FUNDAMENTALS OF ACADEMIC TEXTS THESIS STATEMENT – main idea of the whole essay; has

at least 2 premises; must include gap

A. Characteristics of Academic Texts
1. Formality – precision in language; expand TOPIC SENTENCE – main idea of the paragraph;
modal forms supports thesis statement
2. Objectivity – impersonal presentation of info;
 Unstated topic sentence – supporting
avoid personal pronouns & rhetorical questions
details suggest the main idea
3. Cautious – careful presentation of views; use
modal v., adv., v. EVALUATING SOURCES
 Hedging – barrier
4. Structure – sense of direction; development of A. Non-electronic sources
ideas 1. Relevance
5. Explicit – use of cohesive devices to show o Title
relationship among ideas o Table of contents
 Coherence – 1 topic o Summary/Abstract
o Intro
 Cohesion –
o Headings of the text
6. Analytic – support claims through evidences;
2. Authority
compare & contrast; make
o Is the author’s name identified?
recommendation/action plan
o Is the author’s bg, education, or training
CRITICAL THINKING STRATEGIES related to the topic?
o Is the author a professor in a reputable
A. Why do I read?
university?
- To better understand an existing idea
o What are his/her publications?
- To get ideas that can support a writing
o Is the contact info available?
assignment
3. Accuracy
- To gain more info
o Does the author have a lot of citations?
- To identify gaps
o Is the info biased or prejudiced?
- To connect new ideas to existing
o What is the tone and style of writing?
B. Before reading
4. Location
1. Type – purpose of the reader
o Where is it published? (diff parameters
2. Schema – KWL; check credibility
per location or country)
3. Contextualization – placing a text in its
o Is it a book, an acad. journal or a
historical, biographical, & cultural contexts
reputable news source?
C. While reading
o Does it provide complete publication
1. Purpose – inform, instruct, entertain,
information?
persuade
B. Electronic sources
2. Audience
1. Accuracy – your page must have the list of
3. Tone – manner of writing; reveals and
authors that published the page and
reflects the author’s pov
provides a way of contact
4. POV – position, attitude, belief abt. a topic
2. Authority – list of author’s credentials
5. Gather main idea
(.edu, .gov,. org, .net)
6. Annotate - opinion about the idea/brief
3. Objectivity – with accurate and objective
notes about your thoughts.
presentation of info (w/o bias)
D. Post reading
4. Currency – links should be current or
1. Reflect on what you learned
updated
2. React on some parts of the text
5. Coverage – should be able to view
3. Discuss with others
information properly
4. Link the main idea of the text to KWL
OUTLINING

A. Four main components for outlining

1. Parallelism –observe the same language
structure
2. Coordination – observe level of importance
3. Subordination – observe differences of
importance
4. Division – at least be two to assure that the
supporting points is adequate
B. Types of outline
1. Alphanumeric outline – Roman numeral,
capital letters, Arabic number, small letters
2. Decimal outline (1.0; 1.1, 1.1.1 …)
3. Sentence outline (full sentence)

EXTENDED DEFINITION

A. Intro
- Hook – anecdote question; gen. info,
statement
- BG of information – relevance of the info to
the problem
- Thesis statement – solution
B. Body
- 3 premises
C. Conclusion
- thesis statement; so what?