FUNDAMENTALS OF

READING ACADEMIC
TEXTS
■Determine the purpose of reading;
■Identify the features of academic texts;
■Differentiate academic texts from nonacademic texts;
■Use critical reading strategy in reading academic texts;
■Annotate academic texts;
■Discuss key ideas or information; and
■Write a synthesis of information from various academic texts
read.
 ■ Academic texts are
■ While the texts you
more like the heavy
read for pleasure,
main course. More
such as graphic novels
often than not they
or magazines, can be
need to be chewed and
likened to the appeal
savored for a long time
of sweet desserts.
before their meanings
can be fully digested.
 ACADEMIC TEXTS NON-ACADEMIC TEXTS
■ Non-academic texts are non-objective. These
■ Academic texts are objective. This means that
texts tend to be more personal and based on
they are based on facts with solid basis.
opinions or one's point of view.
■Academic texts are written by professionals in
■Non-academic texts are written for the mass
any given field (e.g. medicine, architecture,
public. There is no specific audience for non-
economics, etc.).
academic texts.
■ Academic texts often take years to publish
■These are published quickly and can be
■Academic texts use formal words and may
written by anyone. No specialization is needed.
contain technical terms that are related to a
■Authors of non-academic texts use casual,
certain field.
informal language.
■This article is considered academic because the language is
very formal and genre specific, there are various authors and
their credentials listed (these are found at the end of the
article), and most importantly there is a list of references.
■ Based on the examples, it can be said that in
academic reading, full concentration and
comprehension are required for you to
understand the key ideas, information, themes,
or arguments of the text.
■It is important that you know your
purpose for reading early on, so you
can save time and improve your
comprehension.
■Why am I reading this text?
■What information or pieces of information do I need?
■What do I want to learn?

■To better understand an existing idea

■To get ideas that can support a particular writing assignment
■To gain more information
■To identify gaps in existing studies
■To connect new ideas to existing ones
■Academic texts include concepts and theories
that are related to the specific discipline they
explore. They usually exhibit all the properties of
a well-written text i.e organization, unity,
coherence, and cohesion, as well as strict
adherence to rules of language use and
mechanics.
■They state critical questions and issues.
■They provide facts and evidence from credible sources.
■They use precise and accurate words while avoiding jargon and
colloquial expressions.
■They take an objective point-of-view and avoid being personal and
subjective.
■They list references.
■They use hedging or cautious language to tone down their claims.
■Reading academic texts requires focus and understanding.
You have to interact with the text by questioning its
assumptions, responding to its arguments, and connecting
it to real-life experiences and applications.

■Critical or Reflective reading helps you identify the

author's key arguments and analyze concepts presented in
the text.
1. BEFORE READING

SHORT STORIES - UP TO 30 PAGES

DURING READING - Annotate important parts of the texts.
Annotating a text can help you determine essential ideas or
information, main ideas or arguments, and new information or ideas.

■Write key words or phrases on the margins in ■Write notes on the reliability of the text.
SHORT STORIES - UP TO 30 PAGES

bullet form. ■Comment the author’s biases.

■Write something on the page margin where
important information is found.
■Write brief notes on the margin.
■Write questions on information that you find
confusing.
■Write what you already know about the ideas.
■Write the limitations of the author’s
arguments.
■Use a concept map or any graphic organizer
to note down the ideas being explained.
■React on the arguments presented in the text.
■Underline the important words, phrases, or
sentences.
■Underline or circle meanings or definitions.
■Mark or highlight relevant/essential parts of the text.
■Use the headings and transition words to identify relationships in
the text.
■Create a bank of unfamiliar or technical words to be defined later.
■Use context clues to define unfamiliar or technical words.
SHORT STORIES - UP TO 30 PAGES

■Synthesize author’s arguments at the end of chapter or section.

■Determine the main idea of the text.
■Identify the evidence or supporting arguments presented by the
author and check their validity and relevance.
■Identify the findings and note the appropriateness of the research
method used.
 AFTER READING

SHORT STORIES - UP TO 30 PAGES

■Reflect on what you learned.

■React on some parts of the text through writing.
■Discuss some parts with your teacher or classmates.
■Link the main idea of the text to what you already know.
 SQ3R Method of
Reading

SHORT STORIES - UP TO 30 PAGES

■The SQ3R method stands for Survey (or Skim), Question, Read,
Recite (or Recall), Review.
 KWL Method

■The KWL Method guides you in reading and understanding a text.

SHORT STORIES - UP TO 30 PAGES

To apply the KWL method, simply make a table with three columns.
In the first column, write what you know about the topic (K);
■In the second, list down what you want to learn (W);
■And in the last column, write down what you learned (L).