PIE2412 ACADEMIC WRITING

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL 1

Topic:

Overview of Academic Texts

1. Types
2. Purpose
3. Characteristics

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1. DEFINITION

Academic texts refer to written materials produced for academic purposes. Academic
texts are written by scholars, experts, or researchers in a specific field with the
intention to contribute to a body of knowledge in a particular discipline. The content of
academic texts is objective as it is based on information or facts gathered through
research or experiment. Since the information presented in academic texts is
supported by credible evidence and references, the content is free of personal opinion
or biased claims. Academic texts are written following specific writing conventions and
language styles which will be discussed in detail in the next few pages.

2. TYPES OF ACADEMIC TEXTS

Examples of academic texts:
structured/academic essays academic textbooks
research papers proposals
scholarly articles/journals lab / annual reports
theses/dissertations research analysis

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3. PURPOSE OF WRITING ACADEMIC TEXTS

The main purpose of writing an academic text is to contribute to a body of knowledge

in a particular discipline by providing non-biased information and solid evidence to
support the author’s claim. Through publications of academic texts, scholars and
researchers are able to share information and their research findings with others.

Generally, academic texts can be divided into four categories. The purpose of writing
will determine the type of writing that scholars or researchers use.

Descriptive Writing Analytical Writing

Academic Texts
Critical Writing Persuasive Writing

Descriptive Writing
A descriptive text aims to inform readers by providing facts and other relevant
information about a topic. It describes or explains a process or a scenario, reports on
a work progress, lists down criteria or features and categorises information, among
others.

Analytical Writing
An analytical text also informs readers about a topic. However, instead of merely
presenting the information as it is, an analytical text requires the writer to look at
information or data from various sources and determine how they are related to each
other to form a better understanding before presenting the information to the readers.
An analytical text usually examines, compares, contrasts, and analyses information
gathered.

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 Critical Writing
In critical writing, a writer is expected to discuss other viewpoints when presenting his
or her own view. The writer is also expected to critically analyse information and data
from both sides before forming his or her own opinion about a topic or issue. This
type of writing is usually used when writing a research paper, dissertation, review,
and critical analysis. Among the common phrases associated with critical writing
include evaluate, debate, argue, and critique.

Persuasive Writing
Writing a persuasive academic text is the most difficult of all the four types as it
requires the writer to analyse and critically evaluate information and data gathered
about a topic, present his or her stand on a topic after evaluating all information that
supports and rejects his or her stand, and the write also needs to present his or her
argument in a way that would influence readers to accept his or her view. This means
the writer needs to provide credible evidence for each of his or her arguments.

4. CHARACTERISTICS OF ACADEMIC TEXTS

Academic texts can easily be differentiated from non-academic texts due to the
following characteristics:

a. Organisation and Structure

b. References and Evidence
c. Language Style
d. Grammar Accuracy

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a. Organisation and Structure

Academic texts are written using specific writing formats. They are well organised
and logically structured as they are written using specific writing formats (rules and
guidelines for works in specific fields such as grammar, language style, and even
font size of headings in a work) and citation and referencing styles, depending on
the type of texts being written. For instance, a journal article has its own format and
so do reports, essays, textbooks etc. Take note that the formatting and citation and
referencing styles are also determined by the field of studies, the institution the
author or researcher is attached to, and the requirements set by publishers.

Formatting and citation styles ensure common elements remain consistent despite
the authors’ or researchers’ diverse backgrounds. This helps readers to navigate
through the texts and locate important information with ease.

Sample 1: Annual Report

For instance, an annual report starts with the chairman’s or Director’s foreword, and
corporate profile before the report itself. However, this format may differ from other
reports due to factors such as the agency’s policy and publisher’s requirements.

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 The format and writing style used in writing the report continue to be consistent with
the agency’s previous annual reports. Click this link to view more reports:
https://www.jpa.gov.my/en/default-home/136-media-centre/publications/annual-

An abstract of a dissertation or journal article generally contains these information:

background information, objective, methodology, findings, conclusion and
recommendation.

Sample 2: Abstract

Background Objective

Abstract Systemic Functional linguistics is related to a sign system that can be used
to trace the scientific characteristics of academic texts. This study aimed to describe
academic texts by covering four technical terms: (1) simple, (2) dense, 3) objective,
and (4) directness. Data analysis was done through three stages: (a) data reduction,
Method (b) data display, and (c) data verification/conclusion. The findings of the study
indicate that there are 129 sentences consisting of 53 simple sentences with a
percentage of 41,09%, 37 complex sentences with a percentage of 28.68% and 39
single sentences with a percentage of 30.23%. Thus, it can be concluded that the
results of this research show that scientific characteristics of academic texts from
systemic functional linguistics perspectives containing: (1) simple sentence
structure, (2) dense information, (3) objective definition and identification, and (4)
direct presentation. Based on the result of the research, it is suggested to conduct
further research on academic texts from holistic approach that uncovers large
number of texts from different resources. In addition, it is important to explore the
quality of academic text from systemic functional lens.
Recommendation Conclusion Findings

Source: https://docs.jpa.gov.my/docs/pnerbitan/ltahunan/flipbook/lp2021/30/

Sample 3 on page 6 shows the format expected of a journal article.

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Sample 3: Journal article

Background/
Introduction

Method

Findings

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 Similarly, an academic essay also follows a general paragraphing format i.e., an
introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. The
introductory paragraph provides background information on the topic and states the
thesis statement while each body paragraph contains a clear topic sentence that is
supported with credible evidence from either the writer’s own research activities or
other reliable sources. The last paragraph functions as the concluding paragraph
that wraps up the discussion.

Sample 3: Academic essay

Class Attendance in Universities Should be Made Compulsory

Rizalman Abdullah Introductory
Paragraph
Class attendance is emphasised in universities. Universities have formulated and enacted policies
on class absenteeism. In most universities, all students are required to attend and participate in
all courses. Students who fail to attend the minimum required number of course hours are awarded
a failing grade. Some students believe that these policies are unfair and that class attendance
adds little value. They also believe that can still pass by just reading the textbook and by using
class time hours to read on their own. Although these claims are true to a certain extent, class
attendance is beneficial as it provides an opportunity for interaction with the lecturers and also
helps students save on time spent in studying. (Thesis Statement)

Body
(Topic Sentence)
Paragraph 1
Those who are against class attendance argue that it adds little value to their understanding of
course content and that they can make up for lost time by engaging in discussions and interaction
with other students after class hours. Their argument is however not entirely true. Class
attendance is not only meant for interaction with other students. The most important part of class
attendance is that it gives a student an opportunity to interact face-to-face with the professor
(Keplan, 2005). Such interaction enables a student to ask questions and seek clarification
whenever he or she encounters something difficult to understand, and this helps increase
understanding of course material which will eventually lead to excellent grades. Also, according to
Wong (1999) and Ibrani (2011), an opportunity to ask questions and debate with teachers
promotes higher-order competencies in students and creates challenges that trigger students’
interest to learn more. Interaction with the professor increases the chances of finding mentors

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 and role models who can assist in guiding the student in academic, career, and personal
development.

Body
(Topic Sentence) Paragraph 2
Opponents of class attendance also claim that they can use class time hours to read on their own
and still understand the concepts. To some extent, they may be right; however, it is worth noting
that class attendance cuts down on study time. If students pay attention in class, they will be able
to grasp the taught material thus reducing time spent in studying (MOHE, 2017). Moreover, no
textbook can explain course content like the lecturers because they help clarify and add insights
to the materials.

Class attendance continues to be a controversial topic among university students today. Those
who are against it argue that they can pass the course exams by reading the textbooks and
studying on their own instead of attending classes. However, class attendance has greater
benefits. Students who attend classes can interact more with lecturers and other students, and
they would spend less time studying. These benefits contribute to better academic performance.

Concluding Paragraph
Wraps up the discussion or /
summarises the content in body
paragraphs

b. References and Evidence

Academic texts are written to address specific objectives, and as the purpose is to
share information or knowledge, academic texts contain only precise facts and figures
and are free from the author's personal opinion or bias.

As such, the information presented in academic texts is based on facts or data

gathered from the authors’ own research or research conducted by other researchers
which have been carried out using a robust, systematic, reliable, and comprehensive
research methodology. Therefore, in-text citations and references MUST HAVE
elements in academic texts since they establish the credibility of the information
presented in the texts.
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Sample 1:

Those who are against class attendance argue that it adds little value to
their understanding of course content and that they can make up for lost
time by engaging in discussions and interaction with other students after
class hours. Their argument is however not entirely true. Class
attendance is not only meant for interaction with other students. The
In-text
most important part of class attendance is that it gives a student an citation
opportunity to interact face-to-face with the professor (Keplan, 2005).

Sample 2:

Research on text-based language teaching has become an important topic

in the language education themes recently. Haeri (2016) claims that this is In-text
citation
because text-based teaching and learning provides different lenses for
teachers and students such as textbooks, book reviews, research proposals,
research reports, and scientific articles (Haeri, 2016). The study of text-
based language teaching has been conducted in many parts of the world.
These researchers argue that it is important to conduct further studies on
text-based language teaching in different contexts. A study on language
teaching and learning in Indonesian contexts is conducted in many areas
such as vocabulary learning and technology (Abduh & Rosmaladewi, 2017), In-text
citation
intercultural competence in language learning (Abduh & Rosmaladewi,
2018), factors influencing language learning and bilingualism (Abduh, 2018),
commitment and awareness in language learning and internationalisation
(Abduh, Rosmaladewi, & Basri, 2018), collaborative language learning and
teaching (Rosmaladewi & Abduh, 2017), portraits of language learning and In-text
citation
identity (Amirullah, Andrew, & Eckersley, 2015), investment and language
learning (Abduh & Andrew, 2017). Of these studies above, none of them
have explored the characteristics of academic texts from the views of
systemic functional linguistics.

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 Sample 3: A reference list

References

Ahmed, S. (2012). On being included: Racism and diversity in institutional life. Duke
University Press.

Berndt, T. J. (2004a). Children’s friendships: Shifts over a half-century in perspectives

on their development and their effects. Merrill Palmer Quarterly, 50(3), 206-223.

Huang, S., Pierce, R., & Stamey, J. (Eds.). (2006). Proceedings of the 24th annual ACM
international conference on the design of communication. ACM Digital Library.
https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1166324&picked=prox

Samson, J. M. (2016). Human trafficking and globalization [Unpublished doctoral

dissertation]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Citation Format

The way in-text citations and references are written depends on the citation format used.
Shown below are among the most commonly used citation and referencing styles.

STYLE USAGE

used in social sciences, behavioural

American Psychological Association (APA)
sciences, psychology

Modern Language Association (MLA) used in business, humanities

American Sociological Association (ASA) used in sociology

Chicago (sometimes written Chicago/Turabian,

used in the humanities
or CMoS)

Harvard used in the economics

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 Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers used in engineering & computer
Style (IEEE) science

American Medical Association (AMA), Vancouver used in nursing & other medical fields

used in computing and information

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
technology fields

The American Society of Mechanical

used in mechanical engineering
Engineers (ASME)

Bluebook, OSCOLA used in law

American Political Science Association (APSA) used in political science

used by journalists and other news &

Associated Press Style (AP)
media writers

Source: https://owl.purdue.edu, https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/citation-styles/

c. Language Style

Academic texts are typically characterised by their use of formal tone and impersonal
style of writing intended for academic audiences. The language use is often clear and
concise, direct to the point, and heavily incorporates specialised vocabulary and specific
technical terminologies of a certain field.

a. Formal tone
Academic texts are written in a formal tone and style. This is usually achieved through
the avoidance of personal pronouns, contractions, idiomatic expressions, colloquial
or slangs and the use of passive sentence structure.

We conducted the survey by distributing 250 questionnaires to the target population.

(personal pronoun & active sentence structure)

The survey was conducted through the distribution of 250 questionnaires to the target
population.
(Impersonal tone. No personal pronoun, and the sentence is in passive sentence structure)
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 My research shows that socio-economic status has a direct influence on a person’s
intention to commit theft in the city of Mumbai, India. (active sentence structure)
Socio-economic status has been shown to have a direct influence on a person’s
intention to commit theft in the city of Mumbai, India.
(Impersonal tone. No personal pronoun, and sentence is in passive sentence structure)

The researchers didn’t have to crack their heads when analysing sample case
studies from the affected area. (use of contraction & idiomatic expression)
The researchers did not have any difficulties when analysing sample case studies
from the affected area.

News reports claimed that the project was an epic fail (Shoba, 2011). (use of slang)
News reports claimed that the project was a complete disaster (Shoba, 2011).

b. Clear and concise sentences

Clarity and conciseness are highly valued in academic writing. Writers need to convey
the information in as few words as possible without compromising readers’
understanding. The content in academic texts is expressed in a that allows readers
to comprehend the information easily and without any ambiguity. Flowery language,
commonly used in creative texts, is avoided as it is wordy, vague, and may represent
more than one meaning.

Wordy Concise

Frequently, a chapter in a book reveals A chapter’s title often reveals its thesis.
to the reader the main point that the

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author desires to bring out during the
course of the chapter.

A few inches of snow on the ground is all A few inches of snow are necessary to
that is necessary in order for a person to go sledging.
be able to go sledging.

A bird with crimson wings glided from the A bird flew from the trees to a rock.
jungle canopy and landed gracefully on
a nearby rock.

We found the proposal quite feasible. The proposal is feasible.

Any student could randomly sit Students could sit anywhere.

anywhere.

It is common to see people Multilingualism is common in Malaysia.

communicating in two or three different
languages in Malaysia.

Vague Clear

For example, the language Reflects the language used in

used in literary texts academic texts

The moon, a luminous pearl suspended

in the night sky, cast its gentle glow upon The data analysis revealed a significant
the deserted beach. relationship between income level and
educational attainment among the
The autumn leaves danced in the participants.
breeze, their vibrant hues painting a
masterpiece on the forest floor. The research findings suggest that early
intervention programmes have a

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 positive impact on reducing behaviour
problems in preschool children.

c. Academic vocabulary
A broad definition of academic vocabulary is words that are used in academic
contexts such as in lectures, seminars, presentations, essays, reports, and journal
articles. It also refers to specific terminologies or technical words that are used in a
specific field such as chronic, intravenous and lesion (medical field), apparatus,
apoptosis and centrifugal (biological field) or active learning, accumulation, or
bilingual (education field). The use of academic vocabulary also contributes to
establishing the formal tone of academic texts.
Examples:

Current research uses AI to perform the analysis. (use of an informal word)

Current research utilises AI to perform the analysis.

Over 70 percent of the respondents said that they had a bad experience after eating
the product. (use of informal words)
Over 70 percent of the respondents claimed that they experienced a detrimental
effect after consuming the product.

Although the results of the study were vague, the committee decided to go ahead
with their plan to carry out the policy. (use of phrasal verbs)
Although the results of the study were inconclusive, the committee decided to
proceed with their plan to implement the policy.

d. Grammar Accuracy
Academic texts should also be free from any language errors such as grammatical,
spelling, and punctuation errors.

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Subject-Verb-Agreement The aims of the study is to identify the causes of
error truancy truancy cases among high school students
in three major rubber estates in Perak, Malaysia. x
The aims of the study are to identify the root cause
and extent of truancy cases among high school
students in three major rubber estates in Perak,
Malaysia. √

Verb tense error The survey has been conducted in January 2020.
X
The survey was conducted in January 2020. √

30 respondents are given 20ml of chemical A while

30 respondents are given 5ml of chemical A during
the experiment. x

30 respondents were given 20ml of chemical A

while 30 respondents were given 5ml of chemical A
during the experiment. √

Noun-pronoun error The 570-word families of the AWL are divided into 10
lists. It is then further divided into another 15 sub-
lists. x

The 570-word families of the AWL are divided into 10

lists. They are then further divided into another 15
sub-lists. √

Punctuation error A simple sentence consists of only one independent

clause, however a complex sentence consists of
one independent clause and one dependent clause.
X
A simple sentence consists of only one independent
clause; however, a complex sentence consists of

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 one independent clause and one dependent clause.
√

Spelling error Researcrh on text-based language teaching has

become an important topic in language education
recently. X
Research on text-based language teaching has
become an important topic in language education
recently. √

EXERCISE 1 (Group discussion)

Form a group of 3-4 students. You have 15 minutes to read both texts and identify the
text that reflects an academic text. Be prepared to share and justify your answer with the
class.

Article 1: Truancy and Behaviour

Truancy is one of the major behaviours associated with students, especially senior
students at a youthful stage. It is defined as the act of consistent inconsistency in school
attendance (Robertson, 2017), and is also used to refer to any intentional unauthorised
or illegal absence from compulsory schooling (Habsah, 1999; Hou, 2001). It has also
been identified as the act of absenting oneself from school without a legitimate reason
and without the permission of the student's parents or the school authorities (Herbert,
2005).
A cursory observation reveals that despite the huge investments made to reposition
education in Akwa Ibom State, there is still a yawning gap in respect of the individuals.
There have been various cases of truant behaviour among the students. This has affected
learning and teaching and production of the expected disciplined manpower for the state.
Various publications indicate that the public and the government have become
increasingly concerned over the great increase in poor discipline and truancy among
students in secondary schools.
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In certain schools, truancy may result in not graduating from one class to the other or not
graduating at all, and not receiving any award or credit for activities until the time lost to
truancy is redeemed through a combination of penalties, disciplines, suspension or
summer school (The National Centre for School Engagement, 2012). State law
determines the age at which a child is required to begin attending school, the age at which
a child may legally drop out of school, and the number of unexcused absences at which
a student is considered legally truant; therefore, failure to comply to these laws can be
considered a criminal act, and students, parents, and even the schools can be held
accountable for these offences. This is simply because truancy can be detrimental to
students' achievement, promotion, graduation, and employment potential (Bolarin, 1996).
Rumberger (2011) and Herberg (1990) highlight the consequential effects of school
dropout because of truancy especially among school-going adolescents and list the
effects of truancy to include several kinds of antisocial behaviours such as stealing, lying,
destructiveness, and excessive fighting.
Adapted from https://edubirdie.com/examples/descriptive-essay-on-the-essence-and-causes-of-truancy/
Article 2: Cultural Shift since Pandemic Causing Attendance Crisis in English
Schools
Headteachers and school leaders are becoming increasingly worried that a “cultural
shift” in attitudes is causing a crisis in attendance, with more pupils absent than before
the COVID pandemic.

Teachers say parents are now more reluctant to send children to school and display
more resistance to efforts to encourage attendance, with school leaders
in England warning it may take years to repair national attendance figures.

Specialists who spoke to the Guardian said fears around illness had been heightened
since the pandemic due to worsening support for mental health as well as the strain
experienced by the NHS.

Secondary schools appear worst affected, with pupils missing more than 9% of
classroom time in the first term of the latest academic year, compared with an average of
about 5.4% in the five years between 2014 and 2019.

Illnesses accounted for a steep rise in children staying away during December and
this contributed to the 70% rate of unauthorised absences reported.

Sheila Mouna, the headteacher at St Anne’s and Guardian Angels Catholic primary
school in east London, said while parents had become more anxious about their children
going to school, others were more willing to let them stay home since the pandemic.
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 “I think there’s been a cultural shift with people working at home, and some people
– not all – seem to think their kids did OK at home, so things like that have become
ingrained in some parents’ minds.

“But children need to be out and about, to be with their friends and learn to socialise.
It’s not just academic,” Mouna said.

Stuart Lock, the chief executive of the Advantage Schools Academy Trust in
Bedfordshire, said pupil attendance was something that caused a stir for all school
leaders. “I thought it was a blip. I now think that this is an established crisis that is going
to get worse and take years to solve,” Lock said.

“I don’t know how we’ll fix this – it feels like there has been a shift, and it isn’t
dissimilar to the early 2000s when it was very hard to get a significant number of pupils
to attend school regularly.”

MPs on parliament’s education select committee are to hold an inquiry next month
into the growing rates of persistent absence, questioning education leaders on possible
causes including economic disadvantage as well as Covid.

Robin Walker, the Conservative MP who chairs the education committee, said “Missing
school can seriously undermine a child’s education and future life chances. It’s imperative
that we take a nuanced and sympathetic look at the reasons why absence has become
almost a growing problem.”

Stephen Morgan, the shadow schools minister, said the absence rates “should set
alarm bells ringing”.

“The failures of the government’s Covid recovery scheme, plummeting pupil well-
being and the growing epidemic of mental ill health in our schools is driving non-
attendance, which will lead to lower attainment and lower life chances for children and
young people,” he said.
Adapted from: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/jan/13/cultural-shift-since-pandemic-causing-
attendance-crisis-in-english-schools

Use the table below to help you analyse the texts.

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 Features Text 1 Text 2

Structure and
organisation of
ideas

Citations and
references

Formal tone

Academic
vocabulary

Grammar
accuracy

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 Others (if any):

EXERCISE 2 (Text analysis)

Analyse the academic essay below. Identify changes that can be made to improve the
essay and turn it into a good academic essay.

1As online learning becomes more common and more and more resources are
converted to digital form, some people have suggested that public libraries should be shut
down and, in their place, everyone should be given an iPad with an e-reader subscription.

2Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns money because
libraries are expensive to maintain. 3They also believe it will encourage more people to
read because they won’t have to travel to a library to get a book; they can simply click on
what they want to read and read it from wherever they are. 4They could also access more
materials because libraries won’t have to buy physical copies of books; they can simply
rent out as many digital copies as they need.

5But, I think it would be a serious mistake to replace libraries with tablets. 6First,
digital books and resources are associated with less learning and more problems than
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print resources. 7A study done on tablet vs book reading found that people read 20-30%
slower on tablets, retain 20% less information, and understand 10% less of what they
read compared to people who read the same information in print. 8Additionally, staring
too long at a screen has been shown to cause numerous health problems including
blurred vision, dizziness, dry eyes, headaches, and eye strain, at much higher instances
than reading print does. 9People who use tablets and mobile devices excessively also
have a higher incidence of more serious health issues such as fibromyalgia, shoulder and
back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and muscle strain. 10If people read from an e-reader
for too long, their eyes begin to feel tired and their necks hurt. 11We shouldn’t add to these
problems by giving people, especially young people, more reasons to look at screens.

12Second, it is incredibly narrow-minded to assume that the only service libraries

offer is book lending. 13Libraries have a multitude of benefits, and many are only available
if the library has a physical location. 14Libraries offer space for those who wish to study in
a conducive and quiet environment. 15They also provide training rooms for community
classes, lounge areas for community members to socialise and share interest, and even
provide jobs for the surrounding communities. 16One neighbourhood found that after a
local library instituted community events such as play times for toddlers and parents, job
fairs for teenagers, and meeting spaces for old people, over a third of residents reported
feeling more connected to their community. 17Similarly, a survey conducted found that
nearly two-thirds of American adults feel that closing their local library would have a major
impact on their community. 18People see libraries as a way to connect with others and
get their questions answered, perks tablets can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.

(Retrieved from: Sarikas, C. (2019). 3 strong argumentative essay examples,

analyzed. https://blog.prepscholar.com/argumentative-essay-examples)

List down the errors in the table below. State the sentence number (if any) and provide
suggestion(s) for improvement.

Error Suggestion(s) for improvement

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EXERCISE 3 (Vocabulary building)
Fill in each empty blank with a suitable academic vocabulary.

Non-academic Academic Non-academic Academic

vocabulary vocabulary vocabulary vocabulary

plus points Advantage/benefit so Therefore/thus

about happen

at first innitially ask (for opinion) Inquire/consult

need Require/ pay finance

clear Lucy/transparent bad Detrimental/serious/ne

gative

people Population/society make Generally/produce

way method huge Massive/major

stuff possession create Produce/formulate

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 also In addition guess hypothesis

important Significant/vital enough sufficient

show Present/demonstrate cool impressive

signal Ordinary/indicate keep Retain/maintain

details data main principal

good Advantage/beneficial discover identify

leave out Omit/deduct make up Compose/create/devel

op

cut back reduce set up Establish/launch

carry out Implement/conduct pay for Support/financed

break off interrupt draw the line Set a limit

pull the plug on Terminate/discontinu cut corners reduce

e

snowball effect Chain reaction fair and square According to the result
EXERCISE 4 (Improving Sentences)
The following sentences contain one or more errors. Identify the error(s) in each sentence
and write the correct sentence.

1. Based on the result of the research, we suggest further research to be conducted

on this issue.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) are widely considered an important form of a

firm’s self-regulation.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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3. Our study aimed to find out the correlation between sleep duration and cognitive
performance in adolescents aged 13 to 17.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

4. The autumn leaves danced in the breeze before falling on the forest floor.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

5. The research finding suggest that early intervention programmes have a good impact
on reducing behaviour problems in preschool children.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

6. The study used a randomised controlled trial design to check the effectiveness of a
new teaching method in improving student achievement.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

7. The moon, a luminous pearl suspended in the night sky, cast its bright glow upon
the deserted beach.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

8. Extensive promotional strategies activities helps companies gain the loyalty of their
customers, increase sales and engage in new business activities (Omran and
Ramdhony: 2015)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

9. The results of the experiment didn’t indicate a strong inverse relationship between
temperature and the rate of enzyme activity.

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 __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

10. Due to the fact that the experiment is cancelled, we will postpone the presentation.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

11. We bought the equipment for the purpose of providing the team with the state-of-the-
art facility.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

12. The findings of the research are available online and the public are welcome to
download it.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

EXERCISE 5 (Topic Review)

State whether the following statements are correct (√) or incorrect (x).

No Statements Answe
. r

1 Academic writing refers to a piece of writing which focuses on a general

topic.

2 Academic writing is based on academic findings and academic research

etc.

3 Among the main purposes of writing an academic text are to inform and
entertain the readers.

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4 Any claim made in academic texts must be supported with solid
evidence.

5 Academic texts are always written using a structured format or writing

style.

6 Academic texts can be written using a mixture of formal and informal

vocabularies.

7 Academic texts are written based on the conversational writing style to

help readers understand the information easily.

8 Academic texts are formal texts.

9 News published by newspapers can be considered as academic texts.

10 The content of academic texts is based on serious thoughts.

11 Idioms and slangs are used in academic texts to ensure clarity of

information.

12 From a grammar point of view, academic writing should be error-free.

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