VIRGEN MILAGROSA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION

“The Home of God-loving and Globally Competent Individuals”

Martin P. Posadas Avenue, San Carlos City, Pangasinan, 2420, Philippines

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Module 1.
Nature of Academic Texts
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the learning session, the student will be able to:
a. Define academic writing/text;
b. Determine the characteristics of academic writing;
c. Differentiate academic writing from other kinds of writing, and
d. Identify the purpose, audience, language, and style of academic writing.

✓ What is Academic Writing/Text?

- An Academic text is a reading material that provides information that includes concepts and
theories that are related to the specific discipline.
- Academic Writing is a process that starts with posing a question, problematizing a concept,
evaluating an opinion, and ends in answering the question or questions posed, clarifying the
problem, and/or arguing for a stand.
- Writing academic papers requires deliberate, thorough, and careful thought and that is why it
involves research.
- Academic writing is a formal style of writing used in universities and scholarly publications.
- Academic writing is generally quite formal, objective (impersonal), and technical. 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.
- Characteristics of academic writing include a formal tone, the use of the third-person rather than
first-person perspective (usually), a clear focus on the research problem under investigation, and
precise word choice.
- Like specialist languages adopted in other professions, such as law or medicine, academic writing
is designed to convey agreed meaning about complex ideas or concepts within a community of
scholarly experts and practitioners.

✓ Characteristics of Academic Text

1. Structure
Unlike fiction or journalistic writing, the overall structure of an academic text is formal and logical
(Introduction, Body, Conclusion). It must be cohesive and possess a logically organized flow of
ideas; this means that various parts are connected to form a unified whole.
2. Tone
The manner of expression in writing.
The overall tone refers to the attitude conveyed in a piece of writing. The arguments of others are
fairly presented and with an appropriate narrative tone. When presenting a position or argument
that disagrees with one’s perspectives, describe the argument accurately without loaded or biased
language.
The author reveals their feelings and opinions to the reader, conveying the author's intentions
behind the text.
Ex:
o Formal
o Informal
o Pessimistic

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 VIRGEN MILAGROSA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
“The Home of God-loving and Globally Competent Individuals”
Martin P. Posadas Avenue, San Carlos City, Pangasinan, 2420, Philippines

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

o Optimistic
o Aggressive
o Uplifting
3. Language
It is important to use unambiguous/straightforward language. Clear topic sentences enable a reader
to follow your line of thinking without difficulty. Formal language and the third-person point-of-
view should be used. Technical language appropriate to the area of study may also be used,
however, it does not mean using “big words” just for the sake of doing so.
4. Citation
Citing sources in the body of the paper and providing a list of references as either footnotes or
endnotes is a very important aspect of an academic text. It is essential to always acknowledge the
source of any ideas, research findings, data, or quoted text that have been used in a paper as a
defense against allegations of plagiarism.
5. Complexity
An academic text addresses complex issues that require higher-order thinking skills to comprehend.
6. Evidence-based Arguments
What is valued in an academic text is that opinions are on a sound understanding of the pertinent
body of knowledge and academic debates that exist within, and are often external to a specific
discipline.
7. Thesis-driven
The starting point of an academic text is a particular perspective, idea, or position applied to the
chosen research problem, such as establishing, proving, or disproving solutions to the questions
posed for the topic.
Examples:
- Research Paper
- Conference Paper
- Feasibility Study
- Thesis/Dissertation
- Reviews
- Concept Paper
- Reaction Paper
- Essay
- Academic Journals
- Reports

✓ Purpose/s of Academic Writing

- to inform
- to argue a specific point
- to persuade

✓ Specific Audience
- teacher (for the most part)
- peers who will read and evaluate your work
- academic community who will also read your work
- your audience is composed of people who are knowledgeable on the subject you are writing about;
thus, you have to demonstrate a thorough (in-depth) understanding of your subject at hand.

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 VIRGEN MILAGROSA UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
“The Home of God-loving and Globally Competent Individuals”
Martin P. Posadas Avenue, San Carlos City, Pangasinan, 2420, Philippines

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

✓ Other Kinds of Writing
• Journalistic Writing
Journalistic writing is a form of non-fiction writing used to report news and factual events. It can
be utilized in newspaper articles, television reports, radio scripts, and on news websites.
The primary function of journalism is to inform the public by reporting on local, national, and
global news and events.
• Creative Writing
Creative writing, a form of artistic expression, draws on the imagination to convey meaning through
the use of imagery, narrative, and drama. The writer is free to express themselves in any way they
want.
• Technical Writing
Technical writing encompasses various types of documentation that help users understand and
operate a product or service. Technical writers use their expertise to create clear, concise, and easy-
to-understand documentation that helps users utilize a product without difficulty.
Note: When writing an academic report or essay, one may have weeks, or even months, to carry out the
necessary research. Journalists, however, often have to engage in the same process for an article in a matter
of minutes. Particularly in terms of news writing, one's copy must be concise, simple and lack technical
jargon.

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