Nature of Academic Text PDF

UNIT I
Nature of Academic
Text
What is an Academic Text?
. . . the process of breaking down ideas and using deductive
reasoning, formal voice and third person point-of-view. It is
about what you think and what evidence has contributed to
that thinking.
https//sydney.edu.au/students/academicwriting
For us to be able to fully understand what the nature
academic text is, let us look into academic writing.
A. Considerations
A. Considerations in
in Writing
Writing
Aside from understanding what an academic text is, it is also
important to keep in mind the considerations in writing.
There are four considerations in writing.
topic
purpose
role
audience
A. Considerations in Writing
TOPIC PURPOSE
What is the text about? Why am I writing in the
What are the details I am first place? This is the
imparting to my readers? question that should be
These are the questions answered when we talk
that should be answered about the topic. The
when we talk about topic. purpose demonstates
Before writing, you should ones knowledge and
first know what are you expertise.
going to write about.
ROLE AUDIENCE
Who am I as a writer? This Who is reading? When
is another thing that one writing, you should always
should consider when keep in mind who is going
writing. Being able to to read your text. In this
consider your role would way, you would be able to
also help you in gathering create a content that is
ideas for what you are tilored fit to your readers.
goiing to write about. Keep in mind that your
audience will also
determine the language
of your text.
b. aspects of academic and
professional writing
FORMALITY
Formal writing requires considerable effort to construct meaningful sentences,
paragraphs, and arguments that make the text easy to comprehend. In general this
means that conversational English should be avoided and facts and figures should
be presented in a clear manner.
In general this means in an essay that you should avoid:
a. colloquial words and expressions; ""stuff", "a lot of", "thing", "sort of";
b. abbreviated forms: "can't", "doesn't", "shouldn't";
c. two word verbs: "put off", "bring up";
d. sub-headings, numbering and bullet-points in formal essays - but use
them in reports.
OBJECTIVITY
Writing must be impersonal and maintain a certain level of social distance. This means
that the main emphasis should be on the information that you want to give and the
arguments you want to make, rather than you. This is related to the basic nature of
academic study and academic writing, in particular. Nobody really wants to know
what you "think" or "believe". They want to know what you have studied and learned
and how this has led you to your various conclusions.
In general this means in an essay that you should avoid:
a. using personal pronouns;
b. emotive language;
c. rhetorical questions.
source: www.uefap.com
EXPLICITNESS
Academic writing is explicit about the relationships in the text. Furthermore, it is the
responsibility of the writer in English to make it clear to the reader how the various
parts of the text are related. These connections can be made explicit by the use of
different signalling words.
Academic writing is explicit in several ways.
a. It is explicit in its signposting of the organisation of the ideas in the text
(Biber, Johansson, Leech, Conrad & Finegan, 1999, pp. 880-882).
For example, if you want to tell your reader that your line of argument is
going to change, make it clear.
The Bristol 167 was to be Britain's great new advance on American types
such as the Lockheed Constellation and Douglas DC-6, which did not have
the range to fly the Atlantic non-stop. It was also to be the largest aircraft
ever built in Britain. However, even by the end of the war, the design had
run into serious difficulties.
b. It is explicit in its acknowledgment of the sources of the ideas in the
text.If you know the source of the ideas you are presenting, acknowledge it.
McGreil (1977: 363-408) has shown that though Dubliners find the English
more acceptable than the Northern Irish, Dubliners still seek a solution to the
Northern problem within an all-Ireland state.
CAUTION
It is often believed that academic writing, particularly scientific writing, is factual,
simply to convey facts and information. However it is now recognised that an
important feature of academic writing is the concept of cautious language, often
called "hedging" or "vague language". In other words, it is necessary to make
decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims
you are making.
Compare the following:
Don't do this: It may be said that the commitment to some of the social and
economic concepts was less strong than it is now.
Do this: The commitment to some of the social and economic concepts was
less strong than it is now.
Don't do this: The lives they chose may seem overly ascetic and self-denying
to most women today.
Do this: The lives they chose seem overly ascetic and self-denying to most
women today.
STRUCTURE
Structure is an important feature of academic writing. A well-structured text
enables the reader to follow the argument and navigate the text. In academic
writing a clear structure and a logical flow are imperative to a cohesive text.

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UNIT I

reasoning, formal voice and third person point-of-view. It is

about what you think and what evidence has contributed to

For us to be able to fully understand what the nature

academic text is, let us look into academic writing.

important to keep in mind the considerations in writing.

There are four considerations in writing.

What are the details I am first place? This is the

imparting to my readers? question that should be

These are the questions answered when we talk

that should be answered about the topic. The

when we talk about topic. purpose demonstates

Before writing, you should ones knowledge and

first know what are you expertise.

going to write about.

is another thing that one writing, you should always

should consider when keep in mind who is going

writing. Being able to to read your text. In this

consider your role would way, you would be able to

also help you in gathering create a content that is

ideas for what you are tilored fit to your readers.

goiing to write about. Keep in mind that your

audience will also

determine the language

be presented in a clear manner.

In general this means in an essay that you should avoid:

b. abbreviated forms: "can't", "doesn't", "shouldn't";

c. two word verbs: "put off", "bring up";

d. sub-headings, numbering and bullet-points in formal essays - but use

and how this has led you to your various conclusions.

In general this means in an essay that you should avoid:

a. using personal pronouns;

different signalling words.

Academic writing is explicit in several ways.

a. It is explicit in its signposting of the organisation of the ideas in the text

(Biber, Johansson, Leech, Conrad & Finegan, 1999, pp. 880-882).

going to change, make it clear.

run into serious difficulties.

b. It is explicit in its acknowledgment of the sources of the ideas in the

Northern problem within an all-Ireland state.

simply to convey facts and information. However it is now recognised that an

important feature of academic writing is the concept of cautious language, often

called "hedging" or "vague language". In other words, it is necessary to make

you are making.

Compare the following:

economic concepts was less strong than it is now.

less strong than it is now.

to most women today.

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