COMMUNICATION FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES

LESSON 1: WRITING ACADEMIC PAPER

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

a. understand the purposes, features and types of academic paper

b. Write and present academic papers using appropriate tone, style and conventions.

LET’S WARM UP

Think and Answer…

IDENTIFY WHICH TYPE OF WRITING IS BEING DESCRIBED.

______________ 1. A story about the time you got lost at Disneyland

______________ 2. A web page telling how to create a web page
______________ 3. The Harry Potter books
______________ 4. Writing in which you record details of a trip taken
______________ 5. An essay discussing a theme from Romeo and Juliet
______________ 6. A poem about the sights and sounds of rainfall
______________ 7. A Study about students’ performance in Licensure Examination

LET’S BEGIN…

ACADEMIC WRITING

Academic writing is clear, concise, focused and backed up by evidence. Its purpose
is to aid the reader’s understanding.

It is formal by avoiding casual or conversational language, such as contractions or

informal vocabulary.

It is impersonal and objective by avoiding direct reference to people or feelings, and

instead emphasizing objects, facts and ideas. It is technical by using vocabulary specific to
the discipline.

This is a writing style that scholars and researchers use to define the intellectual
boundaries of their respective disciplines or their areas of expertise (Hartley, 2008).

Accordingly its general purpose is to aid the understanding of its readers. More
particularly, it has three purposes (Whitaker, 2009):
1. To persuade. You want to convince your reader to agree with your perspective so you
use reason and evidence to influence their stance about an issue or topic.

2. To analyse. You aim to explain and evaluate possible points about an issue or topic
based on criteria. Academic papers having this purpose usually investigate, examine,
evaluate, assess, establish relationships and synthesize.

3. To inform. You want to explain and give readers new points about an issue or topic.

Features of Academic Writing (Gillett, 2018)

Here are the defining characteristics of academic writing that makes it different
from the other types of writing you might have done in the past:

1. Complexity

The complexity of academic papers lies in the grammar not in the vocabulary.
Compare the following examples:

Non-academic Writing Academic Writing

You can control the trains this way and if
you do that you can be quite sure that
they’ll be able to run more safely and more
quickly than they would otherwise, no
matter how bad the weather gets.
The use of this method of control
unquestionably leads to safer and faster
train running in the most adverse weather
conditions.

2. Formality
Academic writing is formal because colloquial words and expressions (stuff, sort
of) as well as contractions (can’t, doesn’t) are avoided. Knowing the level of formality
needed in your paper is crucial that is why you should also know who your readers are
and your purpose for writing. The following table shows the three levels of formality:

Informal/ Non-standard versus Formal/Standard Usages

Informal/Non-Standard Usages More Formal/Precise Equivalents

Alright,alot,result to, discuss about, cope up All right, a lot, result in, discuss, cope with
with (non-standard, informal, or unique to (acceptable usages in Standard written
certain varieties of English) English)
Good-as in a “good” book (imprecise) Entertaining, insightful, interesting,
instructive (precise)
 Can’t, won’t I’ll, she’s, didn’t Cannot, will not, I will, she is, did not
(conversational, speech-based (spelled out as two words)
contractions)
gonna, gotta (conversational/speech-based going to, have to (spelled out)
shortcuts)
Anyways, boring as hell, bored to death, Anyway, boring or uninteresting,
major downer (conversational/informal) extremely bored, depressing (more
formal/precise/uncluttered)
I got here late; she got out of the office; he I arrived here late; she left the office; he
got a call; they got gas (overused, imprecise received a call; they loaded gas or they
verb) refuelled (more specific alternatives)
ASAP, BTW,SOP (acronyms that may not As soon as possible, by the way, standard
be universally known) operating procedure (spelled out)
UP, BTW, SOP (acronyms that may not be University of the Philippines, Ateneo de
universally known) Manila Iniversity, De La Salle University
(spelled out the first time they are used,
but later may be substituted with
acronyms)
hit the sack, loo, and comfort room Sleep, toilet or bathroom, and toilet or
(expressions from American English, British bathroom (more widely understood
English, and Philippine English) usages)
Lol, afk, nrn, #feels (informal Internet or text Laugh out loud, away from keyboard, no
messaging language) reply necessary, a wave of emotions
(spelled out or explained)

1. Precision

In academic writing, you have to make use of particular information, dates and figures. For
an instance, instead of saying “there are a lot of participants” say “there are 100 participants”
instead.

2. Objectivity
Academic writing is not personal. This is because the emphasis should be on the
information and not on the writer. To ensure objectivity, strong support such as facts,
examples and expert opinions can be used.

3. Explicitness
The text of an academic paper is explicit in establishing the relationships in its contents. It
is not just all facts and summaries. Explicitness can be achieved by using transitional
devices.

4. Accuracy
Since academic writing is written by scholars for other scholars, the information therein
should be truthful and exact. Accuracy is seen not only in the information or data given but
also in the use of words. For an instance, while they may have similarities, the terms
“gathering”, “conference” and “meeting” refer to different things.

5. Organization
Academic writing is well-organized because the content flows easily from one part to
another. There is a standard organizational pattern for each kind but basically there is an
introduction, a body and a conclusion.

6. Planning
Academic writing is well-planned. The writer has a specific purpose in writing which has
been established after research and evaluation. For this, many research sources should be
used to support ideas that are integrated in the paper.

Things to be avoided in academic writing

1. Addressing readers especially by using second person pronouns.

2. Contractions
3. Questions (unless in the statement of the problem of a research paper)
4. Exclamations
5. Run on expressions
6. Coordinating conjunctions at the beginning of sentences
7. Passive voice (unless the agent of the action is unimportant)

Listed below are the basic types of academic paper.

ESSAY

BOOK
JOURNAL
REVIEW

RESEARCH
SYNTHESIS
PAPER

REACTION LITERATURE
PAPER REVIEW
MOST COMMON EXAMPLES OF ACADEMIC WRITING

1. PERSONAL REFLECTIVE ESSAY: The personal reflective essay presents your insights
on a particular aspect of life as you have observed and experienced. It can include vivid
description of what you have witnessed and gone through.

Fig. 1 Gibb’s Reflective Cycle

 PARTS OF REFLECTIVE ESSAY

•shortest; usually only one paragraph that establishes the frame of

your personal reflection in a clear and concise manner.
Introduction
•often achieved using reflective statements
•pointed sentences that describe the key ideas

•where you can be more creative with your space and structure
•it is where descriptive langauge must used to differentiate
Body
between simply retelling of key events ans a rich narrative that
exhibits true personal reflection.

•typically another single paragraph where restating the reflective

statements in the introduction must be avoided.
•it is where you can remind your reader of the links between your
Conclusion
experiences and the impacts of these experiences have had on on
your development in the areas targerted, whether you are focusing
on growth academically, professionally or otherwise.

STEPS IN WRITING

1. Prewriting – in this stage, you plan what you are going to write. You choose your topic,
identify your audience and purpose, brainstorm ideas, and organize your information.

2. Drafting – in this stage, you start with a working thesis and then write your ideas in
sentences and paragraphs. You follow your prewriting plan to create a first draft of your
essay.

3. Revising – This stage involves making changes that will improve your writing. You focus
on large-scale elements of the essay, such as, overall organization or logical flow of support,
effective thesis statement, interesting introduction and concluding paragraphs, well-
developed body paragraphs with clear topic sentences, appropriate tone and style for
intended audience and purpose, etc.

4. Editing and Proofreading – this is the stage of your essay where you polish your essay.
You focus on smaller-scale yet important essay elements, such as, clarity in sentence
structure, appropriate word choice, correct spelling and grammar, and accurate document
format.

5. Publishing – in this final stage, you choose a way to present your work to an audience
(often this is indicated by your instructor).
 As already stated, these steps do NOT need to be completed in this exact order;
frequently, in the writing process, you go back and forth between the different stages. A true
visual representation of this process may be more circular than linear. It may look something
like this example:

TIPS IN WRITING

1. Consider your purpose and your context

2. Consider your audience and your mode and medium in choosing the level of
language you will use.
3. Consider your purpose, your audience, your stance and your tone.
Author: (Anonymous)

As an English major I have learned to appreciate the peaceful, yet exhilarating

moment when my mind engages with an author's thoughts on a page. As Toni Morrison says
in The Dancing Mind, "[reading is] to experience one's own mind dancing with another's."
In my early days as a college student, I wanted to know the "true" meaning of a work or
what the author intended, however, I have now realized this would void literature of its most
noteworthy complexities. Individual interpretations bring varied insights to a work and it is
also interesting to point out messages the author may not have realized s/he included in the
piece.

I have always been a thinker, but throughout my coursework, I have greatly

sharpened my critical analysis skills. Instead of focusing on proposed meanings or
biographical background, I have learned to continuously ask "why" on many different levels.
I challenge myself to dig into a text as deeply as possible and unpack every detail to develop
a satisfying close read. Also, by reading multiple novels by the same author I have learned
to identify different writing styles and make connections that weave texts together; this
helped me develop a deeper understanding of the novels. When I look at one of my freshman
level novels and see clean pages, I realize that I did not actively read the book. I guess you
could say that I have learned to read with a pen, which has drastically taken my writing to
a new level because I am able to connect back with my initial insights marked on the page.

Writing had always been one of my strengths, but it was challenging to take that
initial step past the high school, five-paragraph essay form that constricted my ideas for so
long. Moving past this form, however, has greatly opened my mind. My thoughts are now
able to be more complex because I have learned how to sustain a logical argument in an
organized manner. My writing has become increasingly more concise and I no longer have
room for added "fluff" or "padding." Another improvement is my ability to point out multiple
complexities within a text, instead of sticking to one-sided arguments in my papers.
Furthermore, learning how to find peer reviewed journal articles and order books through
interlibrary loan has significantly widened the scope of my research, which has led to more
scholarly papers with credible references. My writing is so much more interesting than it
used to be.

It is difficult to identify gaps in my knowledge as an English major, only because I

feel like I have learned so much. I feel that I have largely expanded my literary analysis and
writing skills, but I need to be prepared to teach high school students their required
literature. I think it would be useful to identify commonly taught novels in our local high
schools and study them myself. By studying the required literature and thinking about how
to teach it, I will have a sturdy foundation to work from once I am in the classroom.
1. INFORMATIVE ESSAY: It is written to provide information on topics that are not known
to a vast majority of readers. You are expected to do some research since you need to
give facts and evidence on your chosen topic. Your end goal is to make sure your
reader will understand your topic better. Your readers will expect up-to-date
information, as well as explanations of complex terms.

It provides
concrete and
purposeful
information.

It may explains It uses

a process, different
analyse causes rhetorical
and effects. patterns.
features of
Informative
Essay

define unique
terminologies, It defines
or compare and complex terms
contrast certain and ideas.
subjects.

Some examples of informative Some possible titles for inspiration:

essay topics:

World poverty How to Donate Blood

History of women's right to vote A Brief History of Ireland

Dream interpretation Understanding the Link Between

Recycling How to Buy a House

Air pollution The Health Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

Procrastination and its effects The Importance of Regular Daily Exercise

How to open a bank account Top Three Causes of Global Warming

Study the given example below:

"How to Travel Solo Successfully"

James Baldwin said it best. "I met a lot of people in Europe. I even encountered myself"
(Baldwin, 2014). Solo travel will not only reveal colorful new heights, it will also introduce you to
yourself - your resiliency, your sense of adventure, your independence. Learning how to travel
solo is as intrinsic as tying your shoes, and it is something that can be learned today.

The first, most obvious, way to travel solo successfully is to research your area. The
number one indicator of a tourist is someone stopped in the middle of the sidewalk scanning the
GPS on their phone. According to World Travel News Report, four in fifteen tourists will be
pickpocketed if they stand still on a busy street (Parker, 2019). Arrive well-informed on the area.
Understand the public transportation system to the point where you can blend in as a local.

Also in line with safety, you may want to splurge on accommodations. You can stay alone
in a hostel, but read the reviews carefully. Make sure it is in a safe area and security is a priority
for them. You might even want to consider a private room, some of which include a private bath.

In terms of fun, pack for your lack of companionship. Bring a blank journal to record your
adventures. Pack a paperback to enjoy while you wait out a rainstorm in a coffee shop. World
traveler Samantha Byrnes says, "I never travel with friends. When I'm exploring a new continent,
my journal is my only sidekick" (Byrnes, 2018).

This allows her to absorb her new surroundings, make new acquaintances, and focus on
the act of encountering herself. Byrnes continues, "We lost sight of ourselves in the day-to-day.
We focus on work, family, to-do lists, chores. Solo travel allows us to return to ourselves so that,
when we resume our day-to-day activities, we can give our all" (Byrnes, 2018).

Learning how to travel solo successfully is an achievable feat. You can stay safe if you
remain knowledgeable on the area and choose your accommodations wisely. Beyond that, you
can experience true transformation through the simple act of carrying a tattered old journal. What
do you say? Will you explore solo travel? Choose wisely, for it just might change your life forever.