Features

of Academic
Writing
English 7
4th Quarter-Lesson 1

Prepared by: Ms. Arielle Y. Alontaga

Subject Teacher
Literary & Academic Writing

Writing is a form of communication that

utilizes language to deliver an intended message
to particular readers within a context.
Literary vs. Academic Writing
 Literary Writing
Then, with a flutter of wings, he once more took to the air,
but the joy of his flight was gone and his victory over the air
was bitter to him. He arrived safely in Sicily, where he built a
temple to Apollo and hung up his wings as an offering to the
god, and in the wings he pressed a few bright feathers he
had found floating on the water where Icarus fell. And he
mourned for the birdlike son who had thrown caution to the
winds in the exaltation of his freedom from the earth .
-The Flight of Icarus
 Academic Writing

A growing number of people feel that animals should

not be exploited by people and that they should have
the same rights as humans, while others argue that
humans must employ animals to satisfy their various
needs, including uses for food and research.
 TASK #1
Individual

Literary Academic
Writing Writing
1. Use of words
A.Colorful and Creative
B.Uses specialized language of
disciplines
2. Format
A. Creative/informal/artistic
B. Formal/Standard
3. Content
A.Feelings/Thought
B.To inform,to explain, to argue/assert
4. Purpose
A. Inspire/ Entertain
B. Factual/Informative
Literary Writing Academic Writing
• It inspires, artistic and • an objective, factual, and
entertains with word formal type of writing on a
pictures, concepts and deep specific body of knowledge
meaning. done by students or
• It is enjoyable to read. researchers (Cequena, Canlas, De Vera, 2017).

• It’s an art form. It’s not

necessary to learn, but a joy
to those who do.
• Examples are poems, short
stories, novels, and the like.
In Academic Writing, remember
that you need to:

▪ Outline your ideas before you start writing.

▪ Research your materials for support of your stand or
argument.
▪ Begin with a strong statement or introduction.
▪ End with a full closure or summary of your
presentation.
Examples of Academic text:
 TASK #2
GROUP
Identify the following texts if Literary (L) or
Academic Writing (A):
A
8.
Informative
1. An Info
graphic on
Various
L
Essay about Coconut 2. Road
climate Uses Not Taken
by Robert
change
A Frost

A
7.Mental 3. A

A Health
Journal
Science
Investigatory
Project

A
6. Action
Research on
4. May Day

A
Academic
Performance 5.Life Eve by Nick
of the
of Pi Joaquin

L
Grade 7
Students Movie
Critic
 Academic
Writing and
Its Features
 Features of Academic Writing
1. Formal and unbiased
• aims to convey information in an
impartial/fair way.
• The goal is to base arguments on
the evidence under consideration,
not the author’s
preconceptions/biases.
• All claims should be supported
with relevant evidence, not just
asserted/stated.
 Features of Academic Writing
1. Formal and unbiased
• Strike the right tone with your language
choices.

• slang,
Avoid informal language, including
contractions, clichés, and conversational
phrases

 Also, a lot of the findings are a little unreliable.

 Moreover, many of the findings are somewhat unreliable.

 Features of Academic Writing
2.Clear and Precise
• use clear and precise language to ensure that your
reader knows exactly what you mean.
• This means being as specific as possible and
avoiding vague language.

 People have been interested in this thing for a long time.

 Researchers have been interested in this phenomenon for at least 10 years

Examples of Slang words:
 Features of Academic Writing
AVOID Hedging your claims with words like “perhaps”!
• this can give the impression that you lack confidence in your
arguments

Example:  This could perhaps suggest that…

 This suggests that…
 Features of Academic Writing
AVOID Hedging your claims with words like “perhaps”!
• Hedging language refers to how a writer expresses
certainty or uncertainty.
• Often in academic writing, a writer may not be sure of
the claims that are being made in their subject area,
or perhaps the ideas are good but the evidence is not
very strong
• It is common, therefore, to use language of caution
or uncertainty (known as hedging language).
Sometimes saying, “It might rain tomorrow” is more appropriate than
“It will rain tomorrow.”
 Features of Academic Writing
Use of Jargon

• specialist language or jargon is common and often

necessary in academic writing, which generally
targets an audience of other academics in related
fields.
• used to make your writing more concise and accurate,
not to make it more complicated!
 Features of Academic Writing
When to use Jargon words?
• It conveys information more precisely than a
comparable non-specialist term.
• Your reader is likely to be familiar with the term.
• The term is commonly used by other researchers in your
field.
• The best way to familiarize yourself with the kind of
jargon used in your field is to read papers by other
researchers and pay attention to their language.
 Continuation on

Features of Academic Writing

3. Focus and well-structured
• Start with a relevant research question or
thesis statement, and use it to develop a
focused argument.
• Pay attention to structure at three
levels:
1. the structure of the whole text
2. paragraph structure, and
3. sentence structure
 Continuation on

Features of Academic Writing

3. Focus and well-structured
• Use a topic sentence at the start of each paragraph
to indicate what it’s about, and make clear
transitions between paragraphs.

• To achieve this cohesion, it is a good practice to

use transitional phrases at the start of some
sentences, in order to link the upcoming idea to the
previous one.
 Continuation on

Features of Academic Writing

3. Focus and well-structured
✓ Always include an introduction and a conclusion.
✓ Divide longer texts into chapters or sections with clear
headings.
✓ Make sure information is presented in a logical order.
✓ Start a new paragraph when you move onto a new idea.
 Continuation on

Features of Academic Writing

3. Well-sourced
• Academic writing uses sources to support its claims.
• Sources are other texts (or media objects like photographs
or films) that the author analyzes or uses as evidence.
• For example, citing Wikipedia is typically discouraged.
• Don’t rely on websites for information; instead, use
academic databases and your university library to find
credible sources.
 QUIZ No. 1

Instructions: Choose the right concept about academic

writing. Write the sentences in your notebook.

One can use It has

It does not have slang language introduction,
a clear purpose in academic body and
writing conclusion

Wikipedia is a A topic sentence

In academic writing,
good source in
writing academic
jargon should not be is needed in
explained thoroughly every paragraph.
text

Word contractions Academic writing Hedging makes

such can’t, shouldn't
are acceptable in is formal, not academic writing
academic writing conversational. impartial/ fair
 Types of Academic Writing:
ESSAY THESIS/DISSERTATION
• A fairly short, self- • The large final research
contained argument project undertaken at the
end of a degree.
RESEARCH PAPER RESEARCH PROPOSAL
• A more in-depth • An outline of a
investigation based on potential topic and plan
independent research for a future dissertation
or research project.

LITERATURE REVIEW
A critical synthesis of existing research on a topic, usually written in
order to inform the approach of a new piece of research.
Types of Academic Writing:
ESSAY and its Four (4) Major Types
• Essay is a fairly short, self-contained argument
ESSAY and its Four (4) Major Types

1. Narrative Essays: Telling a Story

• the writer tells a story about a real-life experience.
• When writing a narrative essay, writers should try to
involve the reader by making the story as
vivid/clear/strong as possible.
ESSAY and its Four (4) Major Types
1. Narrative Essays: Telling a Story
• The fact that narrative essays are usually
written in the first person helps engage the
reader. “I” sentences give readers a feeling of
being part of the story.

• A well-crafted narrative essay will also build

towards drawing a conclusion or making a personal
statement.
ESSAY and its Four (4) Major Types

2. Descriptive Essays: Painting a

Picture
• A cousin of the narrative essay, a descriptive essay
paints a picture with words.
• A writer might describe a person,
place, object, or even memory of special significance.
ESSAY and its Four (4) Major Types

2. Descriptive Essays: Painting a

Picture
• However, this type of essay is not description for description’s
sake. The descriptive essay strives to communicate a deeper
meaning through the description.

the writer should show, not tell … through the use of

colorful words and sensory details

• The best descriptive essays appeal to the reader’s emotions, with

a result that is highly evocative/ bringing strong images
ESSAY and its Four (4) Major Types
3. Expository Essays: Just the Facts

• an informative piece of writing that presents a

balanced analysis of a topic.

• In an expository essay, the writer explains or

defines a topic, using facts, statistics, and
examples.
ESSAY and its Four (4) Major Types
3. Expository Essays: Just the Facts

• Expository writing encompasses a wide range of essay

variations, such as:
1. comparison and contrast essay,
2. the cause-and-effect essay, and the
3. “how to” or process essay.

• expository essays are based on facts and not personal

feelings, writers don’t reveal their emotions or write
in the first person.
ESSAY and its Four (4) Major Types
4. Persuasive Essays: Convince Me
• to convince the reader to accept the writer’s
point of view or recommendation

• The writer must build a case using facts and

logic, as well as examples, expert opinion, and
sound reasoning.

• The writer should present all sides of the

argument, but must be able to communicate clearly
and without equivocation why a certain position is
correct.
Come, spell for Literacy!

collaborate
Come, spell for Literacy!

commencement
Come, spell for Literacy!

deficiency
 TASK #5:
Individual

Instructions: Exhibit your understanding of the

features of academic writing by writing a
3-paragraph expository essay explaining the effects
of social media in teenagers.Do not forget to apply
the writing techniques that you have learned from
the discussion. A writing rubric is provided to
guide you in preparing your essay.
Write your output on a separate sheet of paper.
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