English for Academic Professional Purposes PDF

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES  Academic writing Academic writing 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 sente...

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES  Academic writing Academic writing 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. Characteristics These features ensure that ideas and Formal arguments are communicated in a Objective (Impersonal) clear, convincing and Technical professional manner. Formal An academic text is formal by avoiding casual or conversational language such as contractions or informal vocabulary. It uses appropriate language and tenses, and is clear, concise and balanced. Differences between formal and informal language Formal language is the words and grammar used in formal situations. People use formal language mostly in written communication in professional or academic settings. Objective It is impersonal at the same time objective because it avoids direct reference to people or feelings instead it emphasizes objects, facts, and ideas. It well focuses on the idea rather than the people or emotion that being portrayed.  Impersonal Academic language is impersonal in that you generally don't refer to yourself as the performer of actions. This involves avoiding the 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 avoided. What are the examples of personal pronouns? I, me, you, we, us, he, him, she, her, they, them and it are called personal pronouns as they take the place of a particular person or thing in a sentence or a context.  Avoiding personal pronouns If you need to avoid using the first or second person, in your writing, here are some ways of doing it:  Technical A text is technical by using vocabulary wordings and references used has a clear focus on the issue. It also includes accurate word choice.  INDUSTRY TERMS An industry word is a specialized kind of technical terminology used in a certain industry. Industry words and phrases are often used in a specific area, and those in that field know and use the terminology. Corporate jargon The use of jargon in the business world is a common occurrence. It is most frequently used in modes of communication such as emails, reports, and other forms of documentation  EXAMPLE Common share Dividend KPI (Key Performance Indicator) Pursuant ROI (Return on Investment) SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Undersigned Medical jargon Medicine professionals make extensive use of scientific terminology. Most patients encounter medical jargon when referring to their diagnosis or when receiving or reading their medication. EXAMPLE Code blue Dyspnea Hematoma Hypertension Palliative care Tachycardia Legal jargon It is commonly found in the field of law. These terms are often used in legal contexts such as legal documents, court proceedings, contracts, and more EXAMPLE Acquittal Affidavit Adjudication Libel Litigation Tort Education jargon There is specialized terminology within the field of education. Educators and administrators use these terms to communicate ideas specific to the education system.  EXAMPLE Capstone project Curriculum ELL (English Language Learner) IEP (Individualized Education Program) Pedagogy PLC (Professional Learning Community) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC TEXT School books and textbooks Journal articles Research proposals and papers Some newspapers and magazine articles Thesis and dissertations 3  ANALYTICAL PERSUASIVE TYPES OF CRITICAL ACADEMIC TEXT DESCRIPTIVE 3 TYPES OF ACADEMIC TEXT DESCRIPTIVE Provides facts and information Identify, report, record, summarize, define 4 ANALYTICAL Organizes facts and information into categories, groups, parts, types, or relationships Analyze, compare, contrast, relate, examine 4 PERSUASIVE Includes argument, recommendation, interpretation, or evaluation of the work of others with the addition of your own point of view Needs to be supported by evidence Argue, evaluate_discuss, take a 4 position CRITICAL Requires you to consider at least two points of view, including your own Critique, debate, disagree, and evaluate 4 NON-ACADEMIC TEXTS Written for the mass public Published quickly and can be written by anyone Uses informal and more conversational language Author may be unknown 2 NON-ACADEMIC TEXTS Usually delivers simple and basic information Can be read and easily understood by any kind of reader Personal, emotional, impressionistic, or subjective in nature 2 EXAMPLES OF NON- ACADEMIC TEXT Blog posts Fiction books Letters Personal journals and diaries 3  NATURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ACADEMIC TEXT 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 quoted text that have been used in a paper as a defense against allegations of plagiarism.  CITATION Parenthetical vs. narrative citation The in-text citation can take two forms: parenthetical and narrative. Both types are generated automatically when citing a source. Parenthetical citation: According to new research … (Smith, 2020). Narrative citation: Smith (2020) notes that …  American Psychological Association (APA) The most recent edition of the APA style guide is the 7th edition, released in 2019. While APA uses sentence case when referencing book titles, titles of articles, reports and webpages, it uses title case for magazines and newspaper titles. Sentence case and title case are two different capitalization styles used in writing, and they have distinct rules for how words are capitalized. 1. Sentence Case: Capitalizes only the first word and proper nouns. Example: The teacher will explain the lesson tomorrow. Usage: Sentence case is commonly used in regular sentences, emails, articles, and most types of formal writing. Sentence case and title case are two different capitalization styles used in writing, and they have distinct rules for how words are capitalized. 2. Title Case: Capitalizes most words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. Minor words (such as "and," "or," "but," "in," "on," "the") are usually lowercase unless they are at the beginning or end of the title. Example: The Teacher Will Explain the Lesson Tomorrow. Usage: Title case is typically used for titles of books, articles, movies, and headings. Website: : Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month and Date of Publication). Article title. URL  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 within, and often external to a specific discipline.  Thesis-driven The starting point of an academic text. A particular perspective, idea or position applied to the chosen research problem, such as establishing, proving, or disproving solutions to- the questions posed for the topic. 3 Purposes in Reading an Academic Text 1. To locate a main idea; 2. To scan for information; 3. To identify gaps in existing studies; 4. To connect new ideas to existing ones; 5. To gain more pieces of information; 6, To support a particular writing assignment; and, 7. To deeply understand an existing idea. Factors to Consider in Writing Academic Text 1. State critical questions and issues; 2. Provide facts and evidence from credible sources; 3. Use precise and accurate words; 4. Take an objective point of view; 5. List references; and, 6. Use cautious language. Text Structure  Common Text Structures Text structures (WDPI, 2012) refer to the way authors organize information in text. Recognizing the underlying structure of texts can help students focus attention on key concepts and relationships, anticipate what is to come, and monitor their comprehension as they read. Why is Text Structure Important? The readers can significantly improve their comprehensiong and retention of information when they can identify and recognize the text structure of a text. It can also help them: Organize information and details they are learning in their minds while reading. Make connections between the details being presented in a text. Summarize the important details shared in a text At this stage, you should have several ideas on the common text structures used in academic texts. Keep in mind these ideas because you are going to use your knowledge on text structures for enhancing your skills in gleaning information.  Techniques in Summarizing Variety of Academic Texts Summarizing is how we take larger selections of text and reduce them to their bare essentials: the gist, the key ideas, the main points that are worth noting and remembering. Basic Rules: A. Erase things that dont matter. Delete trivial material that is unnecessary to understanding. B. Erase things that repeat. Delete redundant material. In note taking, time and space is precious. If a word or phrase says basically the same thing you have already written down, then don't write it again! C. Trade, general terms for specific names. Substitute superordinate terms for lists (e.g, flowers for daisies, tulips for roses). D. Focus on the big picture. Long, technical lists are hard to remember. If one word will give you the meaning, then less is more. E. Use your own words to write the summary. Write the summary using your own words but make sure to retain the main points.