Lesson 1: Academic Writing

Academic Writing

-is a process that starts with posing a question, problematizing a concept, evaluating an
opinion, and ends in answering the question posed, clarifying the problem, and/or aguing for a
stand.

-is thinking you can not just write anything that comes to your mind. You have to abide by the
set of rules and practices in writing. You have to write in a language that is appropriate and
formal but not too pretentious.

Academic Text

-used for scholarly journals, such as journals, articles, books, and textbooks.

Examples of Academic Text

Articles

-published in scholarly journals that offers results of research and development that can either
impact the academic community or provide relevance to nation building.

Conference Papers

-These are papers presented in scholastic conferences, and may be revised as articles for
possible publication in scholarly journals.

Essays

-A short lierary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally
analytic, speculative, or interrpetive.

Textbooks

-A book used by the students as a standard work for a particular branch of study.

Reviews

-These provide evaluation or reviews of works published in scholarly journals.

Report

-The purpose of report is to describe what happened (e.g. in a piece of research) and discuss
and evaluate its importance. Reports are found in different principles, such as science, law, and
medicine.

Case Study

-Can be found in any disciple, though they are most common in disciplines such asbusiness,
sociology, and law. They are primarily descriptive.

Theses, Dissertation

-Result of a long period of reading, research, and reflection.

Non-Academic Text

-is written for any audiences

-It includes newspapers, magazines, and books that you would find at a brick-and-mortar,
bookstore such as Barnes and Noble.

-informal way of writing/mass writing

Critical Reading

-Reading academic text 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 key argument
presented by the author and analyze concepts presented in the text.

Reading Strategies

Reading is the active process and understanding print and graphic text

Before Reading

 Determine which type of academic text (article, review, thesis, etc.) you are reading.
 Identify the author's purpose for writing.
  Check the publication date for relevance. It should have been published at most five
yearsearlier than the current year.

During Reading

 Annotate important parts of the text.

 Write something on the page margin where important information is found.
 Write questions on information that you find confusing.
 Writw notes on the reability of the text.
 Comment on the author's biases.
 Reflect on the arguments presented in the text.

After Reading

 Reflect on what you learned.

 Reflect on some parts of the text through writing.
 Link the main idea of the text to what you already know.