English for Academics and Professional Purposes Intensive Reviewer PDF

ENGLISH FOR ACADENICS AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES INTENSIVE REVIEWER- 1ST QUARTER Nature and Characteristics of an Academic Text An academic text is a written language that provides information, which contain ideas and concepts that are related to the particular discipline. Essay, Research Paper, Rep...

ENGLISH FOR ACADENICS AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES INTENSIVE REVIEWER- 1ST QUARTER Nature and Characteristics of an Academic Text An academic text is a written language that provides information, which contain ideas and concepts that are related to the particular discipline. Essay, Research Paper, Report, Project, Article, Thesis, and Dissertation are considered as academic texts Structure 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. Tone This refers to the attitude conveyed in a piece of writing. The arguments of others are fairly presented and with an appropriate narrative tone. When presenting a position or argument that disagrees with one’s perspectives, describe the argument accurately without loaded or biased language. Language It is important to use unambiguous language. Clear topic sentences enable a reader to follow your line of thinking without difficulty. Formal language and the third person pointof-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. 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. 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 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. 2. Formal - Should avoid colloquial words and expressions. 3. Precise - Facts are given accurately and precisely. 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) 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. 6. Accurate - Uses vocabulary accurately - Most subjects have words with narrow specific meanings. 7. Hedging - It is necessary to make decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you are making. 8. Responsible - You must be responsible for and must be able to provide evidence and justification for any claims you make. 9. Organize - Well-organized. - It flows easily from one section to the next in a logical fashion. 10. Plan - Well-planned. - It usually takes place after research and evaluation, according to specific purpose and plan. 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 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. Social language is the set of vocabulary that allows us to communicate with others in the context of regular daily conversations. Here are some of the differences between social and academic language includes: Social Language In everyday interactions in spoken/written form For everyday conversation Used to write to friends, family, or for other social purposes Informal, such as words like ''cool,'' ''guy,'' ''kidding'') Can use slang expressions Can be repetitive Can use phrases Sentences don't follow grammar conventions necessarily, with phrases like, ''you're hungry?'' Academic Language In textbooks, research papers, conferences in spoken/written form Used in school/work conversations Appropriate for written papers, classwork, homework Very formal and more sophisticated in its expressions, such as words like ''appropriate,'' ''studies,'' ''implementation'' Don't use slang Uses a variety of terms Uses sentences Sentences begin with appropriate transitions, 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. 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. 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. Text Structures 1. Narrative- Narrates an event/story with characters, setting, conflict, point of view, and plot. 2. Chronological, Process, or Sequence- Present ideas or events in the order in which they happen 3. Cause and Effect-Provide explanations or reasons for phenomena 4. Problem/Solution- Identify problems and pose solutions 5. Compare and Contrast- Discuss two ideas, events, or phenomena, showing how they are different and how they are similar 6. Definition or Description- Describes a topic by listing characteristics, features, attributes, and examples. Why is Text Structure Important? The readers can significantly improve their comprehension and retention of information when they can identify and recognize the text structure of a text. It can also help them: 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 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. 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! 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. 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. The strategy helps students generalize, recognize cause and effect relationships, and find main ideas. 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. 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. 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? 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. Thesis Statement A thesis statement is the controlling idea that you will develop in your paper. This can be found usually at the end of an introduction. A thesis statement can be one sentence. However, if necessary, it can also be two or three sentences. Elements of a Thesis Statement 1. Topic. The topic of your paper. 2. Argument/Claim. This depends on the type of paper you are writing. If it is an argumentative paper, then this should express your opinion. If it is a research or explanatory paper, this should explain the purpose of your paper. 3. Evidence. The support for your argument/claim. If you already have these three elements, you can combine them to create your thesis statement. Outline An outline is a design to follow when writing a structure, a discourse, or a article. It arranges a material in a logical way into main ideas, supporting ideas, and supporting details. The main idea or topic is the main topic of the outline. All main topics are indicated by Roman Numeral. Sub-topics are noted by letters and supporting details are indicated by Arabic Numerals. An outline can be a sentence outline or topic outline. A sentence outline is written in full sentence while a topic outline is in words or phrases. Guidelines in Writing an Outline: 1. Place the title at the center above the outline. 2. Every level of the outline must have at least two items (I and II, A and B, 1 and 2). 3. Put a period after each numeral and letter. 4. Indent each new level of the outline. 5. All items of one kind (roman numerals, capital letters, Arabic numerals) should lineup with each other. 6. Capitalize the first letter of each item. 7. The terms Introduction, Body, and Conclusion do not have to be included in the outline. They are not topics; they are merely organizational units in the writer’s mind. Example Benjamin Franklin – Scientist and Inventor I. Experiments with Electricity A. Studied nature of Electricity B. Discovered Lightning Equals Electricity C. Invented Lightning Rod II. Other Scientific Work A. Inventions  1. Bifocal Glasses 2. Franklin Stove 3. Daylight Saving Time B. Scientific Studies 1. Charted Gulf Stream 2. Worked on Soil Improvement III. Importance as a Scientist A. Scientific Honors B. Writing Translated into Other Languages C. Experts’ Comments Approaches in Literary Criticism When you express your views, it is also important to use appropriate language for a specific discipline. There are terms that you should prefer to put in your writing depending on the field or context you are in. For example, if you are to convince people who are experts in the field of Science and Mathematics, you need to use their language. Here are examples of terms that you can use in the following disciplines. Science Mathematics General Terms Experiments Equation Test Lab Equipment Statistical Tool Materials Invention Solution Action Laboratory Test Result Pregnancy test Hormones and Genes Equivalent Values Family You should be formal and use technical terms that are familiar to them. However, if your audience is the general public, you also need to use the language they know. Do not use those that are not common to them. Avoid jargons or technical words and slang or invented words. You can be informal when necessary. However, you must never forget to be POLITE to avoid having future problems. Learning appropriate language and manner is not enough in expressing your views. There are critical approaches that you can use to make it more convincing and appropriate. Read about the critical approaches. You can highlight some important ideas. You can use these in expressing your views. 1. Formalist Criticism This approach regards literature as “a unique form of humanknowledge that needs to be examined on its own terms.” All the elements necessary for understanding the work are contained within the work itself. Of particular interest to the formalist critic are the elements of form—style, structure, tone, imagery, etc.— that are found within the text. A primary goal for formalist critics is to determine how such elements work together with the text’s content to shape its effects upon readers. 2. Gender Criticism This approach “examines how sexual identity influences the creation and reception of literary works.” Originally an offshoot of feminist movements, gender criticism today includes a number of approaches, including the so-called “masculinist” approach recently advocated by poet Robert Bly. The bulk of gender criticism, however, is feminist and takes as a central precept that the patriarchal attitudes that have dominated western thought have resulted, consciously or unconsciously, in literature “full of unexamined ‘male-produced’ assumptions.” Feminist criticism attempts to correct this imbalance by analyzing and combatting suchattitudes— by questioning, for example, why none of the characters in Shakespeare’splay Othello ever challenge the right of a husband to murder a wife accused of adultery. Other goals of feminist critics include “analyzing how sexual identity influences the reader of a text” and “examining how the images of men and women in imaginative literature reflect or reject the social forces that have historically kept the sexes from achieving total equality.” 3. Historical Criticism This approach “seeks to understand a literary work byinvestigating the social, cultural, and intellectual context that produced it—a context that necessarily includes the artist’s biography and milieu.” A key goal for historical critics is to understand the effect of a literary work upon its original readers. 4. Reader-Response Criticism- This approach takes as a fundamental tenet that “literature” exists not as an artifact upon a printed page but as a transaction between the physical text and the mind of a reader. It attempts “to describe what happens in the reader’s mind while interpreting a text” and reflects that reading, like writing, is a creative process. 5. Media Criticism- It is the act of closely examining and judging the media. When we examine the media and various media stories, we often find instances of media bias. Media bias is the perception that the media is reporting the news in a partial or prejudiced manner. Media bias occurs when the media seems topush a specific viewpoint, rather than reporting the news objectively. Keep in mind that media bias also occurs when the media seems to ignore an important aspect ofthe story. This is the case in the news story about the puppies. 6. Marxist Criticism. It focuses on the economic and political elements of art, often emphasizing the ideological content of literature; because Marxist criticism often argues that all art is political, either challenging or endorsing (by silence) the status quo, it is frequently evaluative and judgmental, a tendency that “can lead to reductive judgment, as when Soviet critics rated Jack London better than William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Edith Wharton, and Henry James, because he illustrated the principles of class struggle more clearly.” Nonetheless, Marxist criticism “can illuminate political and economic dimensions of literature other approaches overlook.”  7. Structuralism It focused on how human behavior is determined by social, cultural and psychological structures. It tended to offer a single unified approach to human life that would embrace all disciplines. The essence of structuralism is the belief that “things cannot be understood in isolation, they have to be seen in the context of largerstructures which contain them. For example, the structuralist analysis of Donne’s poem, Good Morrow, demands more focus on the relevant genre, the concept of courtly love, rather than on the close reading of the formal elements of the text. REACTION PAPER is a form of paper writing in which the writer expresses his ideas and opinions about what has been read or seen. Reaction paper is evaluated due to the writer's communication skills and only then due the unique ideas and the content. This paper writing may be informal, two pages long. As all essays, a reaction paper comprises introduction, body, and conclusion. In introduction the writers states the main premise, in a body he expresses his ideas and in conclusion summarizes the results. The reaction paper is not a summary of the article although information should be included. You may be asked to write a reaction paper indirectly, and you have to get the intention of the examiner fast. A good example is that you may be asked to give a critique about a certain subject, and this would constitute a reaction paper, or to write a review about a literature book; it also falls into the same group. Despite the fact that you are writing about your reactions, thoughts and impressions, you still need to follow an appropriate structure. So make sure to: Read the material carefully Whether it is a book, article, or a film, make sure to read or watch it very carefully. Sometimes, you will need to repeat this procedure for a couple of times. Mark interesting places while reading/watching This will help you focus on the aspects that impressed you the most and come back to them after you are done with reading or watching. Write down your thought while reading/watching Doing so, you won’t forget any important ideas that came to your head. Come up with a thesis statement Use your notes to formulate a central idea you will develop in your further work. Then put it in one sentence and make it your thesis statement. Compose an outline  Every time you write an academic paper, you need to make an outline. Try at least once and you will see how helpful an outline could be! Construct your paper Only when all the preparations are done, start writing a paper itself. The first part of your paper should contain information on the author and the topic. You need to write down the main ideas and highlight the main points of the paper. You can use direct quotations if needed. Avoid your personal opinion in this section. The second part should contain your personal thoughts on the subject. Focus on a main problem or address all of them and describe your opinion. Explain how the material can relate to the modern world, to the society or separate individuals. Back your statements with sources if needed and make conclusions whether you support the author or not. Writing a reaction paper can be quite a challenging task, so many students use examples to learn more about its structure and key features. Here are a few recommendations, which will help you complete an outstanding reaction paper: Read the original article carefully and highlight the main ideas and points you want to discuss; Describe your point of view and back it with additional information if needed. Use vivid examples; Use various sources to make your statement more argumentative. There are also a few tips, which will help you to avoid common mistakes. First, don’t give a summary of an article. You should perform your personal opinion, not an overview. You should always back your ideas with examples. However, avoid using examples, which are difficult to relate to the topic. With the help of these simple rules, you will learn how to write a reaction paper and will be able to create an outstanding work! DEFINITION, EXPLICATION, AND CLARIFICATION DEFINITION Definition is to give an explanation or meaning to something- word, thing, place, or event while extended definition from the dictionary which is also known as Aristotelian definition. This type takes the following pattern: DEFINIENDUM GENUS DIFFERENTIA DEFINIENDUM-refers to the concept being defined. GENUS- is the classification where the definiendum belongs to. DIFFERENTIA- is the feature or characteristic that sets definiendum apart from the others. SAMPLE DEFINITION SPEEDOMETER IS A DEVICE USED FOR MEASURING THE SPEED OF A VEHICLE. DEFINIENDUM GENUS DIFFERENTIA EXPLICATION EXPLICATON- is a process of making a concept clearer to understand. It is something different from a definition because it is through describing the actual performance that the meaning is conveyed. This task consists of transforming a concept into a more or less exact one. The following are terms usd to address the concept defined EXPLICANDUM- is the given concept or the term used in the sentence or in a composition. EXPLICATUM- is the exact concept used to replace the explicandum or the term suggested for it. EXAMPLE: FISH: Animal that lives in the water. PISCIS: Animal that lives in the water; is cold-blooded, a vertebrate, and has gills throughout life. PISCIS is narrower, not more exact. EXPLANATION: THE REAL SITUATION: Scientists used the existing word “fish” for a new but related concept. CLARIFICATION Clarification involves giving back to the writer or to the listener the meaning that a person understood from what someone has discussed. It is a way of checking if the message received is correct and a way of erasing the concept of confusion. Through clarification, the listener and speaker will have better understanding of the topic discussed because it ensures genuineness of both parties. Purposes of clarifications -ensuring that the listener really understand the speaker and allows opportunity to listeners to ask questions or to summarize what has been discussed. Example of non-directive clarification-seeking questions are: “I am not sure if I understood it right but you said……………….” Guidelines for clarifying the information heard from the speaker: -Ask for repetition. -State what the speaker has said the way you understood it and check whether it is what the speaker meant when he said it. -Admit if you are confused with what the speaker means. -Use non-directive questions if possible. -Ask for specific examples if appropriate. - Ask if you got the message right be ready and for corrections. THE CONCEPT PAPER As we all know, love is a multifaceted and faceted concept, and each of us normally defines it in various ways. Some of the things that may influence our definition of love are our experience in relation to it, what we have read about it, and what others are saying about it. Using these various sources, we are able to concoct our own concept of love. The same can be said when writing a concept paper. The purpose of concept paper is to explain, clarify and theorize a particular concept so that it can be discussed in the world of the academe. Thus, when one writes a concept paper, he or she is said to be engaging in an academic discourse about it--- that is, he is contributing to the dialogue of scholars about a given topic. In buiding a concept, it is important to connect theory and experience. Theory comes from the numerous academic articles written about your desired topic while experience comes from day-to-day observations made by the researcher. The important thing in writing a concept paper is to be able to connect the two. IN-TEXT- it is a citation that indicates where the author got a certain idea. The format of an in-text citation varies according to the citation style used in the paper. THESIS STATEMENT- main idea of the concept paper. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE CONCEPT PAPER DEDUCTIVE REASONING- EXAMINE THE REAL LFE PHENOMENA INDUCTIVE REASONING- PRODUCE A THEORY FROM BITS AND PIECES OF INFORMATION Thus, a concept paper can be developed in any of these two ways. The important thing is for the writer to be able to establish a clear relationship between theory and practice. From the several topic s you have jotted down, choose one that you want to discuss. Then research on that specific topic, keeping in mind that you should gather INFORMATIVE and OBJECTIVE PIECES OF LITERATURE. You have at least 5 credible resources composed of scholarly journals, books, magazines and interviews. However, remember that you should not spend most of your time in gathering pieces of information so it is important to evaluate if the literature contains the crucial information you need, helping you limit the possibilities of your paper. After researching, you would now be able to refine your topics. STEPS IN WRITING CONCEPT PAPER -Jot down the subtopics you have researched on. -Producing the first draft. -First Draft -Revised version -Publish Academic is divided into fields of study or disciplines. These disciplines have been specialized because of researches on interdisciplinary topics, however difficult they are to conduct. Academic field is composed is composed of intellectual people such as professors, scholars, and students who have common goals of learning. Opportunities in academics come to those people who patiently conduct thorough and heavy academic investigation. As such, this chapter will discuss the important ideas and contents of some fields such as arts, business, law, philosophy, politics, religion, science, sports, and vocational-technical (HE, Agri-fishery, Industrial Arts, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT)) BRIEF DISCUSSION OF ACADEMIC CONCEPTS ARTS It is about human activities such as creating artworks, expressing imaginative stories through oral and written skills in which beauty is intended to be appreciated by emotional instinct. This activity involves the making of criticism of art, the review of the past or history art, and the aesthetic characteristics of art. Arts has its oldest forms like visual arts include creating images or objects through sculpting, painting, photography, print making and visual media. On the other hand, DECORATIVE ARTS involve the production of objects that are essential in practical functions, while PERFORMING ARTS include theater, film, music and dance. INTERACTIVE MEDIA is also a type of art if it is analyzed in broader sense. Another distinguished type of art from acquired skills is FINE ARTS. BUSINESS It is known as firm, agency or owned by private sectors. BASIC FORMS OF OWNERSHIP 1. SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP 2. PARTNERSHIP 3. CORPORATION 4. COOPERATIVE-CO-OP LAW It is a system of rules enforced to govern behavior. This law can be made by a collective or by a single legislature. This forms the society, politics, history and economics and serves as the moderator and mediator of relation among people. PHILOSOPHY It means “love of wisdom”. Philosophy is divided into major areas of study such as follows: METAPHYSICS. Study of nature of reality EPISTEMOLOGY. Study of knowledge ETHICS. It concerns with what we ought to do and what is the best thing to do. LOGIC. Study of arguments or reasons of our answers. POLITICS It is a practice and theory of influencing other people and involves in making decision for a group of people. It is also about a person using power. FORMAL POLITICS- Refers to the constitutional system of government and publicly defined institutions and procedures which are considered by many as something that does not concern themselves. INFORMAL POLITICS- it is about exercising power to protect or to advance a particular goal or idea. RELIGION It is social organization that is related to humanity to an order of existence. These religions include Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and folk religion. There is also called THEODIVERSITY which refers to a large diversity of religious beliefs. SCIENCE It is human effort to understand the history of natural world. SPORTS It is a form of competitive physical activity which aims to maintain or improve physical strengths and abilities while giving entertainment to both participants and spectators. VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL It is often called tech-voc or voc-tech and designed to bring vocational and technical training to students. Prepared by: Ronel C. Papa, LPT Subject Teacher/Assistant Academic Coordinator