Reading Academic Text PDF

English for Academic and Professional Purposes Reading Academic Text  Objectives: 1. Differentiate language used in academic texts from various disciplines. 2. Determine the structure of a specific academic text. 3. Explain the specific ideas contain...

English for Academic and Professional Purposes Reading Academic Text  Objectives: 1. Differentiate language used in academic texts from various disciplines. 2. Determine the structure of a specific academic text. 3. Explain the specific ideas contained in various academic texts. 4. Use knowledge of text structure to glean the information he/she needs. 5. Use various techniques in summarizing a variety of academic texts. Academic Language used from Various Disciplines  Nature and Characteristics of an Structure Academic Text The basic structure that is used by an academic text is consist of three (3) parts introduction, body, and conclusion which is formal and logical. This kind of structure enables the reader to follow the argument and navigate the text. In academic writing a clear structure and a logical flow are imperative to a cohesive text.  Nature and Characteristics of an Ton Academic Text This refers to the attitude conveyed in a piece of writing. The e 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 accurately without loaded or biased language.  Nature and Characteristics of an Languag Academic Text It is important to use unambiguous language. Clear topic e 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 area of study may also be used, however, it does not mean using “big words” just for the sake of doing so.  Nature and Characteristics of an Citation Academic Text 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.  Nature and Characteristics of an Complexity Academic Text An academic text addresses complex issues that require higher-order thinking skills to comprehend.  Nature and Characteristics of an Academic Evidence-based Arguments Text 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.  Nature and Characteristics of an Academic Thesis-driven Text The starting point of an academic text is 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. Features of Academic Texts: 1. Complex - Written language has no longer words, it is lexically more varied vocabulary. - Written texts are shorter and the language has more grammatical complexity, including more subordinate clauses and more passives. Features of Academic Texts: 2. Formal - Should avoid colloquial words and expressions. 3. Precise - Facts are given accurately and precisely. Features of Academic Texts: 4. Objective - has fewer words that emphasize on the information you want to give and the arguments you want to make - mostly use nouns (adjectives), rather than verbs (adverbs) Features of Academic Texts: 5. 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. Features of Academic Texts: 6. Accurate - Uses vocabulary accurately - Most subjects have words with narrow specific meanings. Features of Academic Texts: 7. Hedging - Using cautious language - It is necessary to make decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you are making. Features of Academic Texts: 8. Responsible - You must be responsible for and must be able to provide evidence and justification for any claims you make. Features of Academic Texts: 9. Organize - Well-organized. - It flows easily from one section to the next in a logical fashion. Features of Academic Texts: 10. Plan - Well-planned. - It usually takes place after research and evaluation, according to specific purpose and plan.  Purposes in Reading an Academic 1. To locate a main idea; Text 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 1. State critical questions and issues; Text 2. Provide facts and evidence from credible sources; 3. Use precise and accurate words while avoiding jargon; 4. Take an objective point of view; 5. List references; and, 6. Use cautious language.  Academic 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.) Students who master academic language are more likely to be successful in academic and professional settings.  Academic Language 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 spoken/written form In textbooks, research papers, conferences in spoken/written form For everyday conversation Used in school/work conversations Used to write to friends, family, or for other social Appropriate for written papers, classwork, purposes homework Informal, such as words like ''cool,'' ''guy,'' ''implementation'' ''kidding'') Can use slang expressions Don't use slang Can be repetitive Uses a variety of terms Can use phrases Uses sentences Sentences don't follow grammar conventions Sentences begin with appropriate transitions, necessarily, with phrases like, ''you're hungry?'' like, ''moreover'' or ''in addition'') Characteristics of Academic Language A. Formal - It should not sound conversational or casual. Colloquial, idiomatic, slang or journalistic expressions should particularly be avoided. Examples: Use… Instead… Consider, monitor Look at Revise, review Go over Characteristics of Academic Language B. Objective - This means it is unbiased. It should be based on facts and evidence and are not influenced by personal feelings. C. Impersonal - 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. Text Structure  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? 1. Organize information and details they are learning in their minds while reading. 2. Make connections between the details being presented in a text 3. Summarize the important details shared in a text  Techniques in Summarizing Variety of Academic Texts Techniques in Summarizing 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. Webster's calls a summary the "general idea in brief form"; it's the distillation, condensation, or reduction of a larger work into its primary notions. (“Reading Quest Strategies | Summarizing”)  Basic Rules: A. Erase things that don’t 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!  Basic Rules: C. Trade, general terms for specific names. Substitute superordinate terms for lists (e.g., flowers for daisies, tulips for roses). Focus on the big picture. Long, technical lists are hard to remember. If one word will give you the meaning, then less is more.  Basic Rules: D. Use your own words to write the summary. Write the summary using your own words but make sure to retain the main points.  Basic Rules: D. Use your own words to write the summary. Write the summary using your own words but make sure to retain the main points.  Techniques: 1. Somebody Wanted But So Then. The strategy helps students generalize, recognize cause and effect relationships, and find main ideas. After answering the questions, combine the answers to form a summary: Little Red Riding Hood wanted to take cookies to her sick grandmother, but she encountered a wolf. He got to her grandmother’s house first and pretended to be the old woman. He was going to eat Little Red Riding Hood, but she realized what he was doing and ran away, crying for help. A woodsman heard the girl’s cries and saved her from the wolf. 2. SAAC Method. This method is particularly helpful in summarizing any kind of text. SAAC is an acronym for “State, Assign, Action, Complete.” Each word in the acronym refers to a specific element that should be included in the summary. Use the four SAAC cues to write out a summary of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" in complete sentences: "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," by Aesop (a Greek storyteller), tells what happens when a shepherd boy repeatedly lies to the villagers about seeing a wolf. After a while, they ignore his false cries. Then, when a wolf really does attack, they don’t come to help him. 3. 5 W's, 1 H. This technique relies on six crucial questions: who, what, when where, why, and how. These questions make it easy to identify the main character, important details, and main idea. Try this technique with a familiar fable such as "The Tortoise and the Hare." 4. First Then Finally. This technique helps students summarize events in chronological order. First: What happened first? Include the main character and main event/action. Then: What key details took place during the event/action? Finally: What were the results of the event/action? Here is an example using "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." First, Goldilocks entered the bears' home while they were gone. Then, she ate their food, sat in their chairs, and slept in their beds. Finally, she woke up to find the bears watching her, so she jumped up and ran away. 5. Give Me the Gist. This type of techniques is like giving a friend the gist of a story. In other words, they want a summary – not a retelling of every detail. Thank you!