LESSON 2

LANGUAGE USE IN ACADEMIC

WRITING

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the learners are expected to:

1. determine language style in academic writing;

2. differentiate language style used in academic texts from
various disciplines; and
3. construct paragraphs using academic language.

WHAT'S IN

Let’s Recall!

☺ A well-structured text enables the reader to follow the argument and

navigate the text.

☺ A clear structure and a logical flow are imperative to a cohesive text.

☺ Most academic texts follow established structures such as: the three-
part essay structure and the IMRaD structure.

☺ Structure should be considered on all levels of text so; you will also find
information on structuring paragraphs.

1
 WHAT I KNOW

Let’s Answer This!

Directions: Use the given subject and verb in constructing your own sentence.
Observe subject-verb agreement in your sentences. You may add “s” or “es” to the
verb. Write your answer in your notebook.

SUBJECT VERB SENTENCE

United States Make

The students Excel

English language Help

The books Improve

The journey Enhance

The patient Cry

Mrs. Cruz Appeal

Filipino people Provide

A child Love

The lecturer Explain

2
 WHAT'S NEW
Let’s Move On!
Spot the Difference!
Directions: What is the difference in the following pairs of sentences? Explain your
answer. Write your answer in your notebook.
Pair 1
S1: It was raining cats and dogs.
S2: It was raining very heavily.
Pair 2
S3: We believe the practice is unsustainable.
S4: It is believed the practice is unsustainable.

WHAT IS IT

What is an Academic Language?

Academic language represents the language demands of school

(academics). Academic language includes language used in textbooks, in
classrooms, on tests, and in each discipline. It is different in vocabulary and structure
from the everyday spoken English of social interactions. Each type of communication
(both academic and social) has its purpose, and neither is superior to the other.

3
Academic writing is generally quite formal, objective (impersonal) and technical as
illustrated in the diagram below.

Objective
-avoid personal or
direct reference to
people or feelings

Formal
Technical
-avoid casual or
-use vocabulary
conversational such
specific to the
as contractions and
discipline
informal vocabulary

Academic
Language

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.
 Furthermore, you can make your writing more formal, objective and technical
by following examples below.
Formal
Choose formal instead of
informal vocabulary. For
example, ‘somewhat’ is more
formal than ‘a bit’, ‘insufficient’
is more formal than ‘not
enough’.
Avoid contractions. For
example, use ‘did not’ rather
than ‘didn’t’.
Avoid emotional language. For
example, instead of strong
words such as ‘wonderful’ or
‘terrible’, use more moderate
words such as ‘helpful’ or
‘problematic’.
Instead of using absolute
positives and negatives, such
as ‘proof’ or ‘wrong’, use more
cautious evaluations, such as
‘strong evidence’ or ‘less
convincing’.
Objective
Move information around in the
sentence to emphasize things
and ideas, instead of people
and feelings. For example,
instead of writing ‘I believe the
model is valid, based on these
findings’, write ‘These findings
indicate that the model is valid’.
Avoid evaluative words that are
based on non-technical
judgments and feelings. For
example, use ‘valid’ or ‘did not
demonstrate’ instead of
‘amazing’ or ‘disappointment’.
Avoid intense or emotional
evaluative language. For
example, instead of writing
‘Parents who smoke are
obviously abusing their
children’,
write ‘Secondhand smoke has
some harmful effects on
children’s health’.
Show caution about your views,
or to allow room for others to
disagree.
For example, instead of writing
‘I think secondhand smoke
causes cancer’, write ‘There is
evidence to support the
possibility that secondhand
smoke increases the risk of
cancer’.
Find authoritative sources,
such as authors, researchers
and theorists in books or
articles, who support your
point of view, and refer to
them in your writing. For
example, instead of writing
‘Language is, in my view,
clearly something social’, write
‘As Halliday (1973) argues,
language is intrinsically social’.
Technical
You need to develop a large
vocabulary for the concepts
specific to the discipline or
specialization you’re writing
for. To do this, take note of
terminology used by your
lecturer and tutor, as well as in
your readings.
Be careful about the meaning
of technical terms. Often the
same word has a different
meaning in another discipline.
For example, ‘discourse’ is a
technical term used in multiple
disciplines with different
meanings.
Use the key categories and
relationships in your discipline,
that is, the way information and
ideas are organized into
groups.
For example, in the discipline
of Law, law is separated into
two types: common law and
statute law.
Knowing these distinctions will
help you structure your writing
and make it more technical
and analytical.
 WHAT'S MORE

Let’s Practice!

Directions: What do you think is the most correct answer in the following instances.
Write your answer in your notebook.

1. Instead of the informal 'I have read', use ( I think, The essay has )
2. The phrase 'turn out to be' is informal. Instead, use: ( become , end up )
3. Instead of 'paid for', use ( given, funded )
4. ‘Job' is a little too informal. Instead write ( role, gig, )
5. Instead of ‘funny’ use ( laughable, ironic )
6. Instead of 'picked out', use( selected, taken )
7. Rather than “stand for” write ( be, represent )
8. The term 'music fans' is informal. Instead, use ( audience, goers )
9. As a substitute for 'killing', use ( assassination, political murder)
10. Instead of 'given off', use (created, done )

WHAT I CAN DO

Let’s Do It!

Sentence Construction
Directions: Transform the simple sentence into compound or complex sentences.
Write your answer in your notebook. The first one is done for you.
1.The exam is difficult. It is also exasperating.

Answer: The exam is difficult and exasperating.

2.Captain Lewis allowed his men to make important decisions in a democratic
manner. This democratic attitude fostered spirit of togetherness and commitment
on the part Louis’ fellow explorers.
3. He studied the biological and natural sciences. He learned how to categorize and
draw animals accurately.
4.Mark Twain is the author of Huckleberry Finn. Huckleberry Finn is a classic
American novel
5.My friend likes coffee. She likes tea. She doesn’t like milk.
6. John F. Kennedy was inaugurated into office in January of 1961. He was
assassinated in November of 1963.
7. Some students become nervous around computers. Other students seem to enjoy
new challenges.
8. Jae Hee comes from Korea. Kyung Eun comes from Korea. Jae Hyun comes from
Korea.
9. I am going to buy the skateboard. It is blue.It has red wheels. It has a picture of a
dragon on top.
10. My father is 45 years old. He plays football. He goes jogging. He does not play
tennis anymore. His wrist was broken. This happened two years ago.

POST ASSESSMENT

Let’s Answer this!

Multiple Choice
Directions: Choose the word that best answers the given questions. Write the letter of
your answers in your notebook.

1. As long as you know your tutor, you don't need to use a formal style of writing. It's
good to be friendly.
A. Some tutors like you to be formal but some don't mind as long as you do
the work.
B. You only need to be formal in exams, not regular coursework.
C. It's good to be friendly but always use formal English when you write
assignments.
D. Formal English is too old-fashioned these days

2. Contractions are:
A. what happens when you have a baby
B. when someone says the opposite to you
C. when something is too narrow
D. a shortened form of a word

3. Which example is correct?

A. However, the main reasons are time, money and cost.
B. However the main reasons, are time, money, and, cost.
C. However, the main reasons are time money and cost.
D. However, the main reasons, are time money, and cost.
4. Which is correct?
A. They were effected badly by the incident
B. The incident effected them badly.
C. They were affected badly by the incident.
D. The affects of the incident were bad.

5. Choose the right one:

A. It's bowl's empty.
B. Its bowl's empty.
C. Its' bowls' empty.
D. It's bowls empty.

6. 'Information on the internet is 'free'. Anyone can use it without having to reference
it.'
A. True
B. False
C. It depends on how important the assignment is.
D. You only need to reference authors' work on the internet

7. What is an academic language...

A. is a set of vocabulary terms used in schools
B. comes as second nature to native speakers, but is difficult for ELLs to
acquire
C. is the linguistic register that students are expected to use in school
subjects
D. All of the above

8. When do you use formal language?

A. In an academic essay.
B. When you talk to a friend.
C. When you write a text message.
D. In sending emails.

9. What does it mean to write academically?

A. To write in order to pass final exams
B. To write paper for scholars
C. To write using proper English language
D. To avoid copy pasting from the Internet

10. The term, "VERY OFTEN" may be improved using a more appropriate academic
word which is:
A. Frequently
B. Rarely
C. Seriously
D. Stubbornly
 WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Let’s Remember This!

To be a good academic writer, I need to learn the specific styles and

structures for my own discipline, as well as for each individual writing task.
Some ways to do this are to:

☺ask for more information from your lecturer or teacher

☺study the writing style of the academic articles in the most prestigious
journals in your discipline
☺look at the successful writing by other students in your subject area.
☺Different disciplines often have quite different expectations about how
objective or subjective my writing can be. For example, in some fields it is fine
to use first person, such as 'my view is that...', while in other fields this is not
acceptable. I should look at the convention used in published articles in my
discipline area.
 LESSON 3

ACADEMIC READING STRATEGIES

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Learning Competency 2.
Uses knowledge of text structure to glean the information he/she needs.

Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, learners are expected to:

1. identify the different reading strategies as tool in academic writing;

2. evaluate one’s purpose for reading; and
3. use knowledge of text structure to glean information he/she needs.

WHAT'S IN

Let’s Recall!

Formal language and informal language are associated with particular

choices of grammar and vocabulary.
Contractions, relative clauses without a relative pronoun and ellipsis are
more common in informal language.
So, in these sentences…
1. She has decided to accept the job.
2. She’s decided to accept the job.
Which one is acceptable in academic writing? Yes, it’s No. 2! You are Correct!
Why? She’s is informal. It is a contraction which is unacceptable in formal writing.

We now proceed to our new lesson…but first let us answer this Pretest!

WHAT I KNOW

Let’s Answer This!

Pretend that you are a research consultant. You have been assigned the task
of researching this assignment and then writing a report that includes a
recommendation for Brillantes based on your findings.

Directions: Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow. Write
your answer in your notebook.

As a research consultant with Padilla Estates Inc., you have been asked to
find sales and distribution site in Cavite area for Brillantes Electrical Components,
3450
Anonas Avenue, Santa Mesa, Manila. Brillantes seeks suitable office space,
including a reception area (where three office employees could work), one private
office, and a conference/display area. Brillantes also wants 3000 square feet of
heated warehouse space. It should be equipped with a sprinkler system and have 18-
foot ceilings. If sales are successful, Brillantes may need an additional 2000 square
feet of warehouse space in the future. Brillantes needs access to Ninoy Aquino
International Airport; moreover, it must be close to trucking terminals and main
thoroughfares in an area zoned for light industry. It also seeks an impressive-looking
building with a modern executive image. Brillantes wants to lease for at least two
years with possible renewal. It needs to make a decision within three weeks. If no
space is available, it will delay until next year.

1. Who is the audience for this report?

2. What does Brillantes Company need? Why does the company need it?

3. Would you rely on primary or secondary research? How would you gather data for
this report?
 WHAT'S NEW

Let’s Move On!

Consider this cooking analogy, noting the differences in process

:
A. Shannon has to make dinner. He goes to the store and walks through every aisle.
He decides to make spaghetti, so he revisits aisles and reads many packages
thoroughly before deciding which groceries to buy. Once he arrives home, he finds a
recipe for spaghetti, but needs to go back to the store for ingredients he forgot.

B. Taylor also has to make dinner. He wants lots of carbohydrates because he’s
running a marathon soon so he decides to make spaghetti. After checking some
recipes, he makes a list of ingredients. At the grocery store, he skims aisles to find
his ingredients and chooses products that meet his diet.

Which paragraph is clearer? Yes, it’s Paragraph B. Why?

Answer: Taylor’s process was more efficient because his purpose was clear.
So, establishing why you are reading something will help you decide how to
read it, which saves time and improves comprehension. So here are some
strategies to help you improve your skills.

WHAT IS IT

What are the Different Reading Strategies?

Strategies differ from reader to reader. The same reader may use different
strategies for different contexts because their purpose for reading changes. Ask
yourself “why am I reading?” and “what am I reading?” when deciding which
strategies to try.
What are the Purposes of Reading?

People read different kinds of text (e.g., scholarly articles, textbooks, reviews)
for different reasons. Some purposes for reading might be

to scan for specific information

to skim to get an overview of the text
to relate new content to existing knowledge
to write something (often depends on a prompt)
to critique an argument
to learn something
for general comprehension

So, it is important that you adjust your reading strategies to your purpose of
reading. Here’s how to do it.

Before Reading

Establish your purpose for reading

Speculate about the author’s purpose for writing
Review what you already know and want to learn about the topic (see the
guides below)
Preview the text to get an overview of its structure, looking at headings, figures,
tables, glossary, etc.
Predict the contents of the text and pose questions about it. If the authors have
provided discussion questions, read them and write them on a note-taking
sheet.
Note any discussion questions that have been provided (sometimes at the end
of the text)

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 (note what you learned, impressions,
and reactions) in an outline, concept map, or matrix (for several texts)
Talk to someone about the author’s ideas to check your comprehension
Identify and reread difficult parts of the text
Define words on your vocabulary list and practice using them

Is it cl ear now …how w ill you p ut it into

practi ce?

WHAT'S MORE

Let’s Practice!
What’s your Purpose for Reading?
Directions: Complete these tasks. Match your Purpose in Reading with your
st
Activity. Suppose your purpose is in the 1 Column. Fill in the activity that you will do
to achieve your purpose. The first one is done for you. Write your answer in your
notebook.

PURPOSE ACTIVITY
Get an Overview of the Text I will look at headings, subheadings,
intro, abstract.
Search for a specific fact

Check what theory the author is using

Understand a concept

Analyze the steps in an argument

Compare ideas with what the author

says

You did a great job…☺☺☺

 WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Let’s Remember This!

Reflection….today you are able to

Use features of the text to help you read more effectively
Adapt your reading activities to match your purpose.
Find out which conditions and strategies help you study best.

WHAT I CAN DO

Let’s Do It!
Directions: Read the excerpt of an article critique. Answer the questions that follow.
Use the reading strategies you have learned from the previous discussion. Write
your answer in your notebook.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 expects all students to achieve proficient
levels of knowledge in core subject areas. Teachers of English language learners
(ELL) face the added challenge of providing meaningful and accessible curricula
while integrating English language and literacy development. This research study
addresses ELL students’ low science achievement in the context of national
standards and accountability in the 2006-2007 school year.
Several studies have examined the influence of professional development
interventions on students’ science achievement. Research suggests that hands-on
and inquiry-based science lessons develop literacy as well as content knowledge.
Research also indicates that students’ science achievement is positively correlated
with the amount of teacher professional development. This study builds upon existing
research by using a quasi-experimental design to assess students’ science
achievement after the first-year implementation of a professional development
intervention that focused on science achievement, literacy, and math skills.
Specifically, the study addresses three research questions: (1) whether treatment
group students show gains in science achievement, (2) whether gaps in science
achievement change for ELL and low-literacy (retained) students in the treatment
group, and (3) whether treatment group students perform differently compared with
non-treatment group students on a statewide mathematics test, particularly on the
measurement strand that is emphasized in the intervention.

1. Is there a statement of the Problem? Write it below?

2. What is the background information of the problem? State it below?
3. Is the educational significance of the problem discussed? What is it? Write it
below.
4. What is your impression about this article? Use a concept map to illustrate your
answer.

POST ASSESSMENT

Let’s Answer This!

Multiple Choice
Directions: Choose the best strategy to use in the following conditions. Write the letter
of your answer in your notebook.
1. Determine what you think will happen in the text.
A. Visualize
B. Predict
C. Connect
D. Clarify

2. Create mental images of the settings, characters, and events in the text.
A. Connect
B. Visualize
C. Clarify
D. Evaluate

3. Stop and ask yourself questions to see if the text makes sense.
A. Clarify
B. Evaluate
C. Question
D. Predict
4. Think about what you already know about the text. Find ways to relate the text to
yourself, other texts, and the world around you.
A. Predict
B. Visualize
C. Clarify
D. Connect

5. Think about the text as a whole and form opinions about what you read.
A. Evaluate
B. Question
C. Predict
D. Connect

6. Stopping when you are confused to reread or look up a word you don't know.
A. Connect
B. Clarify
C. Evaluate
D. Predict

7. When you give your opinion of a book or story, you are using the strategy.
A. Question B.
Evaluation C.
Summarize D.
Clarify

8. Making pictures in your mind as you read is an example of .

A. Predicting B.
Connecting C.
Visualization D.
Clarifying

9. Wondering about why a character acted in a certain why is using the

comprehension skill of .
A. Visualizing
B. B. Summarizing
C. Predicting
D. Questioning

10. "This story reminds me of something I heard on the news," is an example of

which strategy?
A. Visualizing
B. Connection
C. Clarifying
D. Summarizing