R & W Reviewer  Proposals  Examines the facts, figures and

2. Yellow Hat information

Critical Reading as Looking for Ways of Thinking  What are the good points?  Note all information, formal and
 What are the benefits? informal
 different perspectives/sides of life  Why will these idea work? 5. Red Hat
 don’t take things as they are  Why is this worth doing?  How do I feel about this right now/
 more than what we see  How will it help us?  How cold or warm do I feel about
 make you grow as person  Why can it be done? this?
 mind vs. heart  Optimism and sunshine, Logical positive view of  How am I reacting to this?
 interpret something deeply things, Feasibility, Opportunity  Intuition, Feelings, Hunches
Critical and Creative Thinking Activity 3. Black Hat  No need to justify feelings
 Is this true? 6. Blue Hat
SIX THINKING HATS  Will it work?  What have we done so far?
 What are the weaknesses?  What do we do next?
o conceptualized by Dr. Edward de Bono
 What is wrong with it?  What decision have we reached?
o encourages critical thinking, creative
 Caution, Judgement, Assessment, Logic, Evidence,  Controlled, Organization, Thinking about
thinking, and problem solving skills
Consequences, Weaknesses, If things will work thinking, Getting focus & purpose, Making up
o allows students to look at problems/issues
a thinking plan, Making decisions and
from different perspectives 4. White Hat conclusions
 What information/facts do we know?
1. Green Hat  What information is missing? Summary
 What are some possible ways to  What information/facts would we like o BLUE
work this out? to have? - Facilitator
 What are some other ways to solve  How are we going to get the - leads the discussion and makes sure all hats
the problem? information?
have given their input
 Plants springing from seeds, movement, creativity  What is relevant? - starts with the approach and process
 New and different ideas  What is most important?
 Suggestions
o GREEN
 How valid is this?
 Alternatives and enhancing - Generator of Ideas without judgement
 Ways to solve problem
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- provides suggestions/solutions that the rest of Strategies for Effective Critical Reading  reader gets to understand the context of the
the group will discuss about piece through other texts which parallel it in
o Read the text with an open mind
o YELLOW terms of plot, characters, premise and likes
o Evaluate the text
- Giver of Positive Comments  only through the wealth of previous
o Assess the credibility of the writer knowledge and experience or research will the
- gives the good points/disadvantages of the
solution given reader be able to understand the next
o BLACK  it uses the other text which helps to add
- Devil’s Advocate Guide Questions for Critical Reading meaning to the current text
- gives the weak points/disadvantages of the  It can occur in a literature, printed or online
 What is the writer’s perspective?
solution given media, movies, songs and etc.
 What relevant information is excluded from
o WHITE the text? Examples:
- Fact Giver and Checker  Do you agree with the writer?
- Neutral  Is the writer objective and accurate?  He was lying so obviously, you could almost
- provides facts (positive or negative that can be  How would you describe the tone of the see his nose growing.
useful in the discussion writer?  He’s asking her to the prom. It’s like a happy
- reviews the facts  Does the text challenge your own values and version of Romeo and Juliet.
o RED belief?  It’s hard being an adult! Peter Pan had the
- Intuition Checker  Does the text contain fallacies? right idea.
- provides insights about what he “feels” (fear,  Are the assumptions made by the writer?
Types of Intertext
love, like, hate, etc.) about the solution given  Does the writer oversimplify complex ideas?
 Does the writer use reasonable 1. Appropriation
Critical Reading Skills generalizations in influences? - borrowing from another text
 it involves recognizing the writer’s purpose, - adaptation
Intertext and Hypertext
identifying the tone and persuasive elements - reuse
and recognizing biases Intertext - reinterpretation
 It provides high reflective skills which allow - reimagining
 a text within a text
you to stand back and look at the text in
 refers to a work whose meaning is shaped Examples:
different perspectives
by referencing or calling to mind other texts

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 Cinderella – books  movie  the context is taken through links or  Is this issue related to a possible cause or
 Batman – comics  movie commentaries directly connected to the text effect?
being read  Is this statement true or false?
2.Allusion
 evident through the embedded links of the  How can its truthfulness be verified?
- reference to another text
author  Is this claim controversial or debatable?
- we’re all in this together  while in printed media, it is seen as the
- can also be a reference to a person, place or Examples:
commentaries and footnotes in the margins
event
o Polar Bears are on the verge of extinction
- the reader /audience has to make the Claim
due to melting ice caps.
connections
 writer’s point or position regarding the o Global Warming will impact future
4 Types of Allusion: chosen topic generation and eventually ruin the
 is the central argument or the thesis environment.
 Literary  Biblical statement of the text o Television influences the way Filipino think
 a sentence that summarizes the most about social and political issues
 Historical  Cultural
important thing that the writer wants to say o The consumption of alcohol can lead to
3. Parody as a results of his/her thinking, reading or many illnesses.
- a funny illustration of a serious piece of writing
literature, writing, art or music 2.Claim of Value
Types of Claim
- “pokes fun” at something to entertain the  Makes judgement based on standards
audience or reader 1. Claim of Fact  Argues whether something is good or bad
- Ex. Simpsons  States a quantifiable assertion or a  Evaluates on a philosophical aesthetic or
measurable topic moral standpoint
Hypertext
 Not necessarily a fact  Draws on real-world examples and
 is characterized by the external links  Asserts a stand regarding a debatable topic illustrations
embedded in a text by the writer  Uses sufficient, accurate, and recent
Useful Questions
 the reader can read the text in a non-linear evidence
way because he is led to other links outside  Which claims endorse what is right or good?
Useful Questions
the main text  What qualities should be considered good?

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 Which of these values contend with others?
 Which ones are more important and why?
Examples:
o It is better to be loved than feared.
o The hunting of animals is a barbaric practice.
o Men who cheat are undesirable to women.
3. Claim of Policy
 Asserts the implementation of a certain
policy
 States plans that are procedural and
organized
 Generates a solution to a problem
 Keywords: Should, Ought to, Must
Useful Questions
 Does the claim suggest a specific remedy to
solve the problem?
 Is the policy clearly defined?
 Is the need for the policy established?
 Is the policy the best one available? For
whom? According to whose standards?
 How does the policy solve the problem?
Examples:
o The government must devote more funds to
building schools than building roads.
o The death penalty must be revived.
o A national ID system should be adopted.
Writing Process
 Mnemonics - the study and development of
systems for improving and assisting the
memory
o Preparation – look at different works which
are similar in nature with the paper you are
about to write
o Generating Ideas – brainstorming, free
writing, clustering ideas
o Focusing on Topic – narrow done the
general topic
o Organizing Ideas – outline (main ideas,
subtopics, supporting details)
o Drafting – focus on the content and
organization
- reliable sources = paper’s credibility
o Feedback – response to work which focuses
on all aspects of writing
- Content, structure, organization, clarity
o Revising – improving paper based on
feedback
- Consider only valid comments
o Editing – editing grammar & language
- Proofreading
- Typography & Mechanics
o Publishing – showcasing your written work
Symbols (check niyo notes niyo mehehe)
Properties of a Well-Written Text
1. Unity
 refers to the unified presentation of ideas in
a text
 focus on one idea
 make sure that all supporting ideas are
relevant to the main thought
Topic Sentence vs Thesis Statement
Topic Sentence
- is the central idea of the paragraph
- it can be a stand or a comment, an objective
statement, or a question
Thesis Statement
- is the central idea of a multi-paragraph
composition or essay
- it is a one-sentence summary that guides,
controls, and unifies ideas when writing
2. Coherence and Cohesion
 are achieved when ideas are logically,
clearly, and smoothly linked to one another
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 Coherence vs Cohesion
Coherence
- occurs when ideas are connected at the
conceptual or idea level
- it can be seen through well-defined
arguments and organized points
Cohesion
- is the connection of ideas at the sentence
level
- it can be seen through the smooth flow of
the sentences and connection of ideas
3. Organization
 refers to the logical and accurate
arrangement of ideas in a composition
 know the parts of composition
4. Language Use
 one of the clear indicators of a well-written
text
 enables the writer to effectively
communicate ideas
Ways to Achieve Effective Language Use
1. Use clear and concise sentences
2. Avoid redundancies, wordiness, clichés and
high falutin language
3. Use precise vocabulary
4. Be consistent with your pronoun’s point of
view
5. Avoid sexist language
6. Use appropriate level of formality
5. Mechanics
 characterized as a set of conventions on
how to spell, abbreviate, punctuate and
capitalize a composition
Ways to Achieve Proper Mechanics
1. Always use standard English
2. Avoid contractions
3. Avoid exclamation marks unless they are part
of a direct quotation
4. Indicate the meaning of the abbreviation
during the first mention. Then use
abbreviation thereafter
5. Numbers from zero to ten should be spelled
out; numbers higher than ten should be
written in figures
6. Citations are used in academic and formal
texts
Differences
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL WRITING
Components
o Context - It includes the people involved
(sender and receiver), relationship between
the people involved in the communication,
time and place, and some possible
interferences.
o Message - It refers to the content of your
document.
- It includes the main topic and the details that
support the main topic.
o Language - It refers to the channel used to
convey the message.
- It can be either be in visual or textual, formal
or informal, verbal and non-verbal
o Purpose - It is the reason or motive that you
have when communicating.
- There are two levels of purpose:
 General – to inform and to persuade
 Specific – the reason why
o Audience - It is the receiver of the message.
- It can either be primary or secondary.
o Product - It refers to the output that you
intend to produce after considering all the
other components.
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 A type of writing produced by students in an
academic setting.
 Its main purpose is to inform and to persuade.
 It is impersonal and formal.
 A wide-ranging vocabulary is a must.
 Consider the structure of the academic text
 Follow guidelines for language use and
mechanics which includes citation and
referencing.
General Tips in Writing an Academic Text
1. Follow the basics in the writing process
- Be clear with the assignment or prompt.
- Analyze the context of writing.
- Have a clear purpose and audience in mind.
- Make your thesis evident.
- Stay focused on your topic; eliminate
unnecessary details.
- Read some academic texts similar to the one
you are making.
- Make sure you use sufficient cohesive devices.
- Avoid wordiness and redundancy.
- Use different ways in generating ideas.
- Edit and proofread your work.
2. Paraphrase information as much as possible.
3. Avoid using an imperative tone.
4. Avoid excessive font effects.
5. Be consistent with the type of English you
use.
6. Plan wisely. Allot ample time in preparing
your writing assignment.
Professional Writing
Academic Writing
- A type of written communication done
specifically in a professional context.
- Its main purpose is to inform and to persuade.
- It uses business English and a more personal
tone.
- In terms of mechanics, it uses emoticons,
Professional Writing
contractions and unnecessary exclamation
points.
General Tips in Writing Professional Writing
1. Follow the basics of the writing process.
- Be clear with your purpose and target reader.
- Consider the context of writing the document.
- Organize your ideas using cohesive devices.
- Be objective and factual with your message.
Business Letter
- Use different ways in generating ideas.
- EDIT, Edit, edit.
2. Anticipate the reader’s beliefs, values,
motivations and possible objectives
3. Adjust your language based on you
relationship with the receiver of the
document.
4. Study the format used by the organization
and incorporate it in your writing
5. Avoid excessive font effects
6. Be consistent with the type of English you
use.
Summary
 It is a writing done to fulfill a requirement of a
college or university.
 It also includes any writing assignments given
in an academic setting.
 A type of written communication done
specifically in a professional context.
 It is a writing done in a workplace context to
enable and support the work of a company.
 (i.e, buying, selling and making profits)
Writing Professional Correspondence
- It is a formal document often sent from one
company to another (or from a company to its
clients, employees and stakeholders)
Purposes
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 For sales efforts
 For complaints
 For information dissemination
 For relationship building
 For problem-solving
Parts of a Business Letter
o Letterhead
- ascertains the writer, his/her address and the
contact information
o Dateline
- When the sender will send the letter
- It is placed between the letterhead and the
inside address
o Reference Line
- Times you send a letter on a particular year
Informal and Friendly
o Inside Address
- Tells the name of the receiver, his/her
position, the school/company and the address
of the school
- Written immediately after the date
o Attention Line
- Is used when the writer wishes to address the
whole company but wants to address a
particular person in the company
o Salutation
- Refers to the writer’s greeting to the reader - Formats: Enclosures (4), Enclosure, enc./encl.
- Formats: Dear Sir: , Sir: , Dear Mr. Garcia o Copy Notation “cc”
- Stands for Carbon Copy or Courtesy Copy
o Body of the Letter
- Indicates the secondary recipient of the letter
- Contains the message of the letter
- Remember that paragraphs should be single- Formats of a Business Letter
spaced internally but double-spaced to o Full Block
separate paragraph - All parts are on the left side of the paper
- Most-commonly used format
o Complimentary Close
o Modified Block
- Refers to the expression used to end a letter
- Another widely-used format
Level of Formality Complimentary Close o Semiblock
Highly Formal Respectfully yours, - The least used format
Respectfully, Very - The letterhead, the date, the complimentary
respectfully
close, the signature and the signature block
Polite and Formal Very truly yours, Your
very truly, Yours truly were placed at the center and the body of the
Less Formal Sincerely yours, Yours, letter is/are indented
Cordially yours
As ever, Best regards, Guidelines in Writing a Letter
Kindest regards, Regards
 Use correct format, punctuation, spelling and
grammar
o Signature & Signature Block
 Present your ideas clearly by using
- Includes the name of the sender and his/her
appropriate language for the target readers
position
 Arrange your ideas logically
o Identification Line
 Use an active voice as much as possible
- It is the initial of the typist especially if the
 Focus on the readers by using the “you”
sender is not the one who personally typed
approach
the document
 Specify the name of the receivers. However, a
o Enclosure Notation
generic title can be used if necessary
- These are attachments to the letter
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  Leave three blank lines for a signature before
typing your name
 Never use plain numerals for dates (ex.
3/5/19)
Electronic Mails
 It is defined as the transmission of messages
over communication networks
 It is the exchange of computer-stores
messages by telecommunication
Purposes
 Used for: Directives, Transmittals,
Documentations, Confirmations, Inquiries,
Explanation of Procedures, Recommendations,
Status Report
Advantages
1. It reaches the target reader fast
2. Confirmation of acceptance is easy
3. It is cheaper and easy to use
4. Original message can be easily attached via
thread
5. It is environment – friendly
6. It has an automated feature that notifies the
sender if the receiver will not be able to
access the mail as soon as possible
Disadvantages
1. An e-mail may carry a virus
2. Not all official documents can be sent via e-
mail due to their nature
3. An e-mail is sometimes used as a tool for
scamming
4. Sending e-mails is prone to technical glitches
and is dependent to the internet connection
Guidelines in Writing an E-mail
1. Reflect if sending an e-mail is the best mode
of correspondence
2. Connect the subject line to your reader’s need
and interest
3. Do not change the subject line when you reply
to an e-mail
4. Make the subject line short and simple, but
also specific
5. The To line should only contain the name/s of
the primary readers
6. Be accurate in typing the e-mail address of the
recipient
7. Keep the message brief and straightforward
Introduction
8. Never publish an e-mail without the
permission of the creator
9. State your business in the first sentence
10. Store both your send and received messages
in a folder using descriptive names
11. Use the standard memo format.
12. If the message is important, try composing it
first using a word processor
13. Although an e-mail is less formal, the writer
should still observe professionalism
14. If attaching a file, make the filename of the
attached document meaningful
Ex. Don’t: jsbletter Do: jessiebarrot-coverletter
15. Make the attached file accurate and can be
easily downloaded
College Admission Application Letter
- Shows your interest in the university while
justifying why you are qualified at the same
time
- It also serves as a cover letter for all your
other college admission documents
- It follows a standard letter format
- It presents your academic qualifications,
accomplishments, and reasons for applying for
admission
Parts of a College Admission Application Letter
1. State who you are and what you are applying
for
2. State an eye-catching statement about
yourself that will cause the reader to continue
reading your qualifications
3. Show your enthusiasm to study in the
university you are applying to
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Body
1. Present your academic qualifications,
extracurricular involvement, community
activity engagements, and some personal
qualities with specific evidence
2. Organize your thoughts and segregate them
into paragraphs. You may separate paragraphs
by the (one paragraph for academic
qualification and one for extracurricular
activities)
3. State the benefits the university can obtain by
admitting you. Do not just give facts; Explain
how these facts will benefit the university
Conclusion
1. Indicate your interest for an Interview
2. Indicate how the interviewer can contact you.
3. Express your hope for a positive response
from the Admission Director
4. Say Thank You
Tips in Preparing an Application Letter
Content
1. The application letter must not simply repeat
the content of your academic records.
Emphasize concrete examples.
2. Address the letter to a specific person. If you
don’t know the specific addressee, call the
university and ask
3. Market yourself by representing your
academic qualifications, extracurricular
activities, and community engagements. Tell
the university that you have a unique or
special skill to offer and how these skills are
relevant to the university
4. Do not begin an awkward statement such as:
“Let me tell you something about myself. My
name is... “
5. Highlight two or three of your most significant
accomplishments or abilities. Avoid superflous
information.
6. Avoid fancy statements such as “I think ABC
University is the best university in the entire
world. “ Instead, be realistic and provide
specific reasons why you believe the
university is perfect for u.
7. Be factual. Never misrepresent yourself by
overstating your experience and skills. In
short, do not exaggerate.
8. Minimize opinions about yourself. When you
claim one, be sure to support it with specific
and factual evidence.
9. Do no beg for admission (e.g. “Please take me
in because this is my only hope for success. I
am desperately eager to study in your
university.”)
10. As you write, imagine that you are writing a
script for your interview b how you can break
the ice at the beginning of the interview ; how
you can convey a positive personality ; the
things you want to talk about during the
interview ; and what you hope to get from the
interview.
11. Read everything there is about your target
college or university. Be sure to match your
letter to the mission-vision of the university
12. Focus on your strength and avoid mentioning
any weaknesses.
Language
 Use the active voice and verbs that denote
action
 Be sure to have correct grammar, spelling,
vocabulary and usage. Avoid jargon, clichés,
and verbosity. Readers expect good grammar
and writing. Any typographical and
grammatical errors may cause the reader to
question your competence
 Be direct to the point so as not to lose the
interest of your reader.
Format and Mechanics
 Use letter-sized bond paper with 1 to 1.5-inch
margin on all sides; limit the letter to one to
two pages
 Do not forget to put your signature above
your name
 Use a letterhead. Include your full name,
address, phone number, and email address
 Use a business letter format (block, full block,
semi-block, or simplified).
 Do not cram the text at the upper half or
lower half of the page. Be sure to have
appropriate page fill; avoid making your letter
look crammed and dense
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 Use a font size of at least 10 points and
maximum of 12.

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