WEEKLY LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

English 7 Quarter 4 Week 1

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF ACADEMIC WRITING

Name:___________________________________Section: _________________________

Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC):

Distinguish features of academic writing. (EN7WC-I-c-4.2)

Learning Objectives:

• Answer a word puzzle that would reveal the lesson for the day.
• Discuss the ten main features of academic writing.
• Compare and contrast two paragraphs using a Venn Diagram, one featuring
academic writing and the other simple essay and identify common features of
both types of text.
• Translate statements into a paragraph featuring academic writing.
• Produce an academic writing activity of any topic ensuring that ten main
features are illustrated/applied.
• Report to the class the written output during day 4.
• Identify and explain which part of the content reflects the features of academic
writing.

Time Allotment: 1 Week

Activity 1: Let’s Search the Words

What you need:

Pen/color pen and paper

What to do:

Directions: In the puzzle, finds the words which are being described by the
statements below. Write your answers on a separate sheet.

Across

1. Written language is relatively more complex than spoken language. It has

longer words and has more varied vocabulary.
3. In academic writing, facts and figures are given precisely.
4. Written language is in general objective rather than personal. It has fewer
words that refer to the writer or the reader.
5. Academic writing is explicit about the relationships in the text.
9. Academic writing is well organized. It flows easily from one section to the next
in a logical fashion.
10. Academic writing is well planned. It usually takes place after research and
evaluation, according to a specific purpose and plan.
Down

1. Academic writing is relatively formal in general. This means that in an essay

you should avoid colloquial words and expressions.
6. Academic writing uses vocabulary accurately.
7. In any kind of academic writing you do, it is necessary to make decisions
about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you
are making.
8. In academic writing you must be responsible for, and must be able to
provide evidence and justification for, any claims you make.

C O M P L E X I T Y A B C D F
E F G H I J K G L M N O P Y O
Q R S T U V N W X Y Z A T C R
B C D E F I G H I J K I L A M
M N O P G N I N N A L P Q R A
R S T D U V W X Y I Z A B U L
C D E F G H I J B K L M N C I
O H P Q R S T I U V W X Y C T
Z A B C D E S F G H I J K A Y
L O R G A N I S A T I O N M N
O P Q R O B J E C T I V I T Y
S T U P R E C I S I O N V W X
Y Z S A B C D E F G H I J K L
M E X P L I C I T N E S S N O
R P Q R S T U V W X Y Z A B C

What is It

Academic writing is the style of writing we use in the field of academics. It is

clear, concise, focused, structured and backed up by evidence. Its purpose is to aid
the reader’s understanding. It has a formal tone and style, but it is not complex and
does not require the use of long sentences and complicated vocabulary.

Research projects, term papers, conference papers, essays, abstracts, book

reports, dissertation, etc. in various disciplines are written in this style. The main
difference between academic writing and other styles of writings is that it is more
formal and structured. The target audience or the readers of academic writing are the
scholars of the same discipline.

FEATURES OF ACADEMIC WRITING

1. Complexity

Written language is relatively more complex than spoken language. It

has longer words, it is lexically denser and it has a more varied vocabulary. It
uses more noun-based phrases than verb-based phrases. Written texts are
shorter and the language has more grammatical complexity, including more
subordinate clauses and more passives.
 Example:
Halliday (1989, p.79) compares a sentence from a
spoken text:

“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 other no matter how bad the weather gets.”

with a typical written variant:

The use of this method of control unquestionably leads to safer

and faster train in the most adverse weather conditions.

The main difference is the grammar, not the vocabulary.

2. Formality

Academic writing is relatively formal. In general, this means that in an

essay you should avoid:
a. colloquial or informal 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.
e. asking questions.

Example of colloquial words or expressions in a dialog.

Julie, I'm your practice
teacher, you're my student.
And I have to tell you to Oh, come on, Clare! Don't be
refrain from using terms so PC. Are you telling me
such as "loony", "fruitcake" you've never used those
"nutcase" and "one expressions?
sandwich short of a
picnic" to describe people
with mental illness.

Well, ... yes ... but not in my

dissertation.

3. Precision

In academic writing, facts and figures are given precisely. You need to be
precise when you use information, dates or figures. Do not use "a lot of people"
when you can say "50 million people".

Examples:

Chemists had attempted to synthesize quinine for the previous

hundred years but all they had achieved was to discover the extreme
complexity of the problem.

The volatile oily liquid beta-chloro-beta-ethyl sulphide was first

synthesized in 1854, and in 1887 it was reported to produce blisters if
it touched the skin. It was called mustard gas and was used at Ypres
in 19I7, when it caused many thousand casualties.

4. Objectivity

Written language is in general objective rather than personal. It

therefore has fewer words that refer to the writer or the reader. 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. For that reason,
academic writing tends to use nouns (and adjectives), rather than verbs (and
adverbs).

In general, avoid words like "I", "me", "myself".

Don't write:" In my opinion, this a very interesting study."

Write: "This is a very interesting study."

 Avoid "you" to refer to the reader or people in general.

Don't write: "You can easily forget how different life was 50
years ago."
Write: "It is easy to forget how difficult life was 50 years ago."

Examples:

Clearly this was far less true of France than ...

This is where the disagreements and controversies begin ...

The data indicates that ...

This is not a view shared by everyone; Jones, for example,

claims that ...

. . .very few people would claim ...

It is worthwhile at this stage to consider ...

Of course, more concrete evidence is needed before ...

Several possibilities emerge ...

A common solution is ...

5. Explicitness or Definiteness

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 signaling words like:

a. Time/order

Examples:
at first, eventually, finally, first, firstly, in the end, in the first
place, in the second place, lastly, later, next, second, secondly,
to begin with

b. Comparison/similar ideas

Examples:
in comparison, in the same way, similarly

c. Contrast/opposite ideas

Examples:
but, despite, in spite of, even so, however, in contrast, in spite of
this, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, still,
whereas, yet
 d. Cause and effect

Examples:
accordingly, as a consequence, as a result, because, because
of this, consequently, for this reason, hence, in consequence,
in order to, owing to this, since, so, so that, therefore, thus

e. Summary/conclusion

finally, in brief, in conclusion, in short, overall, so, then, to

conclude, to sum up

f. Contradiction
actually, as a matter of fact, in fact

g. Emphasis

chiefly, especially, in detail, in particular, mainly, notably,

6. Accuracy
Academic writing uses vocabulary accurately. Most subjects
have words with narrow specific meanings. Linguistics distinguishes
clearly between “phonetics” and “phonemics”, general English does not.

7. Hedging

In any kind of academic writing you do, it is necessary to make

decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the
claims you are making. Different subjects prefer to do this in different ways.
A technique common in certain kinds of academic writing is known by
linguists as a “hedge”.

Language used in hedging:

Introductory seem, tend, look like, appear to be, think, believe, doubt, be
verbs: sure, indicate, suggest
. Certain lexical verbs believe, assume, suggest
. Certain modal verbs: will, must, would, may, might, could
. Adverbs of frequency often, sometimes, usually
. Modal adverbs certainly, definitely, clearly, probably, possibly, perhaps,
conceivably,
. Modal adjectives certain, definite, clear, probable, possible
. Modal nouns assumption, possibility, probability
Example of sentences using hedging words:

1. The situation appears to be complicated.

2. Sheila believes that she can do better in the next competition.
3. We must follow health protocols.
4. He travels more often than me.
5. The teacher sets definite standards for her students
 8. Responsibility

In academic writing you must be responsible for, and must be able to

provide evidence and justification for any claims you make. You are also
responsible for demonstrating an understanding of any source texts you use.
This is done by paraphrasing and summarizing what you read and
acknowledging the source of this information or ideas by a system of citation.

9. Organization

Academic writing is well organized. It flows easily from one section to

the next in a logical fashion. A good place to start is the genre of your text.
Once you have decided on the genre, the structure is easily determined.
Students are asked to write many different kinds of texts. Depending
on your subject, these could be essays, laboratory reports, case-studies, book
reviews, reflective diaries, posters, research proposals, and so on and are
normally referred to as genre families or genres.

10. Planning

Academic writing is well planned. It usually takes place after research

and evaluation, according to a specific purpose and plan.

Activity 2: You Can Do It!

A. Academic writing style: Hedging

What you need:

pen and paper

What to do: Identify the hedging expressions in the following sentences.

1. Distance learning could extend next school year.

2. It is possible that summer vacation will be shortened.

B. Academic writing style: Avoiding Abbreviations

What to do: Read the sentences below. Find and replace the informal abbreviated
form with its formal equivalent.

3. The radical restructuring of British politics after 1931 doesn’t lie in the
events of 13-28 August, but in the changing attitudes within the
National Government.
4. This isn't easy to do since most historians persist in speaking of The
National Government as if the same sort of government ruled from 1931
to 1940.
5. The first National Government wasn't intended to be a coalition
government in the normal sense of the term.
 C. Main Features of Academic Writing

What to Do: Identify which feature of academic writing is being described in

the sentences. Write the letter of your answer from choices given in the box
below. Use a separate sheet of paper.

A. Accuracy B. Complexity C. Explicitness D. Formality

E. Hedging F. Objectivity G. Organization H. Planning
I. Precision J. Responsibility

1. It usually takes place after research and evaluation, according to a specific

purpose and plan.
2. In academic writing you must be responsible for, and must be able to provide
evidence and justification for any claims you make.
3. Academic writing is well organized. It flows easily from one section to the next
in a logical fashion.
4. Academic writing uses vocabulary accurately.
5. Written language is in general objective rather than personal.
6. it is lexically denser and it has a more varied vocabulary.
7. In any kind of academic writing you do, it is necessary to make decisions about
your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you are
making.
8. In general, this means that in an essay you should avoid colloquial words and
expressions.
9. 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.
10. In academic writing facts and figures are given precisely.

What’s More

Academic writing VS Simple essay

Academic Writing Simple Essay

Uses complex words and technical
vocabularies.
Formal and impersonal style of writing.
Intended for a scholarly or academic
audience.
Based on facts
Used accurate vocabularies
Responsible in citing and recognizing
references
Well-planned research and evaluation.
Uses simple and non-technical
vocabularies.
Informal and subjective style of writing.
Intended for general public.
Based on opinions
Casual words
Do not recognize references and
citations.
Requires a definite research
about the topic

Similarities of Academic writing and simple essay

Explicit
Organized
 Activity 3: Let’s Compare and Contrast

What to do:
Read and analyze the two paragraphs presented and answer the questions
below. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

Paragraph 1 Paragraph 2

More than 100, 000 people have
signed for a single online course providing
English language lessons. It is the British
Council’s first experiment with so-called
MOOCs, or massive open online courses,
which deliver tuition free of charge.
Spain, Burma, and Russia are among the
countries with the highest number of
students taking the six-week course. The
British Council is claiming this as one of
the biggest English language learning
classes in the world. More than a third of
this language students are following the
course through their mobile phones.
For many people, the summer
months are a time for relaxed living and
freedom from care. But as a soft-ice-
cream concessionaire on the Boardwalk
in Atlantic City, I have never been able
to share this attitude, I have, in fact,
found that my job of selling ice cream
during the summer can be a most trying
and exasperating means of making a
living. One must contend with
government forms, the hired help, and
the most of all, the weather.

Guide Questions:

1. Is the information presented in the two paragraphs the same?

2. What type of writing is paragraph 1? Paragraph 2?
3. What similarities and differences do you see between academic
writing and simple essay?

Using the Venn diagram, compare and contrast academic writing

and simple essay.

Differences Differences

Similarities
Academic Simple
Essay Essay

7. 7.

7.
Activity 4. Write It Up!

What to do:

Directions: Translate statements given below into a paragraph featuring academic

writing. Choose only one statement. Please be guided with the rubric for paragraph
writing.

1. Benefits of gardening
2. Advantages of playing mobile legends
3. Gaining confidence through TIKTOK

Scoring Rubric for Paragraph Writing

4 3 2 1 Score
Adequate main Weakly stated Unclear main
Strong main idea
idea main idea idea
Main Topic restated in the
restated in the weakly restated in not restated in
closing sentence
closing sentence closing sentence closing sentence
Three or more
Two supporting One supporting
Supporting supporting No supporting
sentences sentence
Sentences sentences per sentences
per paragraph per paragraph
paragraph
Several errors
Many errors that Many errors
Few, if any, that
Grammar interfere with that
errors do not interfere
meaning make it illegible
with meaning

Activity 5. Speak It Up!

What to do:

Present your written output through video presentation pointing out the features
of academic writing used or applied and submit it to your assigned subject group
chat.
 Scoring Rubric for Academic Writing Using Video Presentation

Poor Fair Excellent

3 pts 6 pts 10 pts

Little or no Fair amount of Excellent creativity, has

creativity is creativity appropriate levels of
displayed. displayed, but "oomph" within the
Creativity lacks "oomph!" video.

Little or no Understands Excellent mastery of

understanding of basic concepts subject matter is clearly
Understanding subject matter of the subject presented.
of Subject displayed. May or matter, but in-
Matter may not have read depth analysis
or understood may be lacking
material. or not clearly
presented.

Presentation skills Moderate Excellent presentation

need drastic presentation skills. Clear and
Presentation improvement skills, may be coherent.
lacking in
some areas,
but overall
effective.

Images/ Graphics Images/ Images/ Graphics and

and information Graphics and information used within
used within the information the video are highly
Relevance video has little or used within relevant to the points
no relevance to the video has discussed and/ or the
the points moderate topic.
discussed and/ or relevance to
the topic. the points
discussed
and/ or the
topic.
What I have Learned:

Complete the statements by sharing what you have learned about the distinguishing
features of academic writing.

I learned that the main features of academic writing are ____________________

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________.

Answer Key
Activity 1. Crossword Puzzle

1.C O M P L E X I T Y 2.F
G Y O
N T C R
I I A M
G N I N N A L P10. R A
D I U L
E B C I
7. I C T
H
S 6. A Y
9. R G A N I S A T I O N
O
4. O B J E C T I V I T Y
3.P R E C I S I O N
S
5. E X P L I C I T N E S S
8. R

Activity 2. You Can Do It!

Exercise A. Hedging
1. could
2. possible
3. The radical restructuring of British politics after 1931 lies not in the events of 13-28 August,
but in the changing attitudes within the National Government.
4. This is not easy to do since most historians persist in speaking of The National Government
as if the same sort of government ruled from 1931 to 1940.
5. The first National Government was not intended to be a coalition government in the normal
sense of the term.
Exercise C. Main Features of Academic Writing
1. Planning
2. Responsibility
3. Organization
4. Accuracy
 5. Objectivity
6. Complexity
7. Hedging
8. Formality
9. Explicitness
10. Precision

DIFFERENCES
Academic Writing Simple Essay

Uses complex words and technical Uses simple and non-technical

vocabularies. vocabularies.
Formal and impersonal style of writing. Informal and subjective style of writing.
Based on facts Based on opinions
Used accurate vocabularies Casual words
Well-planned research and evaluation. Requires a definite research
about the topic

SIMILARITIES
Academic Writing Simple Essay

Organized

References

Google Search Engine:

https:// www.examples.com/education/academic-essay-examples html

www.uefap.com/writing/feature/featfram.htm
https://www. thoughtsco, com/whatisacademicwriting1689052
http://www.rcampus.comrubricsshow.cfm?sp=yes&code=F5924A&
https://www.bing.com/search?q=sample+topic
academics.smevt.edu‹acad-skills
www.studyzone.org

Prepared by:

JOSEFINA D. PAJO
SST-III
BANZA NHS

Reviewed by:

JOANNE L. GUAVES MARLON C. RULE CATHERINE M. CUPIN

TEACHER I TEACHER I TEACHER I
BANZA NHS BANZA NHS BANZA NHS

NATIVIDAD PADRO HAZEL P. YABO

TEACHER III PRINCIPAL II
BANZA NHS BANZA NHS