criticism
It involves understanding the subject Historically, the receptive
by using an analysis of social, cultural, and understanding of gender’s influence on the
intellectual context surrounding the work way the creation was made is this
of art. The time and place of creation take approach’s focus. Feminist critics examine
part in this criticism. These aspects both men and mostly the attributes of
influence one’s art women in achieving equality.
Examines how sexual identity

5. Psychological Criticism
This involves the mind of the creator;
his unconscious thinking, fear, desire,
regrets and even sexuality.
influences the creation and reception of the
subject
6. Sociological Criticism
This criticism the cultural, economic,
and political context in which the subject is
created. These greatly influence one’s
piece.

The Weeping Woman is a painting finished by Pablo Picasso in France, 1937. This type of artwork
can be considered to be expressionism. There isn’t an actual background scene in the painting. The
background is completed with different lines and colors. The woman is the focus point of this painting.
She is wearing an accessory on top of her head which demonstrates her elegance. My first impression of
the artwork is that the face of the woman is not proportionate and is only painted with lines, no curves.
The main colors that are used in this painting are green, yellow, blue, purple, red and black. The painting
is set mainly of lined and little curves. The mood and visual effect that this painting portrays can be
considered to be suffering, and sadness.
The colors that the author uses can be considered to be quite different as each color conveys a
separate impression. The light purple that begins at the bottom top of the woman’s eyes can convey
sadness. The other half of the face is mainly covered in green and yellow; these can be said to interpret
other solid emotions that the painter must have towards this woman as she was a vital character in
Picasso’s life. The painting is created with mainly lines which can mean that the woman had strong
physical features or that her different emotions were felt passionately as lines are usually seen as strong
technical elements. The only curves that are being used are for her hair and eyes. The eyes look quite
down or depressive. This is because the woman is crying, which goes back to the main mood which is
suffering.
I believe that Picasso wanted the audience to feel pain and provide a statement that explains how all
women feel and the agony that they are consistently in. The audience can see that the woman has peeled
away her flesh by corrosive tears to reveal her white bones. The handkerchief she tries to stuff in her
mouth seems as a shard of glass. This vivid image can convey pain and hurting. Picasso has expressed
the behavior of this woman several times and often describes the constant tears that fall off her eyes. So
the feeling conveyed by the artwork is definitely suffering. Picasso wanted us to feel her and understand
the pain that she was going through. It was not easy to be a woman during that time since females where
often frowned upon. Picasso demonstrates the appreciation that he has for her through this painting as he
wants the audience to understand her.

*Notice that from this example, the critic person tried to use the formal elements of Picasso’s painting.
The woman in the painting is being depicted with the color and position of the physical aspects that can
be seen by the naked eye. THEREFORE, WE CAN RELAY THAT THIS SAMPLE OF CRITICISM
USED A FORMALIST APPROACH.

GENERALIZATION
The ultimate goal in provoking ideas on the mind of the readers may be relinquished
through the modern thinking of a writer. Thus, these tips in laying down the ideas convincingly
are apparent proof of making a statement clear. The vividness of ideas is the factor that emblems
a good idea. While the rest are as important as the first, we may bank from them accordingly.
Note that in presenting ideas convincingly, one can be subjective to the course of his
speaking/writing. He may use the tips presented above to guide himself but all the worth of a
writer is the originality that comes within. In Critiquing art, one must be able to absorb all the
approaches as these are the standards to follow in providing comments, suggestions, and reactions
on matter that pertain to interpretation. Therefore, identifying imperfections may not always be
something that is considered a positive trait of a person and by using the approaches, one may be
formal, historical, or even deconstructive to elicit truth and interpretation. We always need to
look at the goodness and bright side of things. But in this world where things are considered and
rated in hierarchal way, one has to put an open mind for rooms for improvement. For one’s good,
accept mistakes. Pride is the only sin.