Lesson 4
Academic
Discourse
Learning Describe a written text as
Competency 1 connected discourse
(EN11/12RWS-IIIa-1).
Objectives
● identify the characteristics of academic discourse;
● analyze a text to identify the information
presented in academic discourse; and
● create an academic discourse from a given topic.
Essential Question
How can we say that a certain text is
academic?
Warm Up!
1. Work with a partner for this activity.
2. Read, examine, and compare the two texts on the next
slides.
3. List all the features of each text.
4. Take note of the language, aim or purpose, and point of
view.
5. Present your work in class.
Warm Up!
Text Features
Medea is portrayed as an empowered woman in Euripides’s play.
It is a far cry from how women were viewed and represented in
Ancient Greece. Women then were mainly portrayed as in charge
of producing children, taking care of them, and being a mistress
of the household. Medea’s character defies and challenges
conformities. Her deeds, though evil in nature, stem from the
strength of her mind… Medea, although elicits pity from the
audience during the first part of the play as an abandoned wife
and mother, in the end, is feared and abhorred as she proves to
be aware of how wicked her deeds are and yet would not have it
the other way around: “I understand what evil I am about to do
Warm Up!
Text Features
The Diary of a Young Girl (An Excerpt)
By Anne Frank
Sunday, 21 June 1942
Everyone at school is waiting to hear what happens next. Who
will move up a class, and who will stay down? We’re all trying to
guess! I think my girlfriends and I will be OK, though we’ll have
to wait patiently to find out. Most of my teachers like me, but
old Mr Keesing gets angry with me because I often talk too
Review
● What is literary discourse?
● What are the types of literary discourse?
● How are the types of literary discourse
different from one another?
Learn about It!
Academic Discourse
● expository or argumentative in nature
● sometimes presents an individual’s insights regarding a
concept or method in a scholarly way
● includes academic journals and essays
Learn about It!
Academic Discourse Literary Discourse
formal and scholarly use of poetic and creative in its use
language; does not use figures of language
of speech and idioms
maintains an objective tone features more than one point
using the third-person point of of view
view
Learn about It!
General Format of Academic Discourse
● Introduction - states the significance of the topic and the
issues that need to be addressed; mentions the objectives
of the discourse
● Body - discusses the methods of gathering information;
presents the findings and interpretation; contains
arguments and supports them with evidence
Learn about It!
General Format of Academic Discourse
● Conclusion - reiterates the writer’s claims and asserts his
or her stand; may include insights and recommendations
for further studies
Learn about It!
Experiments and Observations in a Heated Room (1774)
in Philosophical Transactions
(1683-1775); 1775; Royal Society, London
Charles Blagden
Learn about It!
Guide Questions:
1. What is the text about?
2. What are the notable things about the experiments
conducted by Charles Blagden?
3. What tone and type of language are used in the text?
4. What point of view is used in the text?
Writing Prompts
Answer the following writing prompts.
● In your own words, differentiate literary discourse from
academic discourse.
● Recall the last fiction book you read or the last movie you
watched. Write a book/movie review about it. Make sure
your work contains at least 350 words.
Writing Prompts
● Write an academic essay about one of the following topics:
○ Violence in the media and its effect on young viewers
○ Climate change and what should be done to stop its
acceleration or reverse it
○ The use of the mother tongue as the primary language in
education
○ Meditation instead of time-out as a disciplinary method in
preschool and elementary classes
○ Free vaccines nationwide in all public hospitals for all
children in marginalized communities
Writing Prompts
Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
(0–1 point) (2–3 points) (4–5 points)
Content/ The writing prompts Two of the writing Each output
Substance are not answered prompts are answered thoroughly answers
thoroughly or thoroughly and or properly
appropriately. The appropriately. Enough addresses the
information and information and writing prompt.
supporting details supporting details are Enough information
are insufficient. provided. is given, and
supporting details
are provided.
Organization The ideas are not The ideas are fairly The ideas are
logically organized, logically organized, logically organized,
and sentences do but some sentences and sentences flow
Writing Prompts
Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
(0–1 point) (2–3 points) (4–5 points)
Point of View, Tone, The third-person The third-person point The third-person
Type of Language point of view, of view, objective tone, point of view,
Used objective tone, and and formal language objective tone, and
formal language are are used in the texts formal language are
not used or are but inconsistently. used in the texts.
barely used in the
texts.
Language There are seven or There are four to six There are zero to
(spelling, more language language errors in the three language
mechanics, errors in the text. text. errors in the text.
grammar, and
word choice)
Values Integration
How do you think knowing how to write academic
discourse can help you even outside the academe as
you graduate and find a job or start a business?
Synthesis
1. Work in pairs for this activity.
2. Research on a common topic of interest that is related
to your strand.
3. Write about the topic in a four-paragraph academic
essay.
4. Take turns in writing the paragraphs.
5. After 20 minutes of writing, read your essay out loud
to the class.
Synthesis
6. After the activity, you may ask them the following
questions:
a. What did you find to be the most challenging in the
activity?
b. What have you learned about writing an academic
essay from working with a partner in creating one?
Assignment
1. Go to the library or search online for an academic text.
2. Photocopy it or print it out on a sheet of short bond
paper, and include your answers to the following
questions:
a. What is the text about?
b. How does it develop its introduction, body, and
conclusion?
c. What makes the text an academic text?
Criteria Score
Content
(The question is answered well. Textual evidence is given.) 5 pts.
Organization
(Logical progression of details; clear transitions between ideas)
3 pts.
Language
(Use of proper spelling, mechanics, grammar, and word choice)
2 pts.
Score: /10
