ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND

PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Week 1
 Academic Text
• is a reading material that provides information which includes
concepts and theories that are related to a specific discipline.
• defined as critical, objective, specialized texts written by
experts or professionals in a given field using formal
language.

• Academic texts are objective (based on facts with solid basis)

 Academic Writing
• particular style used in formal essays and other assessments for the course.
• requires formal language, a logical structure and is supported by evidence/s.
• It is clear, concise, focused, structured and backed up by evidence.
• Its purpose is to aid the reader's understanding.
• It has a formal tone and style, but it is not complex and does
not require the use of long sentences and complicated vocabulary.
 Academic Language
• the language needed by students to do the work in schools.
• It includes, for example, discipline-specific vocabulary, grammar
and punctuation, and applications of rhetorical conventions and
devices that are typical for a content area (e.g., essays, lab reports,
discussions of a controversial issue.)
Importance of Academic Writing
Importance of Academic Writing
a necessity to be able to communicate using the appropriate language needed
in formal communication.
it is very important to apply the appropriate language, learn the rules and
practice the skills of writing for academic and professional purposes.
a measure of one’s professionalism as it seeks to simplify complex messages
providing common understanding with the target audience.
it is fundamental in achieving higher education.
It serves as the window of one’s thoughts.
It aids in one’s understanding of the intended message or text.
Characteristics of Academic Writing
Clear and Limited Focus
• Focus = THESIS STATEMENT
• Every paragraph and sentence of the paper connects back to
that primary focus.
• all content serves the purpose of supporting the thesis
statement.
 Logical Structure
• All academic writing follows a logical, straightforward structure.
• In its simplest form, academic writing includes an introduction, body
paragraphs, and a conclusion.
 Background information
INTRODUCTION  Scope and direction of the essay
 Thesis statement

BODY  Paragraphs supporting the

thesis
CONCLUSION  Summary and findings
Evidence-based arguments

• Academic writing requires well-informed arguments.

• Statements must be supported by evidence, whether from scholarly
sources (as in a research paper), results of a study or experiment, or
quotations from a primary text (as in a literary analysis essay).
• The use of evidence gives credibility to an argument.
Impersonal Tone
• The goal of academic writing is to
convey a logical argument from an
objective standpoint.
• Avoids emotional, inflammatory, or
otherwise biased language.
• Whether you personally agree or
disagree with an idea, it must be
presented accurately and
objectively in your paper.
Types of
Academic Writing
 Scholarly Articles / Research Paper
• are a full-length document on original research, and sources of high-valuable
information.

Purpose: educate, give information

Audience: other scholars, experts in the field
Language: formal, with jargon depending on the field
Tone: Neutral
What to avoid: Colloquialism or slang (watcha, yow!) ; labels
showing bias (evil, terrorist); Contractions (can’t, won’t);
and vulgar words
Textbooks
• comprehensive compilation of content in a branch of study. Textbooks are
produced to meet the needs of educators, usually at educational
institutions

Purpose: educate, inform, instruct

Audience: students
Language: formal
Tone: Neutral
What to avoid: Colloquialism or slang (watcha, yow!)
Contractions (can’t, won’t); and vulgar words
Academic Essays
• Small scale article and often argues for a concept, standpoint or opinion

Purpose: to express self via academic requirement

Audience: professor; academe
Language: formal
Tone: May vary depending on topic; subjectivity is allowed
What to avoid: excessive colloquialism or slang ;
jargon and vulgar words
 Other Types of Academic Text / Writing
• comprehensive and usually brief abstract,
Summary
• recapitulation, or compendium of previously stated facts or statements.

• proposes a research or development project

Proposal
• sets premises, starting points and concepts

• submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree

Thesis / Dissertation
• presenting the author's research and findings.

Review • evaluates or contextualizes someone’s work or publications.

• statement of progress of final results and outcomes

Report
or work in progress.
Common Text Formats
 Three-Part Format
• most common among the formats.
• The academic texts that follow this
format are:
• Essays
• Features
• Science Report
• Newspaper Editorials
• Thesis
• scholarly works
The Inverted Pyramid
• the structure starts with the most
important details to the least Who, What, When, Where
important.
Why, How
• This is ideal for newspaper readers.
Supporting details
• One look in the article and they can
immediately know the major details. others
The Hourglass Format
• used in creative narratives or
sometimes in enterprising news INTRODUCTION
stories.
• Text that follows this are movie NARRATIVE
reviews, book reviews and TURN AND
investigative reports. DETAILS

END