ACADEMIC TEXTS DEFINITIONS OF ACADEMIC TEXTS

GIVEN BY SPECIFIC PEOPLE:

TEXT
1. HOGUE & OSHIMA (2007)
- anything that conveys set of
meanings to a person who examines - academic writing is the kind of
- anything that you see, interpret, or writing used in high school and
assign meaning to college classes which differ from
creative and personal writing
ACADEMIC TEXT - Difference lies mainly in the usage of
- defined as critical, objective, formal language, in academic writing
specialized texts written by it uses formal language, meanwhile
professionals in a given field using non-academic writing uses informal
formal language language
- based on facts with solid basis FORMAL – avoids casual language, follows a
- generally, quite formal, objective, specific standard, avoiding colloquial
impersonal, and technical language
NON-ACADEMIC TEXT 2. BARROT (2018)
- writing which is personal, emotional, - academic writing is a type of writing
impressionistic, or subjective in produced by students in an academic
nature setting
- informal in tone and may even rely  elementary
more heavily on emotional appeal or  high school
the opinions of the author  college
EXAMPLE: poem, skits, letters, compositions  post-graduate
about vacations  Masteral degree
 Doctoral degree
4 MACRO SKILLS:
IT IS FORMAL AND IMPERSONAL
1. Reading
2. Writing IMPERSONAL – utilizes third person POV,
3. Listening based on facts and not opinionated, does not
4. Speaking have direct reference to person’s feelings

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ACADEMIC TEXT: 3. SAQUETON & UYCHOCO (2016)

1. CRITICAL – needs to be evaluated - Academic writing is a process and it starts

with posing a question, problematizing a
2. OBJECTIVE – does not involve personal concept, evaluating an opinion, and ends in
feelings/opinions answering questions posed
3. SPECIALIZED – or technical, by using PROCESS – it is systematic or procedural
vocabulary specific to a discipline or field ex: (step-by-step)
virus for doctors, virus for ICT
- Conceptualized
4. FORMAL – follows a specific standard, like - Outline
avoiding contractions (don’t= do not) - Organize
- Actual Writing
5. SOLID BASIS – based on facts with
evidence/proof
EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC TEXTS USING PASSIVE VOICE
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
 LITERARY ANALYSIS – examines,
“We administered The questionnaire
evaluates, and makes an argument
the questionnaire” was administered
about a literature work. It requires
USING THIRD PERSON
close-reading of one or multiple texts
FIRST PERSON THIRD PERSON
and often focuses on specific
“I discovered that” Research reveals
characteristics.
“We can see that” that…
 RESEARCH PAPER – uses outside
It is evident that…
information to support a thesis or an
MAKING THINGS RATHER THAN PEOPLE
argument, written in all disciplines
THE SUBJECTS OF THE SENTENCE
and may be evaluative, analytical, or
critical in nature “I show...” The report shows
 DISSERTATION – a document “I interpret the The results indicate
submitted at the conclusion of a Ph.D results as...”
program
 POSITION PAPER ON VARIOUS KIND OF THINKING (ESSAY)
 CONCEPT PAPER
FOUR KINDS OF THINKING
UNDERSTANDING TEXT AND ACADEMIC
TEXTS 1. REVERIE – “ FREE ASSOCIAION OF
IDEA” ALLOWS IDEA TO TAKE THEIR
Academic Non-Academic
OWN COURSE.
Word forms Full form of Contractions
words (do not, (don’t, can’t, 2. RATIONALIZING – The self-
cannot, they they’ve) exculpation which occurs when we
have) feel ourselves, or our
Vocabulary Precise Colloquial, 3. group, accused of misapprehension
vocabulary idiomatic,
journalistic
or error.
expression 4. CREATIVE FACT – A WAY OF
Point of view 3rd person 1st person LOOKING AT PROBLEMS FROM A
Purpose To inform Serves other FRES PERSPECTIVE.
purpose rather 5. DECISION MAKING – PROCESS OF
than to inform
Reference of Based on facts Influenced by
CHOOSING AND IDENTIFYING
evidence personal ALTERNATIVES BASED ON
beliefs and
emotions THE VALUES OR BELIEFS AND PERSPECTIVE
Tone Formal and Casual, OF THE DECISION MAKER.
objective controversial
and subjective JAMES HARVEY ROBINSON AUTHOR

 The main objective of academic ‘On Various Kinds of Thinking’ is an essay

writing is to informed rather than to written by James Harvey Robinson in his
entertain. book ‘The Mind in the Making’
 Academic writing is impersonal,
objective and avoids personal
pronouns.
 Another aspect of writing objectively
is to avoid EMOTIVE LANGUAGE
PARAPHRASING IS A VALUABLE SKILL convinced his father to the price to ten cents
BECAUSE: and to give away cheap umbrellas as a
premium for the merchants. This worked
 it is better than quoting information successfully, confirming to Wrigley that the
from an undistinguished passage. use of premium was an effective sales tool
 it helps you control the temptation
to quote too much.  William Wrigley used premiums as a
 the mental process required for tool to raise sales of the
successful paraphrasing helps you to company's soap products
grasp the fullmeaning of the original.
SUMMARIZING AND PARAPHRASING
TECHNIQUES
HOW TO PARAPHRASE QUOTATIONS
1. Highlight important concepts and re- - must be identical to the original.
read the original passage until you They must match the source
understand its full meaning. document word for word and must
2. Set the original aside, and write your be attributed to the original author.
paraphrase.
3. Jot down a few words below your PARAPHRASE
paraphrase to remind you later how - Paraphrasing involves putting a
you envision using this material. At passage from source material into
the top of the note card, write a key your own words. A paraphrase must
word or phrase to indicate the also be attributed to the original
subject of your paraphrase. source. Paraphrased material is
4. Check your rendition with the usually only a bit shorter than the
original to make sure that your original passage, taking a somewhat
version accurately expresses all the broader segment of the source and
essential information in a new form. condensing it slightly.
DO NOT simply change some words - your own rendition of essential
or the order of information. information and ideas expressed by
Paraphrasing requires synthesis. someone else, presented in a new
form.
- one legitimate way (when
EXAMPLE: accompanied by accurate
documentation) to borrow from a
WRIGLEY’S CHEWING GUM source.
Wrigley’s chewing gum was actually - a more detailed restatement than a
developed as a premium to be given away summary, which focuses concisely on
with other product rather than as a primary a single main idea.
product for sale. As a teenager, William
Wrigley, I was working for his father in
Chicago selling soap that has been
manufactured in his father’s factory.
The soap was not very popular with
merchants because it was priced at 5 cents
and this selling price did not leave a good
profit margin for the merchants. Wrigley
PARAPHRASING IS A VALUABLE SKILL - A comprehensive and usually brief
BECAUSE: abstract, recapitulation, or
compendium of previously stated
 it is better than quoting information facts or statements.
from an undistinguished passage.
 it helps you control the temptation SUMMARIES ARE NOT A PLACE FOR:
to quote too much.
 the mental process required for  Opinions
successful paraphrasing helps you to  Background knowledge
grasp the full  Personal information
- meaning of the original. HOW TO SUMMARIZE:
HOW TO PARAPHRASE: 1. Record the references page information
1. Highlight important concepts and re- (the author, title, year of publication and
read the original passage until you source of the text).
understand its full meaning. 2. Skim the text. Note any sub-headings, or
2. Set the original aside, and write your try to divide the text into sections.
paraphrase.
3. Jot down a few words below your 3. Read the text carefully and highlight. Use a
paraphrase to remind you later how dictionary if necessary, and be prepared to
you envision using this material. At read very difficult texts more than once.
the top of the note card, write a key 4. Pay special attention to the first and last
word or phrase to indicate the paragraphs. Try to identify the main idea or
subject of your paraphrase. argument.
4. Check your rendition with the
original to make sure that your  The main idea is what the text is
version accurately expresses all the about.
essential information in a new form.
5. Identify the topic sentence in each
DO NOT simply change some words
paragraph.
or the order of information.
Paraphrasing requires synthesis. 6. Identify the key support/s for the topic
5. Record the source so that you can sentence.
credit it easily if you decide to
incorporate the material into your  Key points are arguments or
paper. information that are used to support
the main idea.
SUMMARY:  Key points may be developed or
elaborated with supporting details.
- Summarizing involves putting the
  Your summary should only include
main idea(s) into your own words,
main ideas and key points, not
including only the main point(s).
supporting details.
Once again, it is necessary to
 Only major ideas and necessary
attribute summarized ideas to the
information should go into a
original source. Summaries are
summary.
significantly shorter than the original
and take a broad overview of the 7. Write the topic sentence of your summary
source material. or the author’s main idea or argument. Be
- Short account of the central ideas of sure to record the author’s name, the title of
a text. the text, the year of publication and any
other information necessary for your  expand the breadth or depth of your
reference list. writing
 PLAGIARISM
A SUMMARY: - is using others’ ideas and words
 Should be a complete sentence (one without clearly acknowledging the
to three sentences) source of that information.
 Should cover the main point and key TO AVOID PLAGIARISM, YOU MUST GIVE
ideas CREDIT WHENEVER YOU USE:
 Should be in your own words
 Shouldn’t just be a word or two  another person’s idea, opinion, or
theory;
EXAMPLE:  any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings
A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943 —any pieces of information—that
copper penny, it could be worth as much as are not common
fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies  knowledge;
were made out of steel since copper was  quotations of another person’s actual
needed for spoken or written words; or
 paraphrase of another person’s
World War II, so, the 1943 copper penny is spoken or written words.
ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955 double
die penny. These pennies were mistakenly ALREADY A PARAPHRASED MATERIAL
double stamped, so they have overlapping - give credits to the original author and
dates and letters. If it’s uncirculated, it’d the one who paraphrased
easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that’s  In-text citation - the one who
a pretty penny. paraphrased
 This text is about two very rare and  References - the original author
valuable pennies: the 1943 copper  Common Knowledge - universally
penny and the 1955 double die accepted by everyone or true to all
penny.  Scanning - looking for specific details
-  Includes key information.  Skimming - selective reading,
-  Doesn’t include unnecessary possible na walang comprehension
information  Intensive Reading - thorough reading
-  Is a complete sentence. with comprehension
 Key points - are arguments or
WHY SHOULD I USE QUOTING, information that are used to
PARAPHRASING, AND SUMMARIZING? expound
 provide support for claims or add
credibility to your writing
 refer to work that leads up to the
work you are now doing
 give examples of several points of
view on a subject
 highlight a particularly striking
phrase, sentence, or passage by
quoting the original
 distance yourself from the original by
quoting it in order to cue readers
that the words are not your own