ENGLISH
FOR
ACADEMIC
AND
V.M. RAMIREZ
ISTIC S OF 2
AN
ACADEMIC
TEXT
An academic text is a
written language that
provides information and
contains ideas and
concepts that are related
to a particular discipline.
Essay, Research, Report,
Structure
The basic structure that is used by an
academic text consists of three parts
introduction, body, and conclusion
which are formal and logical. This kind
of structure enables the reader to
follow the argument and navigate the
text. In academic writing, a clear
Tone
This refers to the attitude conveyed in
a piece of writing. The arguments of
others are fairly presented and with
an appropriate narrative tone. When
presenting a position or argument
that disagrees with one’s
perspectives, describe the argument
Language
Use unambiguous language. Clear
topic sentences enable a reader to
follow your line of thinking without
difficulty. Formal language and the
third-person point-of-view should be
used. Technical language appropriate
to the area of study may be used,
Citation
Citing sources in the body of the
paper and providing a list of
references as either footnotes or
endnotes is a very important aspect of
an academic text. It is essential to
always acknowledge the source of any
ideas, research findings, data, or
Complexity
An academic text addresses
complex issues that require
higher-order thinking skills to
comprehend.
Evidence-based
Arguments
What is valued in an academic
text is that opinions are based
on a sound understanding of the
pertinent body of knowledge and
academic debates that exist
Thesis-driven
The starting point of an
academic text is a
perspective, idea, or position
applied to the chosen
research problem, such as
establishing, proving, or
Features 11
of
academic
texts
Complex
Written language has no longer
words, it has a more varied
vocabulary; texts are shorter
and language has more
grammatical complexity,
including more subordinate
Formal
Should avoid colloquial words
and expressions
Precise
Facts are given accurately and
precisely
Objective
Has fewer words that emphasize
the information you want to give
and the arguments you want to
make; mostly use nouns
(adjectives), rather than verbs
(adverbs)
Explicit
It is the responsibility of the
writer in English to make it clear
to the reader how the various
parts of the text are related
Accurate
Uses vocabulary accurately;
most subjects have words with
narrow specific meanings
Hedging
It is necessary to make decisions
about your stance on a
particular subject, or the
strength of the claims you are
making.
Responsible
You must be responsible for and
must be able to provide
evidence and justification for
any claims you make.
Organize
Well-organized; it flows easily
from section to next in a logical
way
Plan
Well-planned; it usually takes
place after research and
evaluation, according to specific
purpose and plan
Purposes in Reading Academic Factors in Writing Academic
Text Text
1. To locate a main idea 1. State critical questions and issues;
2. To scan for information 2. Provide facts and evidence from
credible sources
3. To identify gaps in existing studies 3. Use precise, accurate words while
avoiding jargon
4. To connect new ideas to existing 4. Take an objective point of view
ones
5. To gain more pieces of information 5. List references
6. To support a writing assignment 6. Use cautious language
7. To deeply understand an existing
idea
language 23
vs.
social
language
Academic language
is 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.)
Social language
is the set of vocabulary that allows
us to communicate with others in
the context of regular daily
conversations.
Social Language Academic Language
In everyday interactions in In textbooks, research papers,
spoken/written form conferences in spoken/written form
For everyday conversation Used in school/work conversations
Used to write to friends, family, or for Appropriate for written papers,
other social purposes classwork, homework
Informal, such as words like ''cool,'' Very formal and sophisticated in its
''guy,'' ''kidding'') expressions, like ''appropriate,''
“studies,” ''implementation''
Can use slang expressions Don't use slang
Can be repetitive Uses a variety of terms
Can use phrases Uses sentences
stics 27
of
Academic
Language
A. Formal
It should not sound
conversational or casual.
Colloquial, idiomatic, slang, or
journalistic expressions should
be avoided.
B. Objective
This means it is unbiased. It
should be based on facts and
evidence and not influenced by
personal feelings.
C. Impersonal
This involves avoiding personal
pronouns ‘I’ and ‘we’. For
example, instead of writing ‘I will
show’, you might write ‘this
report will show’. The second
person, ‘you’, is also to be
