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MODULE 3 DOCUMENTED ESSAY ON A CONCEPT

OVERVIEW
In this module, you will learn another essential skill: how to write in a register of academic discourse by
planning and drafting a documented essay on a concept of social and cultural significance. You will read sample
documented essay and concept papers in a variety of formats, from local and global contexts, and do research on
concept of their choice. You will also learn about research and documentation in the twenty-first century, as well as
the specific challenges of finding credible sources in the digital age. Your teacher will mentor you through the process
of writing a documented essay on a concept, moving from the planning and research stage to the drafting stage, peer
review, and revision. The final output is a documented concept paper that you will read or present in a mock
conference on Philippine culture.

LESSON 1: Academic Research and the Documented Essay in the Twenty-First Century

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

1. know the characteristics of academic writing excerpts from academic papers;

2. write a paragraph using a register (language and style) appropriate to the academic text;
3. know the principles and methods of research in the twenty-first century;
4. evaluate and select sources of information on a relevant topic; and
5. organize bibliographic information from variety of sources into sample reference list.

PRETEST

To articulate your perceptions about research papers, documented essays, and academic writing in general,
try the following exercises:

1. Write one or two paragraphs, in any style you prefer, speculating about what it would be like to go out on a date
with someone who talks like an academic paper. Describe both the experience and the person: What would he or
she talk about? How would he or she talk? What place or places would you go to or visit? What would you eat during
that date? End by speculating about whether or not this would be an enjoyable experience.
2. Then, consider what you believe to be characteristic of an academic paper in light of the experience you just
narrated.

LEARNING FOCUS

INTRODUCTION

Many people, students included, believe that academic writing means “sounding like a research paper,”
which they associate with (1) “highfaluting” or jargon-filled language, (2) a stiff style and the presence of the writer’s
voice or opinion, and (3) boring rehashed topics. These are common misconceptions. In truth, the label “academic”
refers to a student’s informed, scholarly, and insightful contribution to ongoing discussions of relevant topics or
issues. Thus, it is important to clear such misconceptions about academic writing.

Specific and Clear Language

Academic writing should not sound pompous. Pompous languages have obscure meaning, as given in this
example:
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Scintillate, Scintillate, globule aurific

Fair would I fathom thy nature specific
Loftily perched in the ether capacious
Strongly resembling a gem carbonaceous.
(Rocco & Hatcher, 2011)

The highly technical and scientific words, for example, “carbonaceous gem” for “diamond,” hide the very
simple meaning of the stanza, a paraphrase of the nursery rhyme “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Academic writing
should not be difficult to read because academic knowledge is meant to be shared with others. Besides, obscure and
pompous prose is irritating. Instead of using unnecessary difficult words- or falling prey to the “thesaurus syndrome”
of looking for the longest possible synonym for a word—students should aim for precise and appropriate language.
Specifically, one should write in the register or style of academic writing. This means following the rules of
Standard English or avoiding usages that are considered ungrammatical or non-standard. This also means avoiding
language used in colloquial or conversation and informal contexts. For example, when one is talking casually with
close friends or family members, conversational shortcuts or contractions such as “I’m” for “I am” and don’t for “do
not,” are common, so are other shortcuts like “kinda,” “sorta,” “wanna” for “kind of,” “sort of,” and “want to”. Also,
certain discourse communities, or groups of communicators with common goals or interest (organizations, sport
enthusiast, network gamers, fan fiction writers, etc.) typically use slang terms or in-group expressions that are either
unique to that community or have a different definition for that community than for other users. For example,
“shippers” in the slang of fan communities or fandom has nothing to do with sea vessels; it derives from
“relationshippers,” or “people who care deeply about the romantic relationships between their favorite characters”- in
fiction and in real life (Kircher, 2015). Similarly, the World Englishes mentioned in Chapter 1 will each have
expressions unique to that variety. In Table 1 are some example of words or phrases to avoid-either because they
are no—standard, imprecise, or localized in usage—along with their academic that is, more precise or formal
equivalents.

Table 1. Informal/Non-standard versus Formal/Standard Usage

Informal/Non-Standard Usages More Formal/ Precise Equivalents

alright, alot, result to, discuss about, cope up with (non- all right, a lot, result in, discuss, cope with (acceptable
standard, informal, or unique to certain varieties of usages in Standard written English)
English)
good— as in a “good” book (imprecise) entertaining, insightful, interesting, instructive (precise)
can’t, won’t, I’ll, she’s, didn’t (conversational, speech- cannot, will not, I will, she is, did not (spelled out as two
based contractions) words)
gonna, gotta (conversational/speech-based shortcuts) going to, have to (spelled)
anyways, boring as hell, bored, to death, major downer Anyway, boring or uninteresting, extremely bored,
(conversational/informal) depressing (more formal/precise/uncluttered)
I got here late; she go out of the office; he got a call; they I arrived here late; she left the office; he received a call;
got gas (overused, imprecise verb) they loaded gas or refueled (more specific alternatives)
ASAP, BTW, SOP (acronyms that may not be universally as soon as possible, by the way, standard operating
known) procedure (spelled out)
UP, ADMU, DLSU (acronyms for institution) University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila
University, De La Salle University (spelled out the first
time they are used, but later may be substitute with
acronyms)
hit the sack, loo, and comfort room (expressions from sleep, toilet or bathroom, and toilet or bathroom (more
American English, British English and Philippine English) widely understood usages)
lol, afk, nrn, #feels (informal internet or text messaging Laugh out loud, away from the keyboard, no reply
language necessary, a wave of emotions (spelled out or explained)
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Other terms one should use avoid or uses with care are technical or specialized terms that are specific to a
professional discourse community. For instance, when lawyers converse with each other, they use “legalese” as
“bench trial” for a trial without a jury and the Latin word reclusion perpetua for life imprisonment. Doctors
communicate with one another using such medical terms and shortcuts such as “CBC” for “complete blood count”
and “stat” from the Latin statinum meaning immediately. When these words are used for an audience or readers
outside of the discourse community, they are unnecessarily difficult. At times, there may be a need to include some
technical terms from the discipline or area one is writing about. If this is the case, definitions of these terms should be
provided for readers unfamiliar with them. At other times, non-English terms may appear in the paper for purposes of
discussion, in which case these should be italicized or placed in quotation marks, as well as defined. Here are two
examples, one with technical linguistic term and the other with a Filipino term.

(1) “You need to shift your register, or the style of your language, to suit the person or audience you plan to
address.”
(“Register” is defined via the underlined phrase)
(2) “The expression pabebe, which refers to someone who is talking in a baby-like manner in order to
appear or sound cute, has recently risen in popularity.”
(“Pabebe” is explained, in the absence of a direct translation, via the underlined phrase)

Quite importantly, academic writing is also characterized by bias-free language, which was discussed at
length in Chapter 1. A student, scholar, or academic should be careful to use words and phrases that do not
discriminate against particular groups, whether in terms of race, gender, age, social class, or disability. This is why
most academics no longer use “he” as the generic pronoun for both for men and women or “man” as a sweeping
term for all humans. Academics are also careful to avoid offensive terms such as “Jesus Killer” (for Jews), “lady
president,” “little old woman,” “redneck,” and “retard.”

A Balance and Credible Voice

Besides using clear and specific language, academic writing should not be stiff or stilted and somber in
tone. The writer’s voice need not to disappear entirely, but this voice should be credible and, therefore, balanced,
objective, and overly emotional. In academic writing, this means doing away with emotive punctuation marks like
exclamation points, whether single (!) or multiple (!!!), and dramatic ellipses (…) used as way of trailing off. Emoticons
or emojis, which in the internet speak and text messaging are meant to convey facial expressions; do not have a
place in academic writing.
Many students believe that writing “I” in an essay is somehow wrong, but this is not true for all types of
academic paper. In some disciplines, one has the choice of writing more formally either the third person point of view
(e.g., “This researcher believes that”) or in what Professor Lynn Bloom calls the “Middle Level” of language. This is
“somewhat less personal” than the informal level, and while it allows the use of personal pronouns like you and I, “the
author’s personality and personal reactions are more subdued” (1995). The writer’s personality and reactions are
more subdued in an academic paper because the focus of the reader should be on the subject of the paper. At times,
whether to use or avoid “I” becomes a matter of taste when either the professor or the course/discipline allows the
use of personal pronouns in required papers. However, overuse of expressions such as “I think,” “I feel,” or “believe,”
may clutter the paper and may not even be necessary. Compare the following two sets of examples:

Cluttered writing:
I found the Dulaang UP play Haring Lear (King Lear) to be not just entertaining but also insightful because I felt
that the Tagalog translation effectively and humorously conveyed the spirit of Shakespeare’s original dysfunctional
family. To a contemporary Filipino audience.
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Tighter Writing
The Dulaang UP play Haring Lear (King Lear) was not just entertaining but insightful because the Tagalog
translation effectively and humorously conveyed the spirit of Shakespeare’s original dysfunctional family to a
contemporary Filipino audience.

Writer-focused:
Our group conducted a survey on 100 University of the Philippines freshmen to find out their opinions on the
new academic calendar.

Focus on the subject:

A survey conducted on 100 University of the Philippines freshmen to find out their opinions on the new
academic calendar.

Moreover, the writer’s voice in an academic paper seems more subdued because on the focus on the
supporting examples or on the people’s voices. A writer may begin with an original argument or thesis and say, “In
this essay, I argued that…” She or he then proceeds to support this argument with facts, concrete illustrations and
examples, and other evidence. As the tagline of Google Scholar suggest, researchers and scholars “stand on the
shoulder of giants” or discover truths by building on previous discoveries. Essentially, the student’s opinions,
reactions, and analyses should build upon and be supported by other people’s voices and opinions.

Worksheet 1 A: Shifting to the Register of Academic Discourse

Review the paragraph you wrote in response to Lesson 1’s Before-Reading Tasks:

What would it be like to go out on a date with someone who talks like an academic paper?

Without changing the content, rewrite the paragraph/s in a register that is appropriate to the academe. A
sample informal paragraph and revision are provided here for your reference.

Sample informal paragraph:

I usually go out with someone to be relaxed and have fun. As a student, I go out to escape all the stress of
school stuff. Which is why going out with someone who talks like a research paper wouldn’t be such a good thing. I
would end up getting bored and still stuck with the things I get enough of in school. It would end up in boredom
instead of fun and excitement.

Sample revision:

People typically engage in dating activities in order to relax and to enjoy themselves. For students, dating is
an escape from their hectic academic lives. Thus, if one’s date turns out to be a person who talks like a research
paper, the purpose of the activity would be defeated. The experience would be neither engaging nor interesting
because one would be faced with dreaded academic topics and discussions. Essentially, the date would be a tedious
rather than an enjoyable one.

Socially and Culturally Relevant Topics

One final important myth to debunk is that academic papers deal with topics that are likely to bore both the
writer and the reader. In reality, student writers are often allowed to select their own topics within a more general area
specified by the teacher, the course, or the discipline. Academics often identify their research interests, that is,
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subjects or questions that they are eager to engage with and study. Later, when they have studied more on these
subjects, these research interests become areas of expertise. A student should begin by considering the topics that
are particularly interesting and relevant for him/her. These are topics s/he would like to find out more about.

It is also essential to consider such topics or research areas in light of their social and cultural significance.
The following questions are helpful: Does their significance extend beyond the writer’s personal stake in them? Do
they matter to larger contexts like one’s local community the larger region, the nation, a group of countries, the
world? Academic papers are read by members of the academic community - professors, fellow students, future
students, and other scholars - as well as researchers outside the community, like journalists, entrepreneurs, lawyers,
etc. What students write should, therefore, be both interesting and useful to this larger community, and it is the
writer’s task to help them to better understand the topic or to see it in a new way.

Documented Essays

The term “academic" suggests more than just the style and tone of writing. An essential aspect of an
academic paper is its credibility and its contribution to scholarly studies. “Documented essay" is another term for
“academic paper”; here, the term “documented” emphasizes that any kind of scholarly or academic writing requires
the writer to (1) read and gather information from a variety of relevant sources on a chosen topic, (2) clearly
acknowledge these supporting sources, and (3) add to scholarship by selecting, arranging, commenting on, or even
debunking the information from these sources.

Documented Essays versus Standard Essays

Both a standard essay and documented essay consist of an introduction with an explicitly stated central
argument or thesis, three or more supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, while in a standard essay,
generally known facts and personal experiences of the writer are sufficient to support the thesis, the documented
essay requires concrete supporting information from relevant sources. Moreover, in this type of essay, when these
sources or any material quoted, paraphrased, or summarized from them are mentioned, there is an explicit
acknowledgment or citation of these sources. Failure to properly cite a source results in the deadliest of academic
sins: plagiarism.

Principles of Documentation

Different disciplines (and professors) require different documentation styles. Some example styles for
referencing sources are American Psychological Association or APA, which emphasizes the author and the
date of a piece of work, Chicago, which it widely used for history and economics, Vancouver, which is used in
medical and scientific papers, and Modern Language Association or ML A, which is most often applied by the arts
and humanities. Students need not memorize oil of these different styles as there are many templates and guides
available online. Here are some useful sites with documentation guides:
The Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides guides for APA, MLA, and Chicago Style,
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owi/ section/2/.

The Monash University Website provides guides for Vancouver, Harvard, CSIRO, and other styles of
referencing, http://guides.iib.monash.edu/ citing-referencing/home.

More important than memorizing formats, which may be easily looked up, is knowledge of the basic
principles of documentation. While the essay that follows both teaches and applies only the MLA style of
documentation, it usefully emphasizes the key points to remember when citing sources in an academic paper.
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Writing A Documented Essay and Avoiding Plagiarism

(1) “Do not plagiarize... or else!” is one of the most ominous warnings a college student will hear in the classroom.
Plagiarism, which former University of the Philippines professor Eloisa P. Ventura says “can be considered as
outright stealing of another person' s ideas" (2) is a deadly academic sin that can earn a student penalties such as a
zero for the plagiarized paper or exam, a failing grade for the class, suspension, or even expulsion. Yet plagiarism is
actually easily avoided by finding out how to properly “borrow" someone else’s words or ideas. For this purpose,
several systems of documentation have been designed for different academic disciplines. For instance, humanities
subjects most often require the use of the system designed by the Modern Language Association or MLA. This essay
will both explain and use this system of documentation in order to demonstrate that writing a documented essay for
any course or subject is not that difficult a task. Students need only keep in mind the expectations of college writing,
the importance of acknowledging borrowed material, and the simple techniques of citation.

(2) Students first need to be aware of the purpose and style of the documented essay. William H. Roberts and
Gregoire Turgeon, authors of About Language: A Reader for Writers; define this as one in which the "thesis is
supported by [a student's] own ideas as well as by evidence drawn from outside sources" (408). This means that
while the essay’s main argument and conclusion are products of a student's thinking, he/she may rely on other
scholarly sources or references to develop or backup his/her claims. As a scholarly work, a documented essay
should demonstrate a student’s discrimination in selecting reliable sources and in weaving borrowed material
effectively into the discussion. Such material should not just be randomly inserted in the discussion but rather
processed, commented on, or even questioned. A scholarly documented essay should also be written using the
appropriate level of language, from middle to formal, which means that there should be no contractions, colloquial
(i.e., overly conversational) word choices, profanity, or slang. Idiomatic expressions, localized expressions, or non-
English words should be explained, translated, or contextualized.

(3) Secondly, when writing an academic essay, students need to keep in mind that all borrowed materials have to be
documented. Simply put, this means announcing in the essay that these ideas belong to someone else or
acknowledging the authors/sources of these ideas. Carelessness, ignorance, or lack of intent to plagiarize are poor
excuses because, according to Roberts and Turgeon, “plagiarism lies not in what you intend but in what you actually
do” (409). Any direct quotation, as well as “any idea that is recorded in any form” [my emphasis] (Ventura 79), should
be documented. Direct quotations, usually of passages that are phrased in a clear and striking way, should be placed
in quotation marks and followed by a parenthetic citation, the format of which I discuss in the next paragraph.1 A
paraphrase of the author’s words, which is used when a passage is too technical to be quoted, should still be cited as
belonging to the author via a parenthetic reference. So should a precis or summary of an overly long passage. On
the other hand, facts, data, or ideas that have gained the status of "general knowledge" (Ventura 79) need not be
documented. For example, there is no need to cite a source for statements such as the world is round (or, more
accurately, an oblate spheroid) or that Benigno Aquino III is the president of the Philippines.

(4) Armed with the knowledge of what to document, students should next know how to acknowledge their sources
properly. This involves three essential elements: (1) attributions, (2) in-text or parenthetic citations, and (3) a list of
works cited. Firstly, an attribution is a reference to the author or title of the source and, if necessary, brief information
relevant to the discussion2. Writers provide attributions the first time a source is cited in the text. Secondly, any
quoted, paraphrased, or summarized i* material should be followed by an in-text citation. This typically consists of the
author’s name and the page number of the borrowed material enclosed in parentheses, e.g., (Ventura 78) or (Langan
214)3. If the author’s name already appears in the same sentence, only the page number should be included in the
citation, e.g., “According to Eloisa Ventura...” (28) or “Robert Langan asserts that...” (214). Sometimes a source,
especially if it is an online one, may not have a listed author/editor or page number. In this case, as well as in the
case of films, television shows, or radio productions, a shortened version of the title will suffice for the parenthetic
reference, e.g., (Like Water for Chocolate); ("Death and Society") or (“de Kooning, Willem”). The in-text citation
comes after the closing quotation mark but before any other punctuation mark such as a period or comma.
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(5) Thirdly, at the end of the paper, students must list all the sources that have been cited or mentioned. Bibliographic
information about these sources will appear in an alphabetically arranged list of works cited. For most sources, the
following information is required: author's name, title of the text, publication place, publisher, and publication date.
Short pieces like essays in anthologies require additional information like the title of the anthology, editor's name, and
page numbers. Other types of sources, such as periodicals, broadcast productions, lectures, and web pages, also
require additional information. If very limited publication information can be found for a source, especially one on the
Internet, students should assess whether or not it is reliable and should perhaps turn elsewhere for scholarly
information. As for formats, entries for a list of works cited should be double-spaced, and each line except for the
first, should be indented. Guidelines on formatting different types of entries can be found in MLA style guides/ web
sites.
(6) There is no reason to plagiarize, especially when it is so to acknowledge one’s sources in writing and when
information about how to properly give attributions is so readily available. It argued, in fact, that intentional plagiarism
“defies logic" (Robert and Turgeon 409), since the purpose of writing a documented essay demonstrate a student’s
authority on a topic through his/her kno3 of research material (Roberts and Turgeon 409). All college should learn the
basics of documentation so that the “intellectual theft” and “fraud” (Modern Language Association 52) that plagiarism
will definitely not be a part of academic work.

(7) Works Cited:

Bryson, Bill. The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way * York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. 1999.
Print.

—. Troublesome Words. 3rd ed. London: Penguin-Viking, 2001. Print. "de Kooning, Willem." Encyclopaedia
Britannica Online. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2009. Web. 15 May 2008.

“Death and Society." Narr. Jane Siberner. Weekend Edition Suncto Natl. Public Radio. WUWM, Milwaukee, 25 Jan.
1998. Radio.

Langan, John. College Writing Skills with Readings. 5th ed. NewYcfc McGraw-Hill, Inc., 2001. Print.

Like Water for Chocolate. Screenplay by Laura Esquivel. Dir. Alfonso Arau. Perf.

Lumi Cavazos, Marco Lombardi, and Regina Torne. Miramax, 1991 Film.

Modem Language Association. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.

7th ed. New York: The MLA. 2009. Print.

Roberts. William H. and Gregoire Turgeon. “Writing and Document A Brief Guide." About Language: A Reader for
Writers. Ed. William H. Roberts and Gregoire Turgeon. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. 394-425. Print.

Ventura, Botsa P. On Your Own: Doing Research Without Plagiary Quezon City: OVCRD, 1999. Print.

Lesson 2: Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and the Writing Process

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

1. conceptualize an original argument or thesis on a relevant social or cultural issue;

2. organize supporting ideas into a working plan or outline; and
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3. write a paragraph that integrates original ideas with properly documented quotations, paraphrases, and/or
summaries from a variety of supporting sources.

LEARNING FOCUS

INTRODUCTION

The previous lesson focused on the purposes and features of documented essays, specifically the level of
language required, the integrity when citing sources, and the general principles of documentation. This second
lesson complements the first by zooming in on the skills required for the research, reading, and collaboration involved
in the entire process of writing a documented essay.

Writing As A Process

Many students think of writing as a matter of placing words upon paper. But in 1992, an educator and
journalist named Donald M. Murray proposed that teachers should “Teach Writing as a Process, not a Product." This
means that writing consists of more than just drafting a paper but rather as three stages that Murray calls pre-writing,
writing, and rewriting (1972). This conception of writing as a process has very important implications: ''that writing is
first and foremost a social activity; that the act of writing can be a means of learning and discovery" (Olson, 1999).
What this means is that when students learn writing as a process, they are more involved in the process of learning
about the subject, other people’s ideas,- and their own writing. While working on the latter, they become aware that
they are actually collaborating on the construction of new ideas and knowledge that is part of an ongoing scholarly
conversation.

The following sections introduce and explain the three stages of the writing process as well as components
of these stages.

The Pre-Writing Stage of the Writing Process

Choosing a Topic and Limiting It

The pre-writing stage is defined as "everything that takes place before the first draft" (Murray. 1972). It
begins with brainstorming exercises and preliminary research to select a topic. Once a topic has been chosen, this
should be limited based on the type of written output required. A quick survey of related sources on the general topic
is helpful in limiting the topic to a more specific area of study. Student writers should ask the following practical
questions:

1. What are the objectives (of the course or the professor) that need to be met by this paper?
2. What are my objectives in writing this paper?
3. What are the length requirements of this paper (minimum and maximum number of words or pages) ?
4. How much time do I need to write it?
5. What are the other restrictions or limits imposed by the professor or the course?
6. What has already been written about this topic, and what new ideas can I add to the conversation about it?

Here is an example of notes leading up to the selection of a narrow and focused topic for a documented
essay on the topic of plagiarism in the Philippines:
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Brainstorming: Philippine culture expressions, terms, behaviour, and practices unique to the Philippines
expressions like “Ano ba yan?" “ukay-ukay" “Philippine hospitality," “bringing home pasalubong” “the so-called tingi-
tingi system.

General Topic Selected: The tingi-tingi system (the practice of buying and selling by piece or small amounts, e.g.,
one stick of cigarette versus a pack, a sachet of shampoo versus a bottle)

Specific Topic: The cultural significance of the tingi-tingi system in the twenty-first century

Asking Research Questions and Establishing the Significance of One's Research

The next helpful step is to barrage the specific topic with questions to come up with the essay’s main
Research Question. Although it is helpful to begin with questions that ask who, what, when, or where, these should
be used as background research questions. For example, the answers to the questions listed here can be readily
looked up:

• What does the “tingi-tingi system” mean? What is the nature of tingi?
• Who exactly practices this?
• When did this practice begin?
•Where is this practiced? In what context/s?

Questions that ask how and why are more likely to invite a deeper research and lead to more interesting
answers.

• Why is tingi-tingi system a prevalent practice in the Philippines?

• How did it develop? How was it practiced in the past? How is it practiced today?

Finally, the student should pose a tougher question, the “so what?" question: Now that I know all of this, so
what? What makes my research socially or culturally significant?

• Brainstorming Research Questions: What cultural and social values, as well as realities, ,led to the practice of
buying and selling by tingi? What impact does it have on buyers and sellers? What larger implications does this have
about life in the Philippines and its socio-economic system, especially today?
• Main Research Question: Why is the continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-century Philippines
significant?

The “so what?" question is the main research question. Another way to arrive at this question is to begin by
naming the topic, adding a reason for studying the topic, and adding significance to the reason for studying the topic,
as in the examples here.

• State your topic: I am studying tingi culture in the Philippines.

• Add a reason for studying it: I am studying tingi culture in the Philippines because I want to find out what it reflects
about the values of Filipinos.
• Add significance to this study: I am studying tingi culture in the Philippines because I want to find out what it reflects
about the values of Filipinos in order to help my reader understand why there are larger implications of the practice in
the twenty-first century.
• RESEARCH QUESTION: Why is the continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-century Philippines
significant?
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Composing a Thesis Statement

Coming up with a research question is vital for the next step, composing a thesis statement. This is the
explicit statement of what will be the paper’s central idea, point, or argument, that is - the main assertion that will be
supported by the entire essay. It is also, essentially, the tentative answer to the research question.

• Research Question: Why is the continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-century Philippines significant?

• Thesis Statement: The continued use of the tingi-tingi system in twenty-first-century Philippines reflects a lack of
change in the economic situation of the Philippines, as those from the many poorer sectors of society are forced, due
to lack of available funds, to both buy small and think in the short term.

Kim and Michael Flachmann (2011), authors of The Prose Reader, say that the thesis is “a contract
between [the writer] and [his/her] readers." This means that a writer must deliver on the "promise" made by the thesis
statement: that the essay will assert one central point and that this will be focused on and supported by every
paragraph in the essay. Moreover, the contract that is the thesis statement should be provided early in the essay, in
the introductory paragraphs, so that the reader will know at the outset what to expect.

Preparing a Writing Outline

It is very helpful for students to prepare a writing outline for any type of essay, and particularly for an
academic, documented one. An outline consists of three main sections, the introduction, the development, and the
conclusion.
In an academic paper, the introduction typically consists of an interesting opening to draw the reader into
the subject background information on the topic, and a statement of the paper’s thesis. Optional components are the
paper’s objectives and its plan of development which is an explanation of how the main idea will be developed.
Because this will make up the body or largest part of the essay, the next section, called the development, should be
more detailed and specific. The subheadings- in this section should consist of three or more subtopics that act as
supporting points for the essay's central idea. Each of these supporting points may have supporting details listed
under them. The final section of the paper and outline is the conclusion. This typically contains a wrap-up or
summary of the essay's main points and a final point: a prediction or recommendation, a reiteration of the main idea,
and/or a final insight.
It is also important to follow formatting mechanics to make the outline logical and easy to understand. The
student should come up with headings that are clear and specific. General headings like "Introduction,”
"Development,” and "Conclusion" may be used, but only when there is specific information found in the subheadings
below them. All other headings should be phrased as specifically as possible so that the student writer will remember
what she or he intends to do in that section. A teacher or evaluator reading the outline should be able to grasp, based
on the _ heading or label, what each section will contain. Thus, general or vague is headings such as “Background,”
"History," or “Final Insight" should be avoided.
While a list consists of just one level or set of items, an outline always has two levels or more. This means
that subtopics or supporting ideas are i subsumed or placed under main topics or main ideas. The main headings on
the first level use Roman numerals (I, II, III, and so on), the second-level headings use capital letters (A, B, C, and so
on), the third-level headings use numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.), the fourth-level use lower-case letters fa, b, c, and so on),
and the fifth-level headings use lower-case Roman numerals (i, it Si, and so on). An outline for an academic essay
typically has two to four levels.
A student may opt to write a topic outline, in which the headings are phrases, or a sentence outline, in which
the headings are complete sentences. Whichever is chosen, it is important to maintain consistency and . parallelism:
headings on the same level should be parallel in construction fall sentences or all phrases). Finally, the first letter of
the first word of each heading should be capitalized.
Here is an example of a writing outline for a documented essay based on the thesis statement given
previously. It is a two-level topic outline.
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Title: Tingi Culture in the Twenty-First Century: Still Thinking Small in the Philippines

Thesis Statement: The continued use of the tingi-tingi system in I twenty-first century Philippines reflects a lack of
change in the economic situation of the Philippines, as those from the many poorer sectors of society are forced, due
to lack of available funds, to both buy small and think in the short-term.

I. Introduction: The tingi-tingi system

A. Interesting examples of buying by piece

B. Definition and origin of tingi and the tingi-tingi system
C.Main idea: continued practice of tingi culture as a reflection of prevailing poverty and thinking in the short- 1 term

II. Development: The social and cultural implications of the tingi-tingi system

A. Why it was practiced in the past

B. Why it continues to be practiced today
C. Buying small as equivalent to thinking small

III. Conclusion: Looking back and looking ahead

A. Recap of why the system has significant cultural implications

B. Final insight about the need to think in larger and longer terms

Doing Research and Finding Credible Sources

Writing is not only a social activity but a collaborative one. Writing an academic essay means adding one’s
voice to the conversation of other writers and scholars. To do this, a writer needs to familiarize himself or herself with
this conversation; in other words, a writer must first do research and gather information from a wide variety of
sources available.
This step—doing research—may actually happen at any point in the pre-writing stage as well as during the
writing and rewriting stages of the writing process. Before or while selecting a topic, a student may wish to survey the
literature or other studies on topics s/he is interested in. Reading such related literature will help a student know
which topics are worth pursuing and which may be more challenging—because there is a dearth of material on them
—and which topics should be abandoned —because there is no need to cover what has already been covered. While
planning the essay, that is, asking a research question, constructing a thesis statement, preparing an outline, the
student may also wish to read materials that may be cited as support for the essay’s main points. Supplementary
research may be needed during the drafting stage when there are gaps in the student's notes, or during the rewriting
stage when more support needs to be added.
So, while doing research is not necessarily a separate and isolated step, it is sometimes helpful’to spend an
amount of time focused on evaluating sources, gathering useful information from these credible sources, and taking
notes on what can be used for and cited in a planned essay.
In the twenty-first century, doing research is not as difficult as it used to be. Before the digital age or the age
of the Internet, information from secondary sources could be gathered solely by going to a library, searching through
a card catalogue, finding the correct bookshelf, and leafing through a book. Now, while libraries continue to host
student researchers, there are many other options available to them: sources that are just a mouse-click away.
However, with the advantage of quick and easy access to Internet sources comes the challenge of sorting
through the many online sources of information available to determine which are credible and which are not. As
pointed out by Nicholas C. Burbules (2001), “the. Web is not an ordinary reference system; it poses some unique
and, in many respects, unprecedented conditions that complicate the task of sorting out dependable from
undependable information-and even complicates the notion that we have a clear sense of that distinction." His article
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on "Paradoxes of the Web: The Ethical Dimensions of Credibility” may be . read for free here:
http://faculty.education.illinois.edu/burbules/papers/ parodox.html.
It is important to remember that the Internet, while a very helpful resource, is a public venue or forum where
any person may make a claim or assertion. Anyone may represent opinion and falsehoods as news, facts, or truth. A
good academic should use only trustworthy sources. Students who find articles or pages on the Web that provide
relevant information on the topics they have chosen to write about, must make the extra effort of verifying that the
source is valid, credible, and reliable. There are several ways to do this:

1. Check the universal resource locator or URL sometimes referred to as the IP address or link - on the browser's
address bar. The shortcuts for domain names at the end of the URL give information linked to the site’s purpose or
agenda and, therefore, its potential biases. For example, sites with “.edu" domain names are generally viewed as
credible as these are run by educational institutions. On the other hand, sites with “.com" domain names are
commercial sites with monetary incentives as their main agenda. More information on URL evaluation can be
accessed from this website: http://uscupstate. libguides.com/c.php?g=257977&p=l 721715

2. Read the "About Us” section of the website. As with print sources, look for information about the author or
organization, the site publisher, and other relevant information about the site. This will help one to verify whether or
not the information is being provided by an expert or authority on the subject. Contact information on the website
grants additional credibility as these are indications that authors and publishers are accountable for their work. The
"About Us" section also gives information about when the site was established, who maintains it, and how often it is
updated. Lastly, it should give the agenda of the individual or organization that publishes the information.

3. Review the content for relevance, depth and breadth, accuracy, and currency. The information should be related to
the subject one is studying and provides the appropriate depth and coverage of the topic. Information should be
precise and authoritative - produced by credible sources - and current. Some sources on the Internet may be
outdated or inaccurate, so it is important to look at the date when the information was published.

4. Look at the sources cited. If the website is credible and reliable, the information will include ideas cited from other
sources. There should also be "live" links to the sources used and cited by the author. Review the website for broken
links which indicate that the information may not be valid or legitimate.

Some additional tips are to go to search engines that lead researchers directly to scholarly and reliable
sources. Google Scholar, for example, lists works published by established writers and academics. Schools and
universities often provide students with access to online journals and databases.
Lastly, there are good reasons teachers and academics prefer print sources. Such sources go through the
long and rigorous publishing process. This means they go through several readers and editors and multiple drafts.
However, information found online can be useful and credible if one follows the guidelines given here for sorting
through web sources.

The Writing Stage of the Writing Process

When there is a solid plan and there are adequate notes from sources for the essay, the student may move
on to the second stage of the writing process. This is writing, or "the act of producing a first draft," which Donald
Murray (1972) says is the "fastest" part of the writing process, taking up as little as 1% of the writer's time. That is
because if the essay is well-planned, drafting will not be difficult. Moreover, the product of drafting is only an initial
draft. According to educators Murray Suid and Wanda Lincoln (1989), writing or drafting is "like making a sketch for
painting: the painter doesn't worry about getting all the lines perfect the first time"; similarly, the writer does not
expect to get all the words and information right in the first draft.
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The Rewriting Stage of the Writing Process

This third stage involves “researching, rethinking, redesigning, rewriting - and finally, line-by-line editing, the
demanding, satisfying process of making every word right” (Murray, i 972). In this stage, the writer reviews the paper
to see how it may be improved, asking such questions as;

• Is the title appropriate and effective?

• Is the first paragraph interesting and compelling? is it related to the topic?
• Does the introduction include a clearly stated main ideq?
• Does each paragraph support the essay’s main idea?
• Are transitions and connections between ideas smooth and signaled clearly?
• What needs to be added, omitted, or reorganized?
• Does toe conclusion flow naturally from the body of the essay?
• Is there anything confusing or unclear in the content of y essay?
• What should be edited in terms of grammar and mechanics?
• Have all sources been properly acknowledged via in-text citations and a bibliographic list?

In many writing classes, the rewriting stage becomes collaborate not just when the instructor gives the
student writer feedback, but also when students read one another's essays and comment on these in a workshop or
peer review session. It is ideal to get concrete feedback from more than one reader on aspects of content, grammar,
mechanics, documentation and style, so that later drafts benefit from readers' suggestions.

Lesson 3: Concepts of Social and Cultural Significance In the Philippines

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

1. explain what concepts are, through the critical reading of sample documented essays on concepts of social and
cultural significance in the twenty-first century;
2. evaluate sample documented essays written by Philippine scholars to explore techniques of developing and
explaining concepts; and
3. write an effective documented essay that critically engages with concept from Philippine culture.

PRETEST

1. Consider what you think of the term “concept.” Do a free-writing exercise in which you try to define the word. (A
free-writing exercise is when you are told to write anything that comes to mind connected to the word “concept.” This
means that you should keep your pen continuously moving for Ten Minutes without censoring yourself.)
2. After you have come up with your own overall definition of “concept”, look up three definitions—from the different
credible sources- of the term “concept.” Do not forget to jot down bibliographic source information.
3. Then, write one documented paragraph that explains what “concepts” means to both yours and others
perspective. Give examples of concepts that you would enjoy writing about, especially concepts relevant to Filipinos
like you.
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LEARNING FOCUS

INTRODUCTION

The first lessons of Chapter 3 focused on the style of academic writing, research in the twenty-first century,
and writing as a collaborative process. This final lesson focuses more specifically on how to write to documented
essay on a concept of social and cultural significance*' In this final lesson, you will apply what you learned in the two
previous lessons to write a documented essay on a concept of social and culture significance, which you will
read/present to your peers.

Writing About Concepts

The term “concept” is a synonym for an idea, notion, or thought. More importantly though, "concept” may
also refer to a perception, conception, or impression of something - a theory or perspective about something.
Why do members of different discourse communities, for example, those in the academe, produce essays
about concepts? The answer lies in the second of the two meanings given. Concepcion Dadufalza describes what
she calls the concept paper as an essay that explains the essence or “whatness" of an idea or concept. It begins with
a basic definition and then extends or amplifies this to look at the larger cultural meaning or significance of the
concept. This allows the writer to look at the concept more closely and critically, and to redefine it in a way that
requires “limiting, extending, or redirecting the reference or sense in which the term is commonly understood"
(Dadufalza, 1996). By engaging with old and new definitions, the writer contributes to the dialogue about I concepts
and to the knowledge-production of these concepts.

In the academic context, and outside of it, whether one is in the | humanities, social sciences, science and
engineering, and other disciplines, i one will need to be able to articulate abstract ideas clearly. Writing a documented
essay about a concept will help a writer think beyond I surface definitions and explore the larger cultural significance
of a term or 1 expression, the larger meaning behind a practice, belief, attitude, or even I an icon. Sometimes, this
exercise of providing an amplified definition will be part of a larger research project. In the opening section of any
such |: project, a writer will need to explain the concept of the project or study, 1 why it is important, and what vision
or perspective guides it.

Concepts worth writing about are those of social and cultural significance in specific contexts like the
Philippines, because they have I the potential for deep and critical exploration. Moreover, their relevance I will offer
both a wealth of material to use as support for the development I of ideas, as well as space for original insights and
perspectives. Finally, any I academic and thoughtful engagement with these important ideas will be beneficial to
society.
Three texts are discussed here as models and examples of writing s about a concept. It is important to read
these essays and answer the pre-reading and post-reading questions as preparation for planning and drafting a
documented essay on a concept, which is the culminating activity of this chapter.

The first text, "Pinoy Baduy," is an essay on a concept relevant to Philippine culture, published in Budhi, an
international and peer-reviewed interdisciplinary journal. While this is not a documented essay, it offers critical and
insightful analysis of a Filipino term. The full essay is introduced here but should be read in full. It is available online
as a PDF file via the Budhi journal archive. The second text is an excerpt from the first chapter of the book Textual
Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture (1992) by Henry Jenkins. The full chapter is entitled "Get a Life!
Fans, Poachers, Nomads." The relevant excerpts are summarized here, but students should visit a school or public
library to access this book; they may also search online for available e-copies of the relevant chapter. It is a
challenging and engaging text with specialized terms and concepts from the fields of literature, sociology, and cultural
studies. The third text, “For the Filipino Woman That You Are,” is a documented concept paper written by a student
for an academic writing class. It is provided here in full and serves as a realistic model for students to emulate.
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Before-Reading Questions (Text 1):

1. What does the word “baduy” mean to you?

2. How would you describe the' clothing and behavior of a person you would label as “baduy”?
3. Do you know any other terms whose meanings are related to “baduy”?

Text 1: Pinoy Baduy

Doreen Fernandez

Doreen Fernandez’s “Pinoy Baduy,” originally published in Who magazine in 1982, is available online via Budhi: A
Journal of Ideas and Culture (2002), specifically Volume 5, Issue 36.1. Fernandez draws on a variety of sources and
examples to talk about the meaning of the expression “baduy.” As the title suggests, she finds a connection between
this label and the “truly Pinoy” experience. For instance, she mentions links between “baduy” practices of bringing
pasalubong and the more general Filipino trait of being accommodating, even “overly accommodating” (Fernandez,
2002). Fernandez also, quite significantly/ links the label to attitudes relating to class and the wealthy Western world.
The full text may be read here: http://journals.ateneo.edu/ojs/index.php/budhi/article/ view/601/598.

Text 2: Textual Poachers

Henry Jenkins

(From “Get a Life!: Fans, Poachers, Nomads," Chapter \ of Textual Poachers: Television Pans and Participatory Culture )

American media scholar Henry Jenkins is known for his work on fandom and participatory culture as well as
on the convergence of new and old media. The assigned material, one section of Chapter 1, like his book, is also
entitled Textual Poachers. The five paragraphs of this section explore the concept of fandom and fan behavior as a
form of active reading. The essay is an academic one written for those in the fields of literary and cultural studies.
Hence, it uses sophisticated language as well as some jargon from those disciplines. There may be unfamiliar Terms
in the first paragraph alone, so it is essential to look these up to understand what Jenkins is asserting.

The section begins by introducing French scholar Michel de Certeau’s notion of textual poaching as a form
of ‘fiterary raid’ In which readers are “like nomads poaching their way across fields they did not write, despoiling the
wealth of Egypt to enjoy it themselves" (quoted In Jenkins, 1992). The second paragraph compares de Certeau's
model with the traditional model of the reader as "the more-or-less passive recipient of authorial meaning" and of
their "deviant" readings as "a failure to - successfully understand what the author was trying to say" (Jenkins, 1992).
The text thus calls into question the authority traditionally given to text producers as well as the marginalization of the
delegitimization of the cultural interests of readers.

In the third and fourth paragraphs, Jenkins (1992) moves on to talk about how education and popular
reading can be a “force for the democratization of cultural life" while also calling attention to the challenges posed by
academic anxieties about protecting the status of education and traditional reading practices. The fifth and final
paragraph emphasizes the marginality of fans. Jenkins cites Michael Budd, Robert Entman, and Clay Steinman, who
note that, as nomadic readers, fans “cannot settle down; they are at the mercy of natural forces they cannot control"
(quoted in 2002). They therefore develop strategies of cultural appropriation - specifically in their practices of textual
poaching, that is, reading texts in alternative ways, writing spinoff texts and alternative stories, pairing up or
“shipping" characters in alternative ways, and so on. As Jenkins (1992) says, fans “have developed poaching to an
art form."
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For the Filipino Woman That You Are

Karla Bianca M. Labog

Before-Reading Questions:

1. Have you ever heard the expression "Kababae mong tao!" used? What does this mean to you?
2. Look up the term "gender stereotyping." Give some examples of gender stereotyping in the Philippines.
3. Look up the term "patriarchy." Do you think the Philippine society is patriarchal? Why or why not?

(1) "Umayos ka nga, kababae mong tao!"

(2) The Filipino phrase or expression "kababae mong tao," is seen in the statement above, which is uttered as a
typical admonition to behave oneself. This phrase, however, is addressed to women, as explicitly seen in the word
kababae, whose root word is babae, meaning “woman" in Filipino. Upon hearing or seeing this expression for the first
time, one may assume that it talks about the characteristics and lifestyle of a woman, but it is actually more profound
than that because it serves as a means of gender stereotyping of Filipino women. This expression indirectly states
the way women should behave, what they should be doing in a certain situation, and the actions that are expected of
her.

(3) This expression has no direct translation in other languages but has a similar meaning to the expression “for a
girl” which is usually used in the Western countries, as in the statements, “You're pretty good at basketball - for a
girl." This expression is commonly mistaken to be a compliment, but in fact implies how low the people's expectations
of women are. For example, one may say "That was so incredible for a girl" for the purpose of complimenting a
woman for the incredible work that she has done, but it also shows how the speaker does not expect women to do
incredible things, and was surprised when she was able to do so. Both these expressions imply that women should
conform to a set of standards, expectations, and gender roles that are determined by their biological sex.

(4) Moreover, gender roles in society play an important role in the formation of these expressions. An article entitled
"Gender and Sociology," in fact, states that “masculine roles are usually associated with strength, aggression, and
dominance, while feminine roles are associated with passivity, nurturing, and subordination.” But gender roles cannot
be generalized, and may vary in every country, because gender roles can be-shaped by a nation's culture, and
internal and external influences such as colonization.

(5) Thus, the expression “kababae mong tao" could not have been an effect of the gender roles of women in the pre-
colonial society because according to Enriqueta Benavides, a professor of English and former dean of Women's
Studies at Arellano university, "the Filipino culture at the time of Spanish discovery does not only have gender
equality and social equality for women, but also a high regard for them" (2). A particular group of women in pre-
colonial Philippines were the babaylan, the female-dominated group of religious heads in the community, and one of
the political figures in the barangays, the smallest socio-economic and political unit in the Philippines. They were
known not only for their religious functions, but also for their power and wisdom. There was also the presence of
binukot women who were daughters of datu (chiefs) who remained secluded from the community. According to Maria
Abrera, an associate professor of History at the University of the Philippines Diliman, these binukot women were
known for their beauty, significance, power, and prestige, and having a binukot daughter brings honor and fame to
the family (39). These accounts show how women were valued, respected, treated equal to men, and had power
socially, economically and politically in the pre-colonial period.

(6) However, this significance of women diminished as the Spaniards coionized the Philippines. Associated with the
Spaniards' mission to spread Christianity is their patriarchal point of view which they applied in colonizing Philippines.
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From then on, women were considered inferior, and their gender roles started to focus on family and Church.
Benavides dlso mentioned that Spanish law deprived the women of their right to own a business, and to hold any
public office except the office of the teacher (5).

(7) The perception of what women are, how they are expected to act, and the roles they played during the Spanish
era could have influenced the norms that we have for Filipino women in the present time. These norms became the
basis for judging whether a woman’s action or behavior is acceptable or if it needs an expression such as “kababae
mong tao" to inform these women of the more appropriate and acceptable ways to be a woman, and to suggest the
standard and expectations that a woman should live up to.

(8) Hence, the expression “kababae mong tao” is both powerful and oppressive, and it could be used in a wide
variety of scenarios. First of the many scenarios, when a woman does work that people believe she is not capable of,
or is not appropriate for her, one uses this expression to say that the action is unfavorable and unfitting. For example,
seeing women drive big trucks can cause one to say, “Kababae mong tao, nagdadrive ka ng malalaking trak” which
in English implies and means, “Woman that you are, you should not be driving big trucks."

(9) Secondly, the expression is used when a woman does not conform to the traits and behavior that are expected of
her. Another product of the Spanish colonization is the Maria Clara image presented in Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere.
Maria Clara, being shy, religious, demure, and gracious, is promoted by Rizal as an ideal Filipino woman (Hays). Up
until the present time, this Maria Clara image and the characteristics attributed to her have created a stereotype of
how Filipino women should behave. For example, when a woman is j seen loitering or playing around, one could say
“Gala ka nang gala, kababae mong tao”, which implies that “Woman that you are, you should not be just gallivanting
and loitering around.” The same idea applies to Church-related practices because according to Sister Maria Ferraris,
a trained historian, in her book entitled The Beaterios for Native Women in Colonial Philippines, the role of women
during the Spanish colonial period centered on two basic institutions, which are the family and the Church. She also
mentioned that during the first century of the colonial period, Filipino women learned doctrines of the Church and
participated in the rites of worship for the purpose of understanding religion as a way of life (73-74). Thus, Filipino
women are still expected to be religious and to follow Church practices.

(10) In addition, this expression also has its counterpart for men which is, "kalalaki mong tao." It follows the same
process, and conveys the same meaning with "kababae mong .tao" but here, the men are the ones that have to
conform with their gender roles and live up to society's expectations of a man. An article entitled “Male Gender
Roles" states that one of the themes that make up male gender roles is strength, which can be associated with
emotional toughness, courage, and rationality. Hence, if a man does not conform to this theme or to expected
masculine traits, the expression “kalalaki mong tao” can be used. A very common example of this is when a man is
seen crying over any reason, which then violates one of his gender roles, emotional toughness, one could say
“Kalalaki mong tao, umiiyak ka” which implies “A man that you are, you should not be crying."

(11) In conclusion, the existence of these expressions proves that gender inequality, sexism, and gender-
stereotyping are still truly relevant issues which are too complicated and evident to bring to an end despite several
feminist movements and gender equality campaigns. Traditional gender roles have transcended generations,
cultures and events, experiencing changes and affecting society along the way. But if being yourself and finding your
true Filipino self means violating gender roles, then go on and take the risk, as long as you would not mind the
“kababae mong tao" expression thrown at you. Instead, you may embrace it to become the Filipino woman that you
are.

(12) Works Cited:

Abrera, Maria L. “Seclusion and Veiling of Women: A Historical and Cultural Approach." Philippine Social Sciences
Review 60.1 (2009): 33-56. Print.
Benavides, Enriqueta R. “The Filipino Woman's Social, Economic, and Political Status." n.p. (1971): n.p. Print.
ALDERSGATE COLLEGE PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
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Ferraris, Maria Rita C. “The Beaterios for native women in colonial Philippines”. Manila: Religious of the Virgin Mary
Pub. Committee, 1987. Print
“Gender and Sociology.” Boundless Psychology. Boundless, 08 Jan. 2016. Web. 17 Mar. 2016
“Gender roles.” Boundless Psychology. Boundless, 08 Jan. 2016. Web. 17 Mar. 2016
Hay, Jeffrey. “Women in the Philippines: Status, Stereotypes, Maria Clara, and Abuse” Facts and Details. n.p June
2015. Web. 17 Mar. 2016
“Males Gender Roles.” Psychology of Men. Psychology of Men, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016

Synthesis

For many academics, the writing process does not end with rewriting. Ideally, the kind of collaboratively
produced knowledge in academic papers should be shared with other researchers, scholars, writers, and readers.
Academics often write multiple drafts, spin off papers on related topics, and more research papers that they share at
conferences and lectures or publish in academic journals and books.

For the culminating activity of this chapter, students should organize and hold their own mock conference
with the general theme of Philippine culture. They should invite one or two plenary speakers and then organize their
own documented essays into sessions - parallel ones, necessary - wherein each student will have 10 to 15 minutes
to present his/her documented essay on a concept. Students should come up with a catchy and specific title for the
conference, select an emcee, and prepare a poster and program for the event. The program should also include an
open forum or Q & A portion so that comments may be given by the instructor, guest speakers, audience members,
and other students. If possible, the students' essays should be revised after the conference, and published in a
student journal of conference proceedings.

Rubric for Grading the Documented Essay

Unity and Coherence (25%)

Has an appropriate and interesting title; has a clearly expressed thesis/central idea; does not stray off the topic; has
topic sentences that indicate the central point of each paragraph; is well organized with transition signals that show
the flow and relationship of ideas

Content and Development (35%)

Presents original ideas and insights; displays,, critical thinking and analysis; contains adequate and accurate
supporting points and details; makes use of well-chosen and reliable sources to back up the writer’s points;
adequately processes and integrates borrowed words and ideas

Language (20%)
Is written in Standard English and uses the appropriate style and level of language (middle or formal); uses precise,
accurate, and grammatically correct language

Mechanics and Documentation (20%)

Is properly formatted according to the requirements; follows the specifications of MLA documentation (direct quotes
in quotation marks, attributions where necessary, in-text citations, and a bibliographic list)

Reference:
Uychoco, Marikit Tara A & Santos, Maria Lorena (2018). Communication for Society: Purposive
Communication. Rex Bookstore. Manila, Philippines.