Nature-and-Characteristics-of-an-Academic-Text.pptx

English for Academic And Professional Purposes focuses instruction on skills required to perform in an English- speaking academic context across core subject areas  Nature and Characteristics of an Academic Text  Academic Text  is a reading material that pro...

English for Academic And Professional Purposes focuses instruction on skills required to perform in an English- speaking academic context across core subject areas  Nature and Characteristics of an Academic Text  Academic Text  is a reading material that provides information which include concepts and theories that are related to the specific discipline.  Structure  Unlike fiction or journalistic writing, the overall structure of an academic text is formal and logical (Introduction, Body, Conclusion).  It must be cohesive and possess a logically organized flow ideas;  Tone  Thearguments of others are fairly presented and with an appropriate narrative tone.  When presenting a position or argument that disagrees with the one’s perspectives, describes 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.  Technical language appropriate to the 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  Thestarting 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.  Characteristics Academic Text Non- academic Text Audience Academia Mass public Purpose Inform the readers Inform, entertain or with solid evidence persuade the readers Style Formal and Personal, impersonal impressionistic, emotional or subjective Structure Standard structure No rigid structure Language Formal language Informal and casual avoids colloquialisms language, may contain Subject/ Shared historical Personal life and events or literature or everyday events Content other forms of knowledge  Academic Language  Itrefers to the oral, written, auditory, and visual language proficiency required to learn effectively in schools and academic programs.  Difference between academic language and social language Social language is the simple, informal language we use when talking face to face with family members and friends.  We can also communicate feelings, needs, and wants using symbolic hand gestures for drink, eat, hot, cold, hurt, or tired.  Academic language is different from everyday social language. It is the vocabulary students or adults must learn to succeed in the classroom or in the workplace.  We use academic language to describe and comprehend complex ideas, process higher- order thinking, and understand abstract concepts.  Social Language Academic Language repetition of words variety of words, more sophisticated vocabulary sentences start with sentences start with “and” and “but” transition words, such as “however,” “moreover,” and “in addition” use of slang: “guy,” No slang “cool,” and “awesome”  Characteristics of Academic Language Forma Avoid colloquial andl idiomatic expressions,  It should not be conversational and casual. slang, and contractions. X dig in X cup of tea X dude X don’t  Impersonal  Do not refer to yourself as the performer of actions.  Do not use personal pronouns. For example: “It is commonly said that”… instead of “Many of my friends and colleagues say that…” “Research revealed that…” instead of “I discovered that”  Precise  The facts are presented accurately.  The use of technical terms to achieve precision is applied. For example:  “85% of the population”, “The results are okay(satisfactory).”, asphyxiation (medical term)  Objective  It is unbiased, based on facts and is not influenced by personal feelings. For example: “The essay on… is distressing.” instead of “I do not like the essay”