ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND
PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Week 1
Academic Text
• is a reading material that provides information which includes
concepts and theories that are related to a specific discipline.
• defined as critical, objective, specialized texts written by
experts or professionals in a given field using formal
language.
• Academic texts are objective (based on facts with solid basis)
Academic Writing
• particular style used in formal essays and other assessments for the course.
• requires formal language, a logical structure and is supported by evidence/s.
• It is clear, concise, focused, structured and backed up by evidence.
• Its purpose is to aid the reader's understanding.
• It has a formal tone and style, but it is not complex and does
not require the use of long sentences and complicated vocabulary.
Academic Language
• the language needed by students to do the work in schools.
• It includes, for example, discipline-specific vocabulary, grammar
and punctuation, and applications of rhetorical conventions and
devices that are typical for a content area (e.g., essays, lab reports,
discussions of a controversial issue.)
Importance of Academic Writing
Importance of Academic Writing
a necessity to be able to communicate using the appropriate language needed
in formal communication.
it is very important to apply the appropriate language, learn the rules and
practice the skills of writing for academic and professional purposes.
a measure of one’s professionalism as it seeks to simplify complex messages
providing common understanding with the target audience.
it is fundamental in achieving higher education.
It serves as the window of one’s thoughts.
It aids in one’s understanding of the intended message or text.
Characteristics of Academic Writing
Clear and Limited Focus
• Focus = THESIS STATEMENT
• Every paragraph and sentence of the paper connects back to
that primary focus.
• all content serves the purpose of supporting the thesis
statement.
Logical Structure
• All academic writing follows a logical, straightforward structure.
• In its simplest form, academic writing includes an introduction, body
paragraphs, and a conclusion.
Background information
INTRODUCTION Scope and direction of the essay
Thesis statement
BODY Paragraphs supporting the
thesis
CONCLUSION Summary and findings
Evidence-based arguments
• Academic writing requires well-informed arguments.
• Statements must be supported by evidence, whether from scholarly
sources (as in a research paper), results of a study or experiment, or
quotations from a primary text (as in a literary analysis essay).
• The use of evidence gives credibility to an argument.
Impersonal Tone
• The goal of academic writing is to
convey a logical argument from an
objective standpoint.
• Avoids emotional, inflammatory, or
otherwise biased language.
• Whether you personally agree or
disagree with an idea, it must be
presented accurately and
objectively in your paper.
Types of
Academic Writing
Scholarly Articles / Research Paper
• are a full-length document on original research, and sources of high-valuable
information.
Purpose: educate, give information
Audience: other scholars, experts in the field
Language: formal, with jargon depending on the field
Tone: Neutral
What to avoid: Colloquialism or slang (watcha, yow!) ; labels
showing bias (evil, terrorist); Contractions (can’t, won’t);
and vulgar words
Textbooks
• comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study. Textbooks are
produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational
institutions
Purpose: educate, inform, instruct
Audience: students
Language: formal
Tone: Neutral
What to avoid: Colloquialism or slang (watcha, yow!)
Contractions (can’t, won’t); and vulgar words
Academic Essays
• Small scale article and often argues for a concept, standpoint or opinion
Purpose: to express self via academic requirement
Audience: professor; academe
Language: formal
Tone: May vary depending on topic; subjectivity is allowed
What to avoid: excessive colloquialism or slang ;
jargon and vulgar words
Other Types of Academic Text / Writing
• comprehensive and usually brief abstract,
Summary
• recapitulation, or compendium of previously stated facts or statements.
• proposes a research or development project
Proposal
• sets premises, starting points and concepts
• submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree
Thesis / Dissertation
• presenting the author's research and findings.
Review • evaluates or contextualizes someone’s work or publications.
• statement of progress of final results and outcomes
Report
or work in progress.
Common Text Formats
Three-Part Format
• most common among the formats.
• The academic texts that follow this
format are:
• Essays
• Features
• Science Report
• Newspaper Editorials
• Thesis
• scholarly works
The Inverted Pyramid
• the structure starts with the most
important details to the least Who, What, When, Where
important.
Why, How
• This is ideal for newspaper readers.
Supporting details
• One look in the article and they can
immediately know the major details. others
The Hourglass Format
• used in creative narratives or
sometimes in enterprising news INTRODUCTION
stories.
• Text that follows this are movie NARRATIVE
reviews, book reviews and TURN AND
investigative reports. DETAILS
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