ENGLISH FOR

ACADEMIC AND
PROFESSIONAL
PURPOSES
 LESSON 1

THE LANGUAGE OF
ACADEMIC
TEXTS
 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
How is the language of academic
texts different?

For what purposes is the academic

language used?
ANALYSIS

1. In what occasions
do we wear formal
and casual 2. How do we act and
clothes? talk in formal
occasions?
3. How about in
casual occasions?
ABSTRACTION
Formal attire is worn on formal occasions
like meetings, work, interviews, seminars,
etc.
Likewise, we also observe reserved and
controlled acts and communication.
ABSTRACTION
We wear casual clothes on normal
occasions like parties, going to the mall,
hanging out with friends, etc.
We act and speak more freely and more
lax.
ABSTRACTION

Just like in communication, we use the

language that is appropriate to the occasion.
The academic language is formal,
standardized, controlled, and is used in
academic related purposes.
EXAMPLE
CASUAL FORMAL
Hey, Wazzup? How are you?
Y’all okay? Are you all right?
We’re cool. We are good.
You serious? Is it true?
 LESSON 1

LITERARY VS.
ACADEMIC ENGLISH
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What are the distinctions

between literary and academic
English?
In what specific situations
are the two being utilized?
ACTIVITY
Tell whether the following features of
language are for formal or casual:
Jargons Experiences
Cognitive Factual
Shifting point of view Objective
Emotions Flourished
Technical 3rd point of view
Affective Subjective
Tell whether the following features
of language are for formal or
casual:
Jargons Experiences
Cognitive Factual
Shifting point of view Objective
Emotions Flourished
Technical 3rd point of view
Affective Subjective
LITERARY ENGLISH

used when writing literature

talks about human experiences
appeals to our emotions
uses flourished, casual, and creative
language
may include opinion, experience, and
imagination
ACADEMIC ENGLISH

used when writing academic texts

topics surrounding academic subjects
appeals to our cognitive (thinking)
uses strict and formal language
limited to factual information and
bodies of knowledge
EXAMPLE
Literary Academic:

Harry Potter is the best Harry Potter is a best-

series of all time. I love selling series written by
J.K. Rowling! the author, J.K. Rowling.

I feel concerned about 12 years is how long it

overpopulation. It's took the world
increasing very rapidly. population to increase
by one billion.
 LESSON 2

STRUCTURE OF
ACADEMIC TEXTS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
How are academic texts
formed/written?

What are the different parts of each

structure of academic texts?
ACTIVITY
Identify the correct vocabulary words based on the
definitions given below. The first letter of each answer is
provided.
A gap that allows an entry to something:
OPENING
The physical structure of a person or animal:
BODY
Bringing something to an end:
CLOSING
The act of making something known:
INTRODUCTION
ACTIVITY
Talking about something: DISCUSSION
The act of doing something again: REPEAT
Something of great significance or value: IMPORTANT
The individual features of something: DETAILS
Lacking significance or value: UNIMPORTANT
 ANALYSIS
What is the relevance of
these vocabulary words to
academic writing?

What can you

observe about
the arrangement
of these words?
 OPENING Intro. of topic, what the text is about

BODY Discussion, information, facts, examples

CLOSING Conclusion, summary, judgment

INTRODUCTION Intro. of topic, claim

DISCUSSION Evidences, supporting details, facts

REPEAT Intro. of topic, what the text is about

IMPORTANT WH Questions

DETAILS Supporting details

UNIMPORTANT Additional information

EXAMPLE
IBC STRUCTURE
Essays, Articles, Reviews

BURGER STRUCTURE
Essays, Researches, Reports, Position papers

INVERTED PYRAMID STRUCTURE

News articles, memos, announcements
EXAMPLE
The Three-Part Essay Structure (IBC STRUCTURE)
Essays, Articles, Reviews
INTRODUCTION
Topic Statement
Overview of the text

BODY
Supporting details
Facts / information

CONCLUSION
Summary of the text
Closing words
EXAMPLE
THE BURGER
Upper Bun
Introduction
Patty
Supporting details
Lower Bun
Reiteration of the introduction
EXAMPLE
THE INVERTED PYRAMID

Important
Information / Gist
Supporting
Details
Least important
information
 LESSON 3

Specific Ideas
Contained in Various
Academic Text
STRUCTURE

serves as the framework for both the writers and

the readers.
to organize ideas in a logical manner as well as
the
inclusion of other features such as graphs,
tables, charts, etc.
guides the writer as to what direction the ideas
should comply to and how will they be put
together
Coherence is also necessary in order for the readers to
have a full grasp of the text’s content.
IDEA DEVELOPMENT

well-written academic text revolves around one central idea

which is supported with details
that are logically arranged until it develops into an objective
conclusion.
Presenting information can be done logically, chronologically,
or spatially.
Employing one of the arrangements and itemizing
information in an appropriate manner will help its readers
understand the text easily.
ANALYTIC APPROACH

analysis of available facts should not be limited to one side;

instead, all aspects should be studied and evaluated.
comparing and contrasting opposing sides can also be an
effective strategy
forwarding conclusions should be backed up with evidences
and academic proofs.
USES OF SOURCES

all forms of academic texts are primarily based on other

academic outputs such as researches, books, theories, etc.
all things taken from these sources fall under the intellectual
property of other people, thus, an appropriate recognition is
due.
your work will just be a duplication of others’ work and may be
a subject for legal liabilities.
EXPLICITNESS

clarity of ideas is one of the most important features of

writing academic texts.

contexts should be free from more than one interpretations,

thus, your work must be explicit.
EXPLICITNESS
To make your writing explicit, here are some guidelines:
Explain what you intend to achieve/demonstrate/argue.
Define key concepts. If you find different definitions for the
same term in the literature, explain which one you will adopt or
what the word means to you.
Make sure that links between ideas are clear. Use linking words
and phrases if necessary.
Ensure that every claim is supported by evidence.
Take a position in relation to the issues being discussed. In other
words, make sure that your viewpoint is clear to the reader.
LANGUAGE
language distinguishes academic texts from other types of
writing
formality should be observed at all times.
Formality refers to the appropriate choice of words, correct
use of punctuation marks, being structured, and the
compliance to grammar rules.
Jargons are to be avoided, especially if the intended readers
have no prior knowledge on the topic you are writing.

Moreover, the language of academic texts must always express an objective

tone. The writer should not manifest his/her opinions and biases into writing.
 LESSON 4

Deriving Information
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How are information derived

from a text read or listened
to?

What are the things needed to be

obtained from a text read or listened
to?
DERIVING INFORMATION

the process of obtaining significant and essential information

from a lengthy source read or listened to.

Necessary skills
1. Be Curious
2. Listen with your eyes
3. Listen for the whole message
EFFECTIVE NOTE-MAKING

writing important information that you have gathered from an

oral speech may be very challenging, specifically if a speaker
does not provide opportunities for the listeners to jot down
notes.
FROM TEXT TO OUTLINE

the student dejects and highlights the key ideas from the
academic text.

written work begins with a title, and students must be quite

clear what question the title is asking before starting to plan
the note-making process.
EVALUATING TEXT

reading around the subject of the text.

it is still vital to be able to assess the usefulness of related

journal articles and books.
time spent learning these skills will be repaid by avoiding
the use of unreliable or irrelevant materials.
UNDERSTANDING PURPOSE
AND REGISTER
the reader needs to find out the writer’s intentions.

is the writer aiming to inform, persuade, describe, or

entertain? In addition, the reader should be clear about
the type of English the writer is using
SELECTING KEY CONCEPTS

make notes on the sections of the texts that relate to

your topic
NOTE-MAKING

Effective note-making is a key writing skill, with a number

of practical uses
good note-making techniques lead to accurate essay.
clarity and organization are important to save time and
errors at the writing stage.
 LESSON 5

The Thesis Statement

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What is a thesis statement

and what is its relevance in
writing academic texts?

How can one effectively construct a

thesis statement?
THE THESIS STATEMENT

is a brief but concise statement that sets the overall

claim of an academic text and guides the direction of
its writing.
GUIDELINES OF THESIS
STATEMENT
One to two sentences
Serves as the text's topic sentence
Summarizes what the topic of the text is all about
Answers the essential WH questions
Normally found written at the beginning/introduction
part of an academic text
Expresses the objective claim of the author.
 LESSON 6

Rephrasing and
Summarizing Academic
Texts
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How were you able to retell

the story?

What is the similarities and

differences between the two
tasks?
PARAPHRASING

changing the wording of a text so that it is significantly

different from the original source without changing the
meaning.
PARAPHRASING
TECHNIQUES FOR PARAPHRASING

a. Changing vocabulary by using synonyms

e.g. argues>claims / eighteen century > 1700s
NOTE: Do not attempt to paraphrase every word ( some have no synonym ( demand,
economy, energy)
b. Changing word class
e.g. explanation (n.) > explain (v.)

c. Changing the word order

TECHNIQUES FOR PARAPHRASING

a. Changing vocabulary by using synonyms

Original:
I failed the first quarter of a class in middle school, so I
made a fake report card. I did this every quarter that year.

Rephrased:
I didn’t pass the first quarter of a class in middle school,
so I came up with a forged report card. I did this each
quarter that year.
TECHNIQUES FOR PARAPHRASING

b. Changing Word class

Original:
I failed the first quarter of a class in middle school, so I
made a fake report card. I did this every quarter that year.

Rephrased:
I have failed the first quarter of a class in middle school, so
I make a fake report card. I do this every quarter that year.
TECHNIQUES FOR PARAPHRASING

c. Changing the word order

Original:
I failed the first quarter of a class in middle school, so I made a fake
report card. I did this every quarter that year.

Rephrased:
I made a fake report card. I did this every quarter that year. This is
because I failed the first quarter of a class in middle school.
TECHNIQUES FOR PARAPHRASING

c. Changing point of view

Original:
I failed the first quarter of a class in middle school, so I made a fake
report card. I did this every quarter that year.

Rephrased:
He failed the first quarter of a class in middle school, so he made a
fake report card. He did this every quarter that year.
SUMMARIZING

summarizing allows the writer to condense lengthy

sources into a concise, more shorter form.
STAGES OF SUMMARIZING

Read the original text carefully and check any new or difficult
vocabulary.
Mark the key points by underlining or highlighting.
Make notes of the key points, paraphrasing where possible.
Write the summary from your notes, re-organizing the
structure if needed.
Check the summary to ensure it is accurate and nothing
important has been changed or lost
SUMMARIZING
PARAPHRASING/SUMMARIZING
TECHNIQUES:
alter some of the words by using their synonyms
some phrases may be modified by changing the word
classes used
order of words may also be rearranged
alteration of the text’s point of view is also necessary
when quoting from another source
 LESSON 7

Writing Abstracts
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What function does an abstract

serve in academic texts?

How are abstracts

constructed/written?
ABSTRACT
an executive summary of a research work/academic
text
found/located at the beginning of the research
PARTS:
All the essential parts of the whole text

BACKGROUND METHODS
FINDINGS
ABSTRACT
THANK YOU