LESSON 7

COMMUNICATI
ON
FOR
ACADEMIC
PURPOSES
RHEMLYN JOY R. GONZALES,LPT
INSTRUCTOR I
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND MASS COMMUNICATION
CAVITE STATE UNIVERSITY- IMUS CAMPUS
Learning Outcomes
AT THE END OF THE LESSON, YOU ARE EXPECTED TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING:

Identify and apply the different stylistic elements of good

academic writing

Develop a socio-political analysis paper or a position paper.

Write a research-based documented essay observing stylistic

conventions of academic writing.
 ACADEMIC
WRITING
Academic writing refers to a style of
expression that researchers use to define the
intellectual boundaries of their disciplines and
specific areas of expertise. It is designed to
convey agreed meaning about complex ideas or
concepts for a group of scholarly experts.
 "IF YOU WANT TO BE A
WRITER YOU MUST DO TWO
THINGS ABOVE ALL OTHERS:
READ A LOT AND WRITE A
LOT."

-STEPHEN KING-
 STYLISTIC
ELEMENTS OF GOOD
ACADEMIC WRITING
THE OVERALL VIEW

It is important to take note of the following points:

• The paper must be cohesive and possess a logically organized flow of ideas this
suggests that the various parts are connected to form a unified whole.

• There should be transitional devices or narrative links between sentences and

paragraphs so that the reader will be able to follow your argument.

• The introduction should include an explanation of how the rest of the paper is
organized and all sources are properly cited throughout the paper.
 LANGUAGE
Points to remember:

• The key to successful writing focuses on the levels of formality and conciseness that
underscores writing in a style that your audience expects and that fits your purpose.

• Use clear topic sentences and well-structured paragraphs to enable readers to follow
your line of thinking without difficulty.

• Avoid using in-group jargons or specialized language used by groups of like-minded

individuals. You have to bear in mind that you only use in-group jargon when you are
writing for members of that group. You should never use jargon for a general audience
without first explaining it.
LANGUAGE
Points to remember:

• Avoid using slang or idiomatic expressions in general academic writing.

• Avoid using euphemisms or words that veil the truth and other deceitful
language.

• Avoid using biased language including language with a racial, ethnic, group,
or gender bias or language that is stereotypical.
ACADEMIC TONE
Things need to consider when writing an academic tone.

• Present the arguments of others objectively

and with an appropriate narrative tone.

• Describe these arguments accurately and

without biased or loaded language
whenever you present an argument or a
position that you disagree with.
ACADEMIC TONE
Things need to consider when writing an academic tone.

• Investigate the research problem from an

authoritative perspective.

• State the strong points of your arguments

confidently by using language that is
neutral, not dismissive or confrontational.
ACADEMIC TONE

Things need to consider when writing an academic tone.

• Avoid making broad generalizations, using

over-sweeping adjectives, adverbs,
qualifiers, emotional language and
inflammatory language.
ACADEMIC DICTION
Take note of the following points

• Awareness of the words you use is vital

because words that have almost the
same denotation or dictionary definition
can have very different connotations or
implied meanings.

• Use concrete and specific words that

convey precise meaning.
ACADEMIC DICTION
Take note of the following points

• Explain what you mean within the

context of how that word or phrase is
used within a discipline.

• Be consistent with your labels. Call

people what they want to be called. Use
gender inclusive language. Avoid placing
gender identifiers in front of nouns.
ACADEMIC DICTION
Take note of the following points

• Use personal pronouns carefully. Generally,

you also want to avoid using the personal "I"
in an academic paper unless you are writing a
reflection paper or a reaction paper.

• Writing from the third-person point of view is

important in academic research writing
because it makes your paper sounds more
assertive, more professional and credible.
 ACADEMIC DICTION
Avoid the use of the following:
• Slang expressions (very informal language that is usually spoken rather
than written, used especially by particular groups of people);

• Cliché phrases (ideas or expressions that have been used too often and is
often considered a sign of bad writing or old-fashioned thinking);

• Metaphors or figures of speech (words or phrases used in a non-literal

sense for rhetorical or vivid effect);
 ACADEMIC DICTION
Avoid the use of the following:

• Colloquialisms (common words or phrases used in a nontraditional and

informal way);

• Jargons (special words or expressions used by a particular profession or

group and are difficult for others to understand);

• Big words (difficult words or phrases used for the sake of sounding
scholarly);
 ACADEMIC DICTION
Avoid the use of the following:

• Meaningless words (words or phrases that hold little meaning when you
consider the potentially diverse backgrounds of your reading audience);

• Platitudes (clichés that also pretend to offer advice, lesson, or moral

guidance);

• Pejoratives (words or phrases that express the bias of the author);

 ACADEMIC DICTION
Avoid the use of the following:

• Contractions (words made by shortening and combining two words), and

text-messages or short message service (SMS) spellings

• These casual expressions may be appropriate in informal or personal

messages, but they are inappropriate in academic research papers.
PUNCTUATION
• Semi-colons represent a pause that is longer than a
comma, but shorter than a period in a sentence. In
general, there are four grammatical uses of semi-
colons:

⚬ When a second clause expands or explains the first clause;

⚬ To describe a sequence of actions or different aspects of the same topic;
⚬ Placed before clauses which begin with “for instance”, “even so”,
"nevertheless", and "therefore"; and
⚬ to mark off a series of phrases or clauses which contain commas.
 PUNCTUATION

• Colons should be limited to introducing, announcing or directing

attention to a list, a noun or noun phrase, a quotation, or an
example/explanation; joining sentences; and expressing time, in titles,
and as part of other writing conventions.

• Hyphens should be limited to connecting prefixes to words like “multi-

disciplinary” or when forming compound words or phrases like “on-site”
and “right-of-way.”
 PUNCTUATION

• Dashes should be limited to the insertion of an explanatory

comment in a sentence.

• Exclamation points are rarely used to express a heightened tone

because it can come across as unsophisticated or over-excited.
ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS

Fair use means that you legitimately use brief excerpts from source
material to support and develop your own ideas. However, quoting or
paraphrasing another’s work at excessive length, to the extent that large
sections of the writing are unoriginal, is not fair use.
ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS
When considering academic conventions, you must take into consideration the following points:

• It is essential to always acknowledge the source of any ideas, research findings, data,
paraphrased, or quoted text that you have used in your paper as a defense against
allegations of plagiarism.

• With reference to academic writing purposes, the guidelines for fair use are reasonably
explicit. This means that you may quote from or paraphrase material from previously
published works without formally obtaining the copyright holder’s permission.
ACADEMIC CONVENTIONS
When considering academic conventions, you must take into consideration the following points:

• Rules concerning precise word structure and excellent grammar do not

apply when quoting someone. To set off and represent exact language
either spoken or written that has come from somebody else is the
primary function of quotation marks. Direct quotations involve
incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing.
EVIDENCE-BASED REASONING
This type of reasoning underscores the following:

• A sound understanding of the pertinent body of knowledge and academic debates that exist
within, and often external to your discipline;

• The need to support your opinion with evidence from scholarly sources;

• An objective stance presented as a logical argument;

• The quality of your evidence will determine the strength of your argument; and

• The challenge is to convince the reader of the validity of your opinion through a well-
documented, coherent, and logically structured piece of writing, which is particularly
important when proposing solutions to problems or delineating recommended courses of
action.
 THESIS-DRIVEN
Academic writing is “thesis-driven.” This implies the following:

• The starting point is a particular perspective, idea, or position applied to the

chosen topic of investigation, such as, establishing, proving, or disproving
solutions to the research questions posed for the topic.

• A problem statement without the research questions does not qualify as academic
writing because simply identifying the research problem does not establish for
the reader how you will contribute to solving the problem, what aspects you
believe are most critical, or suggest a method for gathering data to better
understand the problem.
 REFINING ACADEMIC WRITING
To improve your academic writing skills, you should focus your efforts on four key areas:

• Clear Writing

• Excellent Grammar

• Credible and Scholarly Sources

• Consistent Stylistic Approach

 CLEAR WRITING

The act of thinking about precedes the process of writing about.

Good writers spend sufficient time distilling information and
reviewing major points from the literature they have reviewed
before creating their work. Writing detailed outlines can help you
clearly organize your thoughts. Effective academic writing begins
with solid planning, so manage your time carefully.
 EXCELLENT GRAMMAR

English grammar can be difficult and complex; even the best

scholars take many years before they have a command of the
major points of good grammar. Take the time to learn the minor
and major points of good grammar to avoid presenting papers
riddled with errors. Spend time practicing writing and seek
detailed feedback from professors. Good proofreading skills and
proper punctuation can significantly improve academic writing.
CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY
SOURCES

Credibility is defined as the quality or power of inspiring belief.

Credible sources, therefore, must be reliable sources that provide
information that one can believe to be true. It is important to use
credible sources in a academic research paper because your
audience will expect you to have backed up your assertions with
credible evidence.
CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY
SOURCES
The five best resources to help you in writing a research paper include:

• University’s Library

Your University’s Library provides you

access to several resources such as
online databases, e-books, books,
journals, and other research articles.
CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY
SOURCES
The five best resources to help you in writing a research paper include:

2. Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a resource that provides

you a list of journal articles, portable
document formats (pdfs), and websites
focusing on much more credible and
scholarly sources appropriate for an
academic research paper.
CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY
SOURCES
The five best resources to help you in writing a research paper include:

3. RefSeek
RefSeek is a resource that allows you to research
specifically for documents, giving you a better
chance of finding credible information to help
you write your research paper.
CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY
SOURCES
The five best resources to help you in writing a research paper include:

4. Internet Public Library (ipl2)

Internet Public Library (ipl2) is a resource

that allows you to search by subject. It
links to websites, rather than scholarly
journals.
CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY
SOURCES
The five best resources to help you in writing a research paper include:

5. Education Resources Information Center (ERIC

Education Resources Information Center

(ERIC) is a database that primarily focuses
on education, but it also includes a number
of related topics such as psychology, social
work, and other social issues.
CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY
SOURCES
Refrain from using the following sources when writing an academic research paper:

• The Dictionary is a good sources; however, it could not provide you with a
more specialized definition of terms needed in an academic research paper.

• About.com could provide useful information such as novel ideas and

information related to fashion, health, sports, entertainment and the like.
However, such information is irrelevant to academic research writing.
CREDIBLE AND SCHOLARLY
SOURCES
Refrain from using the following sources when writing an academic research paper:

• Wikipedia.com and other Wikis are also good websites; however, the
problem with them is that anyone can write and edit them, hence you cannot
vouch for the credibility of the given information.
 CONSISTENT STYLISTIC
APPROACH
• When your professor expresses a preference to use the American
Psychological Association (APA) style, or the Modern Language
Association (MLA) style or the Chicago Manual of Style, choose the
suggested style guide and stick to it. Each of these style guides provide
rules on how to write out numbers, references, citations, footnotes, and
lists. Consistent adherence to a style of writing helps with the narrative
flow of your paper and improves its readability.
ACADEMIC PAPERS
SOCIO-POLITICAL ANALYSIS PAPER
A socio-political analysis paper can be defined as an analysis of the
economic, social, and political factors that shape a particular country or
situation and how these factors impact the lives and thoughts of the
people. It is considered a powerful tool for understanding how countries
work and what might be done to help them cope with their challenges in
order to reform and to set their priorities in a way that make them more
likely to succeed.
Guidelines in Writing a Socio-Political Analysis Paper

Clear Introduction.

The paper should begin with introductory paragraphs that introduce

your readers to the problem or question you are addressing; lay
out the thesis statement; and provide them a “roadmap” on how
you will defend your thesis. In the introduction, you may likewise
present a general background information or provide your own
motivation for writing.
Guidelines in Writing a Socio-Political Analysis Paper

The Problem

The problem refers to the wider subject or question you are trying to
address with your paper. You may situate your more specific
argument within a broader problem that states why your paper is
relevant economically, socially and politically.
Guidelines in Writing a Socio-Political Analysis Paper

The Thesis

An argumentative thesis statement is not synonymous to the topic of

the paper, nor a statement of fact, nor an observation about the text
so obvious or general that no one would dispute it. Rather, it is an
argument or a declaration of what you will accomplish in the paper.
Typically, a thesis takes the form of one to two sentences placed
towards the end of the introductory paragraph.
Guidelines in Writing a Socio-Political Analysis Paper

The Roadmap

The roadmap is a plan that follows the thesis statement. It operates

like a preview of the paper’s main points which is presented in logical
order. Such a plan is highly encouraged on the account that it not
only lends clarity to the structure of your argument, but also provides
a check for the logical coherence of the points you make.
Guidelines in Writing a Socio-Political Analysis Paper

Well-organized Body

The body of the paper follows the introduction. It is in this part where
you develop your thesis and defend it with detailed evidence. The
structure of the body should follow the roadmap that you have
provided in the introduction. It must be structured logically so that
each point and paragraph flows from the preceding one.
Guidelines in Writing a Socio-Political Analysis Paper

Strong Conclusion

The last component of the paper is the conclusion. Here, you should
restate the main ideas; summarize the main concepts or key
arguments of the paper and reinforce it without repeating or rewording
the introduction or body of the paper; draw a conclusion based on the
information; and include suggested courses of action and possible
solutions or recommendations.
POSITION
PAPER
POSITION PAPER
The position paper aims to generate support on an issue. It
describes the authors’ or organization’s position on an issue and
the rationale for that position. It is based on facts that provide a
solid foundation for the authors’ argument.
In the position paper the authors should use evidence to
support position, such as statistical evidence or indisputable
dates and events; validate position with authoritative references
or primary source quotations; examine the strengths and
weaknesses of the position; and evaluate possible solutions and
suggest courses of action.
Guidelines in Writing a Position Paper
Clear Introduction

The paper should begin with introductory paragraphs that introduce

your readers to the problem or question you are addressing, lay out the
thesis statement or main position, and provide readers with a
“roadmap” on how you will defend your thesis. In the introduction, you
may likewise present a general background information or provide your
own motivation for writing.
Guidelines in Writing a Position Paper
Well-organized Body.

The body of the paper follows the introduction. It is the nerve center
of the paper where you develop your thesis and defend it with detailed
evidences. The structure of the body should follow the roadmap that
you have provided in the introduction. It must be structured logically so
that each point and paragraph flows from the preceding one.
Guidelines in Writing a Position Paper
Strong Conclusion

The last component of the paper is the conclusion. Here, you should
restate the main ideas; summarize the main concepts or key arguments
of the paper and reinforce it without repeating or rewording the
introduction or body of the paper; draw a conclusion based on the
information; and include suggested courses of action and possible
solutions or recommendations.
RESEARCH-BASED
DOCUMENTED
ESSAY
RESEARCH-BASED DOCUMENTED ESSAY

A research-based documented essay is a piece of writing in which the authors

incorporate information such as facts, arguments, and opinions taken from the
writings of authorities in a particular field.

This type of paper presents and supports the thesis by relying on outside or
secondary sources for development. It is similar to a review of literature on the
account that the authors synthesize and identify the gaps in the writings of authorities
in specific fields and then generate a new thesis statement out of them.
Thank
You