- Explicit

EAPP REVIEWER • It is the responsibility of the writer in English to

Module I: Academic Texts: Features and Types make it clear to the reader how the various parts
of the text are related.
Unit I: Reading and Analyzing Academic Text • Explicit means that there is a clear
presentation of ideas in the paper. The text
Receptive Productive should have a well-organized structure and be
Spoken Listening Speaking easy for the reader to follow.
Written Reading Writing • One way to accomplish clarity and structure
Academic Text in your text is by signposts.
• Signposts are words and phrases that you
- They are defined as critical, objective, specialized can use in your text in order to guide the
texts written by experts or professionals in a given reader along.
field using formal language.
- Accurate
- Academic texts are objective.
• According to ThoughtCo, “accuracy is how close
- Academic texts use formal words and may
a value is to its true value.”
contain technical terms that are related to a
certain field. • In academic writing you need to be accurate in
- These often take years to publish because of your use of vocabulary.
intense writing and review. • Choose words with narrow specific meaning
Common Features - Hedging
- Complex • The content of an academic text is written in
• Written language has longer words, it is lexically full conviction and supports towards the claim
denser, and it has a more varied vocabulary. presented in the text itself.
• Written texts are shorter, and language has more • Using hedge words and phrases in academic
grammatical complexity, including more writing allows you to be academically cautious, to
subordinate clauses and more passives. acknowledge the degrees of uncertainty in your
- Formal statements and claims.
• Academic texts are free of colloquial words and - Examples
expressions. Usually – Seems – Certainly - Suggests
• Formal language is less personal than informal Types of Academic Texts
language. It is used when writing for a ✓ Descriptive
professional or academic purposes such as ▪ The simplest type of academic writing is
university assignments. descriptive.
• Formal language does not use colloquialisms, ▪ Its purpose is to provide facts or information.
contractions, or first-person pronouns. An example would be a summary of an article
Examples: (Informal – Formal) or a report of the results of an experiment.
Tell – Inform ▪ The kinds of instructions for a purely descriptive
Say no – Reject assignment include: 'identify', 'report', 'record',
Give – Provide 'summarize' and 'define'
Cheap - Inexpensive ✓ Analytical
- Precise
▪ Analytical writing includes descriptive writing,
• Facts are given accurately and precisely.
but also requires you to re-organize the facts and
• In academic writing you need to be precise when
information you describe into categories, groups,
you use information, dates, or figures. For an
instance, do not use "a lot of people" when you parts, types, or relationships.
can say “5 thousand people". ▪ The kinds of instructions for an analytical
• Being precise means to choose the right words assignment include: 'analyse', 'compare',
for the intended purpose. To be selective in an 'contrast', 'relate', and 'examine'.
effort to clearly convey the purpose and meaning ✓ Persuasive
of the writing. ▪ Persuasive writing has all the features of
- Objective analytical writing (that is, information plus re-
• Academic texts are unbiased rather than organizing the information), with the addition of
personal. your own point of view.
• It has fewer words that refer to the writer or the ▪ Most essays are persuasive, and there is a
reader. persuasive element in at least the discussion
• Its main emphasis is on the information that the and conclusion of a research article.
writer wants to give and the arguments he wants ▪ The kinds of instructions for a persuasive
to make, rather than his personal view. assignment include: 'argue', 'evaluate', 'discuss',
and 'take a position'
✓ Critical Types of Cause / Effect Relationship
▪ It has all the features of persuasive writing, with 1. Stated cause/effect Relationship: the relationship is
the added feature of at least one other point of stated clearly.
view. 2. Unstated cause/effect relationship: you will need to
▪ While persuasive writing requires you to have make inferences or “read between the lines” to make
your own point of view on an issue or topic, connections in the relationship.
critical writing requires you to consider at 3. Reciprocal cause/effect relationship: effects may be
least two points of view, including your own. part of a chain. In this kind of structure, one effect goes
▪ For example, you may explain a researcher's on to cause a second effect, which may then cause a
interpretation or argument and then evaluate third effect, etc.
the merits of the argument or give your own 3. Comparison and Contrast
alternative interpretation. This type of text examines the similarities and differences
between two or more people, events, concepts, ideas,
Module II: Text Structures etc.
Text Structure Examples:
- It refers to how information within a written text is A book about ancient Greece may explain how the
organized. Spartan women were different from the Athenian women.
- Knowing how to recognize text structures may Compare - to compare is to find how something is
help you to easily understand what the text similar.
means. Contrast – to contrast is to find out how something is
- Recognizing common text structures can help you different.
monitor your comprehension. Signal Words: Different from, same as, similar to, unless
Common Types of Text Structure 4. Order or Sequence
1. Description This text structure gives readers a chronological of
This type of text structure features a detailed description events or a list of steps in a procedure.
of a subject. It gives the readers a mental picture of it. Examples:
• A book may tell everything about whales or A book about the American revolution might list the
describe what the geography is like in a events leading to the war.
particular region. Signal words: after, afterward, at that moment, at last
Features of a Descriptive Text Structure 5. Problem – Solution
A. Spatial Indicators This type of structure sets up a problem or problems,
• Adverbs, prepositions, adverbial phrases which explains the solution, and then discusses the effects of
are essential in the description of a place, a the solution.
person, placement of an object in space, and for Example:
the definition of the parts that make it up. There has been a surge in teenage pregnancies recently,
B. Adjectives so the government proposes to add sex education as
• Used to indicate quality of the subject one of the subjects in school.
C. Short Sentences Approaches to Problem – Solution
• Short sentences are used to give the readers - Identify the problem and present the possible
clarity of description solutions to it
D. Term Richness and Variety - Identify a solution and present the problems that
motivated it.
• The richness and variety in the use of terms,
- Identify as problem, present possible solutions,
which is essential to provide a clear, accurate,
and then determine the best solution from the
and a representative conception of the referent
possible solutions presented.
and its components.
6. Classification – Division
It is an organizational structure in which writers sort items
2. Cause and Effect
or ideas into categories according to commonalities.
This structure presents the causal relationship between a
It allows the author to take an overall idea and split it into
specific event, idea, or concept and the events, ideas, or
parts for the purpose of providing clarity and description.
concept that follow.
Examples:
Example:
A textbook is classified into unites and each unit is
The government suspended flights a little late that is why
further divided into lessons.
the virus had a massive widespread.
Signal words: categories, classification, groups, classes
Signal Words for Cause and Effect
Effect Cause
- As a result - For
- As a consequence - Because
- Therefore - Since
- Thus - As
Module III: Techniques in Summarizing Step 4

What is summarizing? Omit ideas that are not really central to the text.

• Summarizing is distilling a text’s essential Step 5

concepts into a paragraph or two.
In general, omit minor details and specific examples.
• A summary has two aims:
• to reproduce the overarching ideas in a text, Step 6
identifying the general concepts that run through
Avoid writing opinions or personal responses in your
the entire piece, and
summaries.
• to express these overarching ideas using precise,
specific language. Step 7
Remember: Be careful not to plagiarize the author’s words.
• Summarizing is retelling the important parts of a If you do use even a few of the author’s words, they
read text. must appear in quotation marks.
• Summaries are shorter than the original but must
Tips in Summarizing
include the most essential ideas.
Methods of Summarizing • The summary should cover the original as a whole.
• The material should be presented in a neutral
These are suggestions on how to properly summarize. fashion.
• The summary should be a condensed version of the
Preparing to Write
material, presented in your own words.
• Skim the text, noting in your mind the subheadings. If • Read the text that you are to summarize for several
there are no subheadings, try to divide the text into times until the message of the text is clear to you.
sections. • Identify the main idea or the thesis statement of the
• Try to determine what type of text you are dealing with. text.
This can help you identify important information. • In making the summary, ensure a smooth flow of
• •Read the text, highlighting important information and ideas using proper transitional devices.
taking notes • Limit your summary into a few sentences.
• In your own words, write down the main points of each • Proofread your work or let your classmate go over
section. your work.
• Write down the key support points for the main topic,
Types of Summary
but do not include minor detail.
• Go through the process again, making changes as Informative Summary
appropriate.
• Informative summaries accurately convey the
Writing the Summary information contained in a text or in other type of
resource.
Step 1
• The main types of informative summaries are
Include the title and identify the author in your first outlines, abstracts, and synopses.
sentence. • Outlines present the plan or the “skeleton” of a
written material. They show the order and the
Step 2
relation between the parts of the written material.
The first sentence or two of your summary should contain • Abstracts present the major point of long piece of
the author’s thesis, or central concept, stated in your own text or an article. They help readers to decide
words. whether or not they want to read the longer text.
• A synopsis is a brief overview of an article, story,
Step 3 book, film, or other works. It is a concise,
chronological description of a historical event, news
When summarizing a longer article, try to see how the event, or other experiences as they develop in time
various stages in the explanation or argument are built up
in groups of related paragraphs.
Descriptive Summary Forms of Archetypes in Literature

• Descriptive summaries depict the original text Character Archetype

(material) rather than directly presenting the
A character archetype in novel terms is a type of
information it contains.
character who represents a universal pattern, and
• A descriptive summary should portray, in an objective
therefore appeals to our human ‘collective unconscious’.
way, the texts' structure and main themes.
• Descriptive summaries often play the role of reviews The most common character archetypes are: hero,
for fictional or literary works. opponent, mentor, leader, and love interest
Situation Archetype

Module IV: Literary Criticism Situational archetypes are a way of looking at the
world that is based on how people react to certain
Literary Criticism situations.
- or literary analysis is the comparison, analysis, The most common situation archetypes are: battle of
interpretation, and/or evaluation of works of good and evil, a hero’s journey, rags to riches, and the
literature. like.
- is principally an opinion, supported by evidence,
relating to theme, style, setting or historical or political Setting Archetype
context.
A place or a time that represents a universal
- It typically includes discussion of the work’s content
correspondence among the readers.
and integrates your ideas with other insights
gained from research. The most common setting archetypes are: sea,
- may have a positive or a negative bias and may be a forest, abandoned structure, night, and the like.
study of an individual piece of literature or an
author’s body of work. Symbolic Archetype
- Is NOT a plot summary or an author’s biography. It can take in the form of color, elements,
- Researching, reading, and writing works of literary shapes, and natural events.
criticism will help you to make better sense of the
work, form judgments about literature, study ideas The most common symbolic archetypes are: heart
from different points of view. which means love, dark which means evil, light or
sunrise which means hope, and circle which pertains
Archetypal Criticism to eternity
- a critical approach to literature that seeks to find Cultural Criticism
and understand the purpose of archetypes within
literature. This criticism sees the text as the representative of a
a) Archetype is defined as something that represents the culture’s beliefs, values, laws, etc.
essential elements of its category or class of things.
Works are therefore considered in light of their
b) Greek for “original pattern” from which all copies
historical and cultural contexts.
are made; a prototype
- These patterns reveal universal meaning and basic Cultural criticism is a literary theory that challenges
truths about the human conditions for readers the artificial distinction between high and low
(regardless of where and when they live) culture.
- These archetypes may be themes, such as love,
characterizations, such as the hero; or patterns, This distinction is based on what is believed to be
such as death and rebirth. traditional and worthy elements in a particular culture.
- draws on the works of the psychoanalyst Carl This form of criticism examines how different
Jung, literary critic Northrop Frye, and others. religions, ethnicities, class identifications, political
- Unlike psychoanalytic critics, archetypal critics such
beliefs, and views affect the ways in which texts are
as Frye do not attempt to explain why the archetypes
created and interpreted.
exist
Cultural Criticism suggests that being a part of—or
excluded from—a specific group or culture
contributes to and affects our understanding of
texts.
 The following statements reflect four common Typical Questions
assumptions in the use of Cultural Criticism as a lens for
1. How is the relationship between men and women
understanding literature.
portrayed?
1. Ethnicity, religious beliefs, social class, and so on 2. What are the power relationships between men and
are crucial components in formulating plausible women (or characters assuming male/female roles)?
interpretations of text. 3. How are male and female roles defined?
2. While the emphasis is on diversity of approach and 4. What constitutes masculinity and femininity?
subject matter, Cultural Criticism is not the only 5. How do characters embody these traits?
means of understanding ourselves and our art. 6. Do characters take on traits from opposite genders?
3. An examination or exploration of the relationship How so? How does this change others’ reactions to
between dominant cultures and the dominated is them?
essential. 7. What does the work reveal about the operations
4. When looking at a text through the perspective (economically, politically, socially, or psychologically)
of marginalized people, new understandings emerge of patriarchy?
8. What does the work imply about the possibilities of
Feminist Criticism sisterhood as a mode of resisting patriarchy?
- Is literary criticism based on feminist theories. 9. What does the work say about women's creativity?
- It considers texts with the knowledge that societies treat 10. What does the history of the work's reception by the
men and women inequitably. public and by the critics tell us about the operation of
- is concerned with "the ways in which literature (and patriarchy?
other cultural productions) reinforce or undermine the 11. What role does the work play in terms of women's
economic, political, social, and psychological literary history and literary tradition? (Tyson)
oppression of women" (Tyson 83). Marxist Criticism
- This school of theory looks at how aspects of our
culture are inherently patriarchal and aims to Marxism - this school of thought contends that history
expose misogyny in writing about women. and culture is largely a struggle between economic
classes, and literature is often a reflection of the
Common Space in Feminist Theories attitudes and interests of the dominant class.
Though a number of different approaches exist in Based on the theories of Karl Marx (and so influenced
feminist criticism, there exist some areas of by philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel), this
commonality. This list is excerpted from Tyson (92): school concerns itself with class differences, economic
and otherwise, as well as the implications and
1. Women are oppressed by patriarchy economically,
complications of the capitalist system.
politically, socially, and psychologically; patriarchal
ideology is the primary means by which women are Ruling Class
oppressed. (Bourgeoisie)
Feudal Capitalist Capitalism
2. In every domain where patriarchy reigns, woman is Society Society
other: she is marginalized, defined only by her difference Working Class
from male norms and values. (Proletariat)
3. All of Western (Anglo-European) civilization is Whom does it benefit?
deeply rooted in patriarchal ideology.
4. While biology determines our sex (male or female), - Theorists are interested in answering the overarching
culture determines our gender (scales of masculine and question, whom does it [the work, the effort, the
feminine) policy, the road, etc.] benefit?
5. All feminist activity, including feminist theory and literary a. The elite? The middle class? The lower class?
criticism, has as its ultimate goal to change the world by - Marxist critics are also interested in how the
prompting gender equality. lower or working classes are oppressed - in
6. Gender issues play a part in every aspect of human everyday life and in literature
production and experience, including the production and
experience of literature, whether we are consciously
“It’s not the consciousness of men that determines their
aware of these issues or not.
being, but on the contrary, their social being that
determines their consciousness”
- Karl Marx
Typical Questions How do these parts and their collective whole contribute
to or not contribute to the aesthetic quality of the work?
Whom does it benefit if the work or effort is accepted/
successful/ believed, etc.? What does the form of the work say about its content?

What is the social class of the author? Is there a central or focal passage that can be said to
sum up the entirety of the work?
Which class does the work claim to represent?
How do the rhythms and/or rhyme schemes of a poem
What values does it reinforce? contribute to the meaning or effect of the piece?
What values does it subvert? New Historicism
What conflict can be seen between the values the work New Historicism is a range of critical practices that
champions and those it portrays? examine works in their cultural and historical
What social classes do the characters represent? contexts.

How do characters from different classes interact or It seeks to reconnect a work with the time period in
conflict? which it was produced and identify it with the cultural
and political movements of the time.
New Criticism
Practitioners of the critical movement developed it by
New Criticism is a movement in literary criticism that examining a wide range of texts such as newspapers,
proposes close reading and textual analysis of the text advertisements, popular music, historical accounts,
itself. poetry, novels, and diaries.
Practitioners focus on both the “external form” (e.g. New Historicism is "...a practice that has developed out
ballad, ode) of contemporary theory, particularly the structuralist
“internal forms”(e.g. structure, repetition, patterns of realization that all human systems are symbolic and
figurative language, plot/content, syntax/diction, tone, subject to the rules of language, and the deconstructive
mood, context/setting, style, literary devices, theme) realization that there is no way of positioning oneself as
an observer outside the closed circle of textuality"
It emphasized close reading, particularly of poetry, (Richter 1205).
to discover how a work of literature functioned as
a self-contained, self-referential aesthetic object New Historicism holds that we are hopelessly subjective
interpreters of what we observe.
New Critics believed the structure and meaning of
the text were intimately connected and should not be Typical Questions
analyzed separately.
What language/characters/events present in the work
In order to bring the focus of literary studies back to reflect the current events of the author’s day?
analysis of the texts, they aimed to exclude the reader’s
response, the author’s intention, historical and cultural Are there words in the text that have changed their
contexts, and moralistic bias from their analysis. meaning from the time of the writing?

The movement is also referred to as formalism or How are such events interpreted and presented?
structuralism.
How are events' interpretation and presentation a
Typical Questions product of the culture of the author?
How does the work use imagery to develop its own
Does the work's presentation support or condemn the
symbols?
event?
What is the quality of the work's organic unity? In other
words, does how the work is put together reflect what it is? How does this portrayal criticize the leading political
figures or movements of the day?
How are the various parts of the work interconnected?
How does the literary text function as part of a
How do paradox, irony, ambiguity, and tension work in the continuum with other historical/cultural texts from the
text? same period?
How can we use a literary work to "map" the interplay of Defenses – Freud argued that we develop defenses:
both traditional and subversive discourses circulating in selective perception, selective memory, denial,
the culture in which that work emerged and/or the displacement, projection, regression, fear of intimacy,
cultures in which the work has been interpreted? and fear of death, among others.
How does the work consider traditionally marginalized Id, Ego, and Superego
populations?
Conscious Level – Ego – executive mediating between
Post – Structuralism id impulses and superego inhibitions; testing reality;
rational. Operates mainly at conscious level but also at
Post-structuralism refers to a critical approach to
preconscious level.
language, literature, and culture that questions or
criticizes structuralism. Pre-Conscious Level – Superego – ideals and morals;
striving for perfection; incorporated from parents;
Post-structuralists believe that language is inherently
becoming a person’s conscience. Operates mostly at
unstable in meaning and the meaning of the texts is
preconscious level.
ultimately indecipherable.
Unconscious Level – Id – basic impulses (sex and
The best-known post-structuralist approach is
aggression); seeking immediate gratification; irrational
deconstructionism.
and impulsive. Operates at unconscious level.
Deconstructionism (or sometimes just
It argues that literary texts, like dreams, express
Deconstruction) is a 20th Century school in philosophy
the secret unconscious desires and anxieties of the
initiated by Jacques Derrida in the 1960s.
author.
It is a theory of literary criticism that questions
It also suppose that a literary work is a manifestation of
traditional assumptions about certainty, identity, and
the author’s neuroses.
truth; asserts that words can only refer to other words;
and attempts to demonstrate how statements about any Critics believe that we can "...read psychoanalytically...to
text subvert their own meanings. see which concepts are operating in the text in such
a way as to enrich our understanding of the work
Time flies like an arrow.
and, if we plan to write a paper about it, to yield a
Time (noun) flies (verb) like an arrow (adverb clause) = meaningful, coherent psychoanalytic interpretation"
Time passes quickly. (Tyson 29)

Time (verb) flies (object) like an arrow (adverb clause) = Typical Questions
Get out your stopwatch and time the speed of flies as
How do the operations of repression structure or inform
you would time an arrow's flight.
the work?
Time flies (noun) like (verb) an arrow (object) = Time flies
Are there any Oedipal dynamics - or any other family
are fond of arrows (or at least of one particular arrow)
dynamics - at work here?
Psychoanalytic Criticism
How can characters' behavior, narrative events, and/or
Psychoanalytic criticism is literary criticism grounded in images be explained in terms of psychoanalytic concepts
Psychoanalytic Theory of the founder of psychoanalysis, of any kind?
Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939)
What does the work suggest about the psychological
Psychoanalytic criticism adopts the methods of being of its author?
“reading” employed by Freud (and other theorist) to
What might a given interpretation of a literary work
interpret text
suggest about the psychological motives of the reader?
The unconscious, the Desires, and the Defenses
Are there prominent words in the piece that could have
The Unconscious is the notion that human beings are different or hidden meanings? Could there be a
motivated, even driven, by desires, fears, needs, and subconscious reason for the author using these "problem
conflicts of which they are unaware..." (Tyson 14-15). words"?

The Desires – the pleasures

Reader – Response Criticism Module V: Applying Critical Reading Skills
Reader-response criticism is a critical approach that What is Critical Reading?
shifts the emphasis to the reader from the text or
the work’s author and context. • Critical reading means reading with the goal of
finding a deep understanding of the material.
At its most basic level, reader-response criticism • It is the act of analyzing and evaluating what you
considers readers' reactions to literature as vital to are reading as you make your way through the text or
interpreting the meaning of the text as you reflect upon your reading.
Reader – response What is the difference between critical reading and that
of normal reading?
A critic deploying reader-response theory can use a
psychoanalytic lens, a feminist lens, or even a Non-Critical Reading – passive, just the facts, gullible,
structuralist lens. reactive
The readers, through their own values and Critical Reading – active, what, how, why, skeptical,
experiences and evolving response to the text purposeful
“create” the meaning of the text
Remember
Reader-response theorist share two beliefs:
Critical reading goes further than just being satisfied with
that the role of the reader cannot be omitted from what a text says, it also involves reflecting on what the
our understanding of literature, and; text describes, and analyzing what the text actually
means, in the context of your studies.
that readers do not passively consume the meaning
presented to them by an objective literary text; rather Critical Reading Skills
they actively make the meaning they find in literature
Annotating
Typical Questions
• Annotating is any action that deliberately interacts
How does the interaction of text and reader create with a text to enhance the reader's understanding
meaning? of, recall of, and reaction to the text.
What does a phrase-by-phrase analysis of a short literary • It usually involves highlighting or underlining key
text, or a key portion of a longer text, tell us about the pieces of text and making notes in the margins of
reading experience pre-structured by (built into) that text? the text.

Do the sounds/shapes of the words as they appear on Why Annotate?

the page or how they are spoken by the reader enhance • By annotating a text, you will ensure that you
or change the meaning of the word/work? understand what is happening in a text after you've
How might we interpret a literary text to show that the read it.]
reader's response is, or is analogous to, the topic of the • As you annotate, you should note the following:
story? • the author's main points,
• shifts in the message or perspective of the text,
What does the body of criticism published about a literary • key areas of focus, and;
text suggest about the critics who interpreted that text • your own thoughts as you read
and/or about the reading experience produced by that
text? Steps to Annotating a Source
1. Survey: This is your first time through the reading

• Look through the article/chapter/book.

• Ask if the article is a useful and trustworthy source.
(Who wrote it? Who published it? Who is the
audience?)
• Note the title--what does it tell you about the
article’s topic/argument?
 • Is there an Abstract(paragraph that summarizes Sample Outline Format
topic, questions, research methods, findings)?
I. Main Idea I
• Subheadings--what do they tell you?
• Note bold/italicized terms a. Supporting idea I
2. Skim: This is your second time through the reading i. Evidence I
Read the first few sentences of the first few paragraphs. ii. Evidence II
Identify the main thesis. Underline the thesis (the main
b. Supporting idea II
argument or viewpoint, one or two sentences) and write it
in your own words in the margin. Continue reading the i. Evidence I
first sentence or two of the body paragraphs. Highlight
the point of each paragraph and summarize it in the ii. Evidence II
margin in your own words. II. Main Idea II
3. Read: This is your third time through the reading a. Supporting Idea I
• Now that you have a good idea of the article’s thesis, i. Evidence I
read through the entire article, and look for more
details. Highlight supporting evidence. ii. Evidence II
• Write any questions you have in the margins.
b. Supporting Idea II
• Circle any words you don’t recognize, look them up in
a dictionary, and write their meanings in the margins i. Evidence I

Annotating Strategies ii. Evidence II

• You can annotate by hand or by using document Analyzing

software.
• this is examining the content by breaking down the
• You can also annotate on post-its if you have a text,
different elements of the text.
you do not want to mark up. As you annotate, use
• Tip: You can also divide a text into different sections
these strategies to make the most of your efforts:
for more focus when you are reading a long
• Include a key or legend on your paper that
material.
indicates what each marking is for and use a
different marking for each type of information. What to analyze in a text?
• Example: Underline for key points, highlight for
vocabulary, and circle for transition points Purpose / Context
• If you use highlighters, consider using different • What, specifically, is the text about? In other
colors for different types of reactions to the text. words, what content does it attempt to cover and/or
• Example: Yellow for definitions, orange for explain?
questions, and for disagreement/confusion. • What "type" of text is it? That is, under what discipline
• Dedicate different tasks to each margin. or field would you categorize it?
• Use one margin to make an outline of the text • What overall purpose does the text serve? For
(thesis statement, description, definition #1, example, is it meant to answer a question, pose a
counter argument, etc.) problem, add to research on a given topic,
• and summarize main ideas, and use the other introduce a new idea, etc.
margin to note your thoughts, questions, and
reactions to the text Authors
• If you are reading from an MS Word file or a PDF, • Who are the authors of the text?
then you can make use of the comment boxes • Is any biographical information given about them?
feature of the software to insert your notes. • What qualifies them to write on this subject?
Outlining • Are the authors "present" in the text through the use
of personal pronouns ("I" or "we") or self-reference, or
• this is presenting the important main details in a are they never referred to?
particular text.
• Usually, the main idea per paragraph or main
section in a text is written first, followed by the
supporting details.
 Audience Topic Outline

• Where does this text appear? - Arranges your ideas hierarchically (showing which
• What can you tell about its anticipated readers? are main and which are sub-points), in the sequence
• What specific details lead you to these conclusions you want, and shows what you will talk about
about the audience? - As the name implies, it identifies all the mini topics
• Do you feel you are part of the intended that your paper will comprise and shows how they
audience of this text? Why or why not? relate.

Topic and Position Sentence Outline

• Is the authors’ opinion clear or is the information - The sentence outline is done in full sentences.
presented as “objective?” - It is normally used when your paper focuses on
• Do the authors include and/or critique other complex details.
viewpoints? Benefits of Writing Sentence Outline
• Are other viewpoints presented as critique of the
author’s viewpoint, so that the authors can refute Clarity. If you can’t write a clear sentence summarizing
them, or simply presented? the paragraph’s point, you certainly cannot write a clear
• How do the authors position this piece? paragraph.

Proof/Evidence Flow of argument. It is much easier to quickly judge

whether the present order of paragraphs (as sentences in
• What type of proof, if any, is used to defend the outline) really makes the argument in the most
conclusions or main ideas in the text (e.g. references effective way.
to other work, interpretations of other work, original
research, personal experience, author’s opinions, Efficiency. Revisions of the plan of the paper is much
critical analysis, etc.)? easier and quicker if you have only to delete or re-order
• Do the authors simply present something as a fact? sentences. Doing this on the completed draft involves
Do they argue for a conclusion’s validity? much more work.
• Do they analyze a piece of information in a certain Writing to length. With a sentence outline you can easily
way? What kind of proof seems to carry the most judge how long the manuscript will be and modify it to
weight? keep the essential material within the prescribed length.
• What proof is the most authoritative in terms of the
audience accepting it without question? Outlining Academic Texts based on Purpose

Summarizing Outlines based on Purpose

Summarizing is giving the gist of a text. Aside from types of outline based on how it is to be
written, there are also what we call outlines based on
Thus, a summary presents the ideas and important purpose: reading outline and working outline.
supporting details.
Reading Outline
More so, summarizing is one of the skills that you must
have in doing your research. - A reading outline is done after reading a text.
- It is outlining a reading text to have better
Module VI: Outlining Academic Text understanding of it.
Outline Working Outline
Outlining is a tool we use in the writing process to help - A working outline, on the other hand, is an outline
organize our ideas, visualize our paper’s potential you use for developing your speech or academic
structure and to further flesh out and develop points. writing.
- It undergoes many changes on its wat to completion.
Based on the previous lesson, there are two types of
This is the outline where you lay out the basic
outline: topic outline and sentence outline.
structure of your speech/paper.