St. Rose Catholic School, Inc.

PANIQUI, TARLAC

Academic Text Academic Language

✓ is a reading material that provides ✓ refers to the oral, written, auditory, and
information which include concepts and visual language proficiency required to
theories that are related to the specific learn effectively in schools and
discipline. academic programs.
✓ Research Paper, Conference Paper, ✓ It is also the language used in
Feasibility Study, Thesis/Dissertation, classroom lessons, books, tests, and
Reviews, Essay, Academic Journals, assignments.
and Reports. ✓ It is the language that students are
expected to learn and achieve fluency
Nature and Characteristics of an in
Academic Text
Academic Language vs. Social
1. The structure is formal and logical.
Language
2. The arguments of others are fairly
presented and with an appropriate SOCIAL LANGUAGE ACADEMIC
narrative tone. LANGUAGE
3. The language used is clear. repetition of words variety of words, more
4. Proper citation is used to give credit and sophisticated
vocabulary
acknowledgement to the source.
sentences start with sentences start with
5. An academic text addresses complex “and” and “but” transition words, such
issues that require higher-order as “however,”
thinking skills to comprehend. “moreover,” and “in
6. Arguments are evidence-based. addition”
7. Academic Texts are Thesis- Driven. use of slang: “guy,” No slang
“cool,” and “awesome”
Characte- Academic Non-Academic
ristics Text
Audience Academia Mass Public Characteristics of Academic
Purpose Inform the Inform, Language
readers entertain,
with solid persuade the Formal
evidence readers It should not be conversational and casual.
Style Formal and Personal, Avoid colloquial and idiomatic expressions,
impersonal impressionistic, slang, and contractions.
emotional or Example:
subjective This music is much more my cup of tea than
Structure Standard No rigid this new stuff.
structure structure Better:
Language Formal Informal and This music is preferred by many.
language casual language
avoids
Impersonal
colloquialis
ms Do not refer to yourself as the performer of
Subject Shared Personal life and actions. Do not use personal pronouns.
/Content historical everyday events
events or
literature or
other forms of
knowledge
 Example: Academic Structure
Many of my friends and colleagues say that - includes the established ways of
Sagada is a promising place. organizing writing (which can affect
Better: how one reads) in a discipline.
It is commonly said that Sagada is a great Academic Vocabulary
place. - used in all academic disciplines to
teach about the content of the
Precise discipline, e.g., a water table is different
The facts are presented accurately. The from a periodic elements table
choice of words are appropriate.
Example: In determining the language used in
The examination results are okay. academic text from various discipline, be
Better: reminded of the following:
85% of the class, passed the examination.
✓ Identify the text and then analyze the
Objective: genre, academic structure and
It is unbiased, based on facts and is not academic vocabulary.
influenced by personal feelings. ✓ Identify and analyze the explicit
Example: instruction/deconstruction concerning
“I do not like the essay”. the text; consider multiple models if
Better: necessary.
“The essay on mental health is distressing ✓ Use explicit, scaffolded instruction
✓ Bring academic language to the
Summarize: surface:
- An academic text should clearly state STRUCTURE OF ACADEMIC LANGUAGE
its thesis, argument or proposition.
- It is acceptable to include one’s Structure 1
judgment but should be supported by (I-B-C)
evidence. Introduction - background of what the topic
- Both academic and non-academic is
texts can be used to inform. - sets and prepares the mind of the
- Language used in academic texts readers of what the topic is all about.
employ technical terms specific for Body - discusses the topic elaborately.
each field and/or discipline. - contains the major points to explain the
- Academic language should be topic
objective, precise, impersonal and - expected to be the longest part of the
formal essay.
- Students who master academic Conclusion - closes the essay
language are more likely to be - closing statements
successful in academic and - summarizing the whole points on the
professional settings. essay.
Structure 2
(IMRAD)
Introduction – What is the problem?
- Why do you want to study the problem?
ACADEMIC TEXT FROM VARIOUS - What did other researchers find about
DISCIPLINES the problem?
Methods - How did you gather data?
Academic Language - What instrument did you use?
- represents the language demands of Results and; - What are your findings?
school (academics). - What have you collected?
Discussions - What is the meaning of the - Preview the text to get an overview of
results? its structure, looking at headings,
- What future action/s do you figures, tables, glossary, etc.
recommend? - Predict the contents of the text and
pose questions about it.
- Note any discussion questions that
have been provided.
During Reading - Annotate and mark
(sparingly) sections of the text to easily
recall important or interesting ideas
- Check your predictions and find
answers to posed questions
- Use headings and transition words to
identify relationships in the text
- Create a vocabulary list of other
unfamiliar words to define later
- Try to infer unfamiliar words’ meanings
by identifying their relationship to the
main idea
- Connect the text to what you already
know about the topic
- Take breaks (split the text into
segments if necessary)
After Reading - Summarize the text in
your own words

ACADEMIC READING STRATEGIES - Talk to someone about the author’s

ideas to check your comprehension
Strategies differ from reader to reader. The - Identify and reread difficult parts of the
same reader may use different strategies for text
different contexts. - Define words on your vocabulary list
Reading Purposes and practice using them

1. To locate a main idea; Why do we use reading strategies?

2. To scan for information; • Strategies create a plan of attack.
3. To identify gaps in existing studies; Then you can solve any reading
4. To connect new ideas to existing problems yourself.
ones;
• Strategies help you learn HOW to
5. To gain more pieces of information; understand. If you know HOW to
6. To support a particular writing understand, then you are more likely
assignment; and, TO understand.
7. To deeply understand an existing
• Strategies help you realize HOW
idea.
you are thinking so that you can
Strategies in Reading Academic Text
think more deeply and more
Before Reading - Establish your purpose for
consciously.
reading
- Speculate about the author’s purpose Summarizing and Paraphrasing
for writing
- Review what you already know and Summarization - is a short restatement of the
want to learn about the topic main idea of the text. The output is called a
Summary.
 - It is the shortened version, ideally, only TIPS
one-third of the original text.
➢ Repeatedly read the passage to be
- It contains the main points and
paraphrased until you have completely
important details of the text and should
understood what it says.
be written in your own words.
➢ Do not look at the passage while you
TIPS are writing your paraphrase.
➢ After writing your paraphrase, read the
➢ Read the original text not just once but
original passage once again to check if
several times. Make sure to
you were able to accurately capture its
comprehend it well.
meaning.
➢ Identify the text structure.
➢ Check whether your paraphrase has
➢ Take note or highlight the important
errors in grammar or mechanics.
details in the text.
➢ After getting the main idea and EXAMPLE:
important details, write your preliminary
Original: Giraffes like Acacia leaves and
summary.
hay and they can consume 75 pounds of
➢ Make sure to use your own words.
food a day.
➢ Check if your work does not go stray
from the original text. Paraphrase: A giraffe can eat up to 75
➢ Read it again and make necessary pounds of Acacia leaves and hay everyday.
revision or editing.
Original: A group of US researchers has
TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING carried out trials on a new vaccine.
1. Use of Graphic Organizers Paraphrase: A team of American scientists
has conducted tests on a new vaccine.
Original: Usually, female kangaroos give
birth to one joey at a time. Newborns weigh
as little as 0.03 ounces at birth. After birth,
the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch,
where it will nurse and continue to grow
and develop. Red Kangaroo joeys do not
leave the pouch for good until they are
2. Outline (traditional or modern) more than eight months old.
Paraphrase: After a female kangaroo gives
birth to a joey, the newborn crawls into its
mother’s pouch where it feeds and grows
until its eight months old.
TECHNIQUES IN PARAPHRASING
1. Change word form or part of speech.
2. Use synonyms of “relationship words”
such as contrast, cause, or effect, and
substitute a word or phrase that
conveys a similar meaning
3. Use synonyms of phrases and words.
4. Change passive voice to active and
move phrases and modifiers
5. Do not change concept words, special
Paraphrasing - Paraphrasing is restating text terms, or proper names.
giving the meaning in another form.