MODULE 2
Contents:
Importance of academic writing.
Characteristics of good academic text
Features of academic writing
Importance of academic writing
As a required core subject in senior high school, it means that the skill of writing is a
necessity to be able to communicate using the appropriate language needed in
formal communication.
Since the goal of academic writing is to communicate, it is very important to apply
the appropriate language, learn the rules and practice the skills of writing for
academic and professional purposes.
It is important because it is a measure of one’s professionalism as it seeks to
simplify complex messages providing common understanding with the target
audience. It is important because it is fundamental in achieving higher education. It
serves as the window of one’s thoughts. It aids in one’s understanding of the
intended message or text.
Characteristics or features of a text (FECOS)
F -formal or informal. A text used for academic and professional
purposes make use of a formal rather than informal language.
E- explicit or implicit. A text used for academic and professional
purposes make use of explicit or observable, clear and precise facts or
objects rather than implicit, unclear, unspecified facts.
C- complex or simple. A text used for academic and professional
purposes is simplified to be able to reach or connect its target audience
or readers.
O- bjective or subjective – A text for academic and professional purposes
uses behavioral objectives that could be seen and touch by the senses.
Text with subjective or unclear purposes could be used in other purposes
rather than for the purpose of producing an academic text.
S- specific or holistic - An academic text could be written using either of
the two approaches, parts to whole approach (specific) or whole to parts
approach (holistic).
Features of academic writing (CFPO)
Complexity - Through written language, complex ideas could be
simplified using a simple language or commonly used idioms that are
understandable to a specific target audience.
Formality - Academic writing uses formal language rather than slang or
informal language.
Precision - In academic writing, facts and figures could be quoted from
exact sources for further reference.
Objectivity - Written language could provide more explicit or objective
purpose of communication.
Characteristics of Good Academic Writing
Good academic writing is transparent: right from the start, the reader should have a
clear understanding of the author's purpose, argument, and structure.
Good academic writing, no matter the discipline, field, or genre, is characterized by:
1. Use Good Ideas.
Your ideas are the most important element of your project, especially as it takes
shape. But before you show your final drafts to other readers, you need to pay
attention to style, grammar, and mechanics. Mechanics include your punctuations,
capitalization and margins
2. Has Clear Sense of Audience, Genre, and Purpose.
Keep in mind the rhetorical purpose and academic standards under which you write:
(a) Who is your audience?
(b) What is your purpose? and;
(c) What is the genre of what you are writing?
Approaching the “So What” Question. Academic Writing is considered successful
when it answers the “So What” question or problem statement, best described by
the following guidelines to be answered in the text:
(a) What is the issue?
(b) What are the specific questions surrounding the issue?
(c) What is the context and background of the issue? and
(d) Why does the issue matter? If the work you produce answers these questions
and tackles the answers by paying attention to both higher- and lower-order
concerns, and adds new information (called the value-add) to make the writing even
more compelling, the paper will be successful.
3. Use appropriate conjunctions for ideas to flow logically using a certain
pattern
Use transitions words, signal phrases, and verbs that tell the reader (the audience)
your stand based on the given evidence from verifiable source/s.
Each paragraph, and your paper as a whole, should follow this format:
(a) Introduce the main idea that will be discussed,
(b) Provide the evidence used to prove your argument, and
(c) Outline the significance of the evidence you have provided.
4. Choose sources judiciously. Choose appropriate authentic sources of
information and decide:
(a) How much information to provide, (b) What kind of information to provide, and
(c) How to sequence the information you provide.
5. Use clear and direct. Use strong verbs, rather than nouns and adverbs. Use
strong verbs, such as “to speed,” rather than “to drive quickly,”
6. Specific and detail-oriented prose. Explain with specific examples and
elaborate if needed.
7. Be consistent in tone and style. Voice and verb tenses used in the text need
be consistent from start to finish. In the Sciences, passive voice is often used (the
chemicals were mixed), whereas in the Humanities, active voice is used (the
assistant mixed the chemicals). Use the appropriate tone and style needed to
communicate.
8. Use compelling strong voice. Write with conviction to the target audience.
9. Be mechanically competent: Cite references and acknowledge the source of
information. Failure to do so could be a case of Plagiarism. Plagiarism is a “no-no” to
academic writing.
Performance/Task to do:
Take your cp camera with you. Go around the different corners of the school, then
take a picture of people that interests you. Ask yourself if you could relate to it.
Then make a narrative applying the guideline #2. Has Clear Sense of Audience,
Genre, and Purpose. Consider the following while writing.
(a) What is the issue?
(b) What are the specific questions surrounding the issue?
(c) What is the context and background of the issue? and
(d) Why does the issue matter to you?
Source:
Hyland, K. (2000). Disciplinary discourses: social interactions in academic writing.
Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited