EAPP-Lesson-1-Learners-Copy.pdf

LESSON 1 LANGUAGE USED IN ACADEMIC TEXT 2 Target At the end of this lesson, you are expected to differentiate the language used in academic text from various disciplines 3 What is LANGUAGE? 4 Language Language is a system of...

LESSON 1 LANGUAGE USED IN ACADEMIC TEXT 2 Target At the end of this lesson, you are expected to differentiate the language used in academic text from various disciplines 3 What is LANGUAGE? 4 Language Language is a system of communication that humans use to convey thoughts, ideas, and emotions through spoken or written symbols. These symbols, whether spoken words, written characters, or gestures, carry meaning that is understood by individuals who share the same language. 5 Language Language is either formal or informal, depending on its purpose. The tone, the choice of words, and the way the words are put together vary between the two styles – INFORMAL and FORMAL. 6 Informal Language ▸ Informal language is more casual and spontaneous. ▸ It is used when communicating with friends or family either in writing or in conversation. ▸ It is used when writing personal emails, text messages, and in some business correspondence. ▸ Its tone is more personal. 7 Formal Language ▸ It is used when writing for professional or academic purposes like university assignments. Thus, it does not use colloquialisms, contractions, or first-person pronouns such as ‘I’ or ‘We’. ▸ Formal language is less personal. 8 Academic Writing Under formal language is academic writing. ▸ It is a challenging and satisfying activity that needs great preparation. ▸ One of the necessary preparations is to use language properly. Academic writing requires academic language. ▸ Language use is a qualifying component of a text to be categorized as an academic text. 9 Academic Language Several definitions and explanations can be given to academic language, which is considered a formal way to present words in a certain field. In general, Academic language is used in classroom settings – in textbooks, teacher-made tests, and other forms of academic disciplines. 10 Academic Language Moreover, it includes a variety of formal language skills such as vocabulary, grammar, punctuation, syntax, and the likes. These allow students to acquire the knowledge and academic skills needed to do the work of schools. 11 Academic Text ▸ Starts with posing a question, problematizing a concept, evaluating an opinion, and ends by answering the question or questions posed, clarifying the problem, and or arguing for a stand. ▸ It has a purpose: to inform, to argue a specific point, and to persuade ▸ It is written by experts in their fields. 12 Academic Text ▸ It includes information from credible sources. ▸ It includes a list of references. ▸ Also, it usually exhibits all the properties of a well- written text: organization, unity, coherence and cohesion, as well as strict language use and mechanics. ▸ Examples are research papers, journal articles, literature reviews, case studies, lab or field reports, Literary critiques, and position papers 13 Academic Texts across the Disciplines Academic disciplines have various branches under them. Discipline Branches Business Accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing Humanities Art, creative writing, languages, literature, music, philosophy, religion, theater Natural and Biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, Applied mathematics, physics, medicine Sciences Social Science Anthropology, education, geography, history, law, political science, psychology, sociology 14 MAIN LANGUAGE FEATURES OF ACADEMIC TEXTS 15 1. Avoid using contractions Informal: The improvements canʼt be introduced due to funding restrictions. Formal: Improvements cannot be introduced due to funding restrictions. Informal: I donʼt believe that the results are accurate. Formal: The results are not believed to be accurate. 16 2. Avoid using phrasal verbs/ two-word verbs Informal: The balloon was blown up for the experiment. Formal: The balloon was inflated for the experiment. Informal: The patient got over his illness. Formal: The patient recovered from his illness. 17 3. Avoid using colloquial words and expressions Informal: The mob was very rowdy during the protest against cuts to university funding. Formal: The crowd was very rowdy during the protest against the cuts to university funding. Informal: It was raining cats and dogs. Formal: It was raining very heavily. 18 4. Avoid using first person pronouns (I, me, we, us) Informal: During the interview, I asked students about their experiences. Formal: During the interview, students were asked about their experiences. Informal: We believe the practice is unsustainable. Formal: It is believed the practice is unsustainable. Note: A reader will normally assume that any idea not referenced is your own. It is, therefore, unnecessary to make this explicit. 19 4. Avoid using first person pronouns (I, me, we, us) Pronoun Subject Object Possessive Possessive Reflexive Type Pronouns Pronouns Adjectives Pronouns Pronouns First I me my mine myself Person Second you you your yours yourself Person Third himself/her Person he/she/it him/her/it his/her/its his/hers/its self/itself (Singular) Third Person they them their theirs themselves (Plural) 20 5. It must be objective Informal: We don’t really know what language proficiency is, but many people have talked about it for a long time. Some researchers have tried to find ways for us to make teaching and testing more communicative because that is how language works. I think that language is something we use for communicating, not an object for us to study and we remember that when we teach and test it. 21 5. It must be objective Formal: The question of what constitutes “language proficiency” and the nature of its cross-lingual dimensions is also at the core of many hotly debated issues in the areas of bilingual education and second language pedagogy and testing. Research has suggested ways of making second language teaching and testing more “communicative” (Canale and Swain, 1980; Oller, 1979b) on the grounds that a communicative approach better reflects the nature of language proficiency than one that emphasizes the acquisition of discrete language skills. 22 5. It must be objective Note: Academic Text is, in general, objective rather than personal. It, therefore, has fewer words that refer to the writer or the reader. This means that the main emphasis should be on the information that you want to give and the arguments you want to make rather than you. For that reason, academic writing tends to use nouns (and adjectives) rather than verbs (and adverbs). 23 6. Acronyms NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration TESDA Technical Education and Skills Development Authority UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization 24 7. Initialisms FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation USA United States of America ATM Automated Teller Machine Note: When using acronyms or initialisms in an essay, you can write the full name in brackets the first time. After that, you can use the acronym or initialism alone. Well-known acronyms don't need full spelling. To make them plural, add 's' without an apostrophe. 25 8. Use hedging or cautious language to tone down author’s claims Here are some examples of hedging expressions used in academic texts. Examples As used in the sentence Modal auxiliary May, might, can, The measure might Verbs could, would, have negative should effects on the patient’s health. 26 Modal lexical To seem, to appear The discussion Verbs doubting and (epistemic verbs), to appears to have a evaluating rather believe, to assume, positive than merely to suggest, to implication. describing estimate, to tend, to think, to argue, to indicate, to propose, to speculate Probability Possible, probable, A number of Adjectives un/likely significant changes are possible. 27 Nouns Assumption, claim, There are a number possibility, of claims pertaining estimate, possibility of suggestion divorce. Adverbs Perhaps, possibly, The proposal is probably, practically an practically, likely, answer to the presumably, confusion. virtually, apparently 28 Indicators of Approximately, Fever is present in degree, quantity, roughly, about, about a third of frequency and time often, occasionally, cases. generally, usually, somewhat, somehow, a lot of Introductory Believe, to our The committee phrases knowledge, it is our believes that the view that, we feel issue needs to be that explored. 29 “if” clause If true, if anything If anything, the opinion holds a number of truths. Compound hedges Double hedges: This probably seems reasonable, indicates that the looks probable; it assigned personnel may suggest that; it is misinformed. seems likely that; it would indicate that; this probably indicates Treble hedges: it seems reasonable to assume that Quadruple hedges: It would seem somewhat unlikely that, it may appear somewhat speculative 30 8. Use hedging or cautious language to tone down author’s claims Remember: When you write academically, you must decide your viewpoint and how strongly you state things. Subjects have varying approaches. In certain academic writing, a "hedge" is used—a way to express caution. Academic writing isn't just about facts; it involves careful language, often termed "hedging" or "vague language." 31 WRAP UP ✓ Language can be either formal or informal based on its purpose. ✓ Informal language is characterized by a casual and spontaneous tone. ✓ Formal language is less personal and is used in professional or academic contexts. ✓ Academic writing falls under formal language and requires specific language skills. 32 WRAP UP ✓ Academic language is formal and associated with academic disciplines. ✓ Academic texts encompass organization, unity, coherence, cohesion, and strict language use. ✓ There are eight language features to follow in writing academic texts. 33 Activity 1: Academic Text vs Non- Academic Text 34 Make an infographic that presents the following: ✓ The definition of Academic Text and Non-Academic Text ✓ Characteristics (give not less than five each) ✓ Examples (give at least five each) ✓ Use long bond paper ✓ Write the title, your full name, section & set, and the date of submission 35