ACADEMIC TEXT?

Defined as critical, objective, specialized texts written by experts or professionals

in a given field using formal language. This means that academic texts are based
on facts with solid basis. Academic writing, therefore, 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. It is technical by using vocabulary
specific to the discipline.
 Literary Analysis
• A literary analysis essay examines, evaluates, and makes an argument
about a literary work. As its name suggests, a literary analysis essay goes
beyond mere summarization. It requires careful close reading of one or
multiple texts and often focuses on a specific characteristic, theme, or
motif.
 Research Paper
• A research paper uses outside information to support a thesis
or make an argument. Research papers are written in all
disciplines and may be evaluative, analytical, or critical in
nature. Common research sources include data,
•  
 Dissertation
• A dissertation (or thesis) is a document submitted at
the conclusion of a Ph.D. program. The dissertation
is a book-length summarization of the doctoral
candidate’s research. Academic papers may be done
as a part of a class, in a program of study, or for
publication in an academic journal or scholarly book
of articles around a theme, by different authors.
 Structure
• an important feature of academic writing. A well-structured
text enables the reader to follow the argument and navigate the
text. In academic writing a clear structure and a logical flow
are imperative to a cohesive text. These are the two common
structures of academic texts that you need to learn which
depends on the type of assignment you are required: the
three-part essay structure and the IMRaD structure.
 The IMRaD Structure
• The sections of the IMRaD structure are Introduction,
Methods, Results and Discussion. The Introduction usually
depicts the background of the topic and the central focus of the
study. The Methodology lets your readers know your data
collection methods, research instrument employed, sample
size and so on. Results and Discussion states the brief
summary of the key findings or the results of your study.
 The Three-Part of Essay
Structure
• The three-part essay structure is a basic structure that consists
of introduction, body and conclusion.
The introduction and the conclusion should be shorter
than the body of the text. For shorter essays,
one or two paragraphs for each of these sections can
be appropriate. For longer texts or theses,
they may be several pages long.
 INTRODUCTION
• Its purpose is to clearly tell the reader the topic, purpose and
structure of the paper.
As a rough guide, an introduction might be between 10 and 20
percent of the length of
the whole paper and has three main parts:
• The most general information, such as background and/or
definitions.
• The core of the introduction, where you show the overall topic,
purpose, your point of view, hypotheses and/or research
questions (depending on what kind of paper it is).
• The most specific information, describing the scope and
structure of your paper.
 BODY
• It develops the question, “What is the topic about?”. It may
elaborate directly on the topic sentence by giving definitions,
classifications, explanations, contrasts, examples and
evidence. This is considered as the heart of the essay because
it expounds the specific ideas for the readers to have a better
understanding of the topic. It usually is the largest part of the
essay.
 CONCLUSION
• The conclusion is closely related to the introduction and is
often described as its ‘mirror image’. This means that if the
introduction begins with general information and ends with
specific information, the conclusion moves in the opposite
direction. The conclusion usually begins by briefly
summarizing the main scope or structure of the paper,
confirms the topic that was given in the introduction, ends
with a more general statement about how this topic relates to
its context. This may take the form of an evaluation of the
importance of the topic, implications for future research or a
recommendation about theory or practice.
 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.
 Objective
• avoid personal or direct reference to
people or feelings
 Formal
• avoid casual or conversational such as
contractions and informal vocabulary
 Technical
• use vocabulary specific to the
discipline
 Structure
• avoid redundancy and make sure that
ideas are packed effectively
 Caution
• avoid sweeping generalizations
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.
 WHAT IS THESIS STATEMENT?
• It is a statement that summarizes your topic and declares your position on it.
• It tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under
discussion.
• It is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the
rest of the paper.
• It is the central idea of a multiple-paragraph composition. It is one sentence summary
that guides, controls and unifies ideas when writing a paper. In simple terms, all the
other ideas present in an easy way that revolves around the thesis statement.
• It focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the topic of your
paper and also make a comment about your position in relation to the topic. Your
thesis statement should tell your reader what the paper is about and also help guide
your writing and keep your argument focused.
• an implicit thesis statement: the primary point of the reading is conveyed
indirectly, in multiple locations throughout the work. (In literature, this is
also referred to as the theme of the work.)
• Works of literature, on the other hand, usually do not contain a specific
sentence that sums up the core concept of the writing. However, readers
should finish the piece with a good understanding of what the work was
trying to convey.

• explicit: it is included as a sentence as part of the text. It might be near

the beginning of the work, but not always–some types of academic writing
leave the thesis until the conclusion.
• Journalism and reporting also rely on explicit thesis statements that appear
very early in the piece–the first paragraph or even the first sentence.
 FOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN
FORMULATING THESIS STATEMENT
• Where is your thesis statement?
=> You should provide a thesis early in your essay -- in the introduction, or
in longer essays in the second paragraph -- in order to establish your
position and give your reader a sense of direction.
• Tips on how to write a successful thesis statement
o Avoid burying a great thesis statement in the middle of a paragraph or
late in the paper.
o Be as clear and as specific as possible; avoid vague words.
o Indicate the point of your paper but avoid sentence structures like,
“The point of my paper is…”
• Is your thesis statement specific?
=> Your thesis statement should be as clear and specific as
possible. Normally you will continue to refine your thesis as you
revise your argument(s), so your thesis will evolve and gain
definition as you obtain a better sense of where your argument is
taking you.
• Tips on how to formulate specific thesis statement
o Are there two large statements connected loosely by a coordinating
conjunction (i.e. "and," "but," "or," "for," "nor," "so," "yet")?
o Would a subordinating conjunction help (i.e. "through," "although,"
"because," "since") to signal a relationship between the two sentences?
o Or do the two statements imply a fuzzy unfocused thesis?
o If so, settle on one single focus and then proceed with further
development.
• Is your thesis statement too general?
=> Your thesis should be limited to what can be accomplished in the specified
number of pages. Shape your topic so that you can get straight to the "meat"
of it. Being specific in your paper will be much more successful than writing
about general things that do not say much. Don't settle for three pages of just
skimming the surface.
=> The opposite of a focused, narrow, crisp thesis is a broad, sprawling,
superficial thesis. Compare this original thesis (too general) with three
possible revisions (more focused, each presenting a different approach to the
same topic):
• Original thesis: There are serious objections to today's horror movies.

• Revised thesis: Because modern cinematic techniques have allowed

filmmakers to get more graphic, horror flicks have desensitized young
American viewers to violence.
• The pornographic violence in "bloodbath" slasher movies degrades both men
and women.
• Today's slash movies fail to deliver the emotional catharsis that 1930s horror
films did.
• Is your thesis statement clear?
=> Your thesis statement is no exception to your writing: it
needs to be as clear as possible. By being as clear as possible in
your thesis statement, you will make sure that your reader
understands exactly what you mean.
• Tips on how to write clear thesis statement
• Unless you're writing a technical report, avoid technical
language. Always avoid jargon, unless you are confident your
audience will be familiar with it.
• Avoid vague words such as "interesting,” "negative," "exciting,”
"unusual," and "difficult."
• Avoid abstract words such as "society," “values,” or “culture.”
 NOTE:
• These words tell the reader next to nothing if you do not
carefully explain what you mean by them. Never assume
that the meaning of a sentence is obvious. Check to see if
you need to define your terms (” socialism,"
"conventional," "commercialism," "society"), and then
decide on the most appropriate place to do so. Do not
assume, for example, that you have the same
understanding of what “society” means as your reader. To
avoid misunderstandings, be as specific as possible.
• Note: Use your own words in thesis statements;
avoid quoting. Crafting an original, insightful, and
memorable thesis makes a distinct impression on a
reader. You will lose credibility as a writer if you
become only a mouthpiece or a copyist; you will
gain credibility by grabbing the reader with your
own ideas and words.
 
• A well-crafted thesis statement reflects well-crafted
ideas. It signals a writer who has intelligence,
commitment, and enthusiasm.
 WHAT IS OUTLINING?
• Outlining is a tool we use in the writing process to
help organize our ideas, visualize our paper's
potential structure, and to further flesh out and
develop points. It allows the writer to understand how
he or she will connect information to support the
thesis statement and the claims of the paper.
 Use various outlines based
on the structure you prefer
• Sentence outline – Using complete sentences
as entries.
• Topic outline – Using words and phrases as
entries.
• Paragraph outline – Using paragraphs as
entries.
• BASIC OUTLINE FORM
• MAIN IDEA
o Subsidiary idea or supporting idea to I
o Subsidiary idea or supporting idea to I
• Subsidiary idea to B
• Subsidiary idea to B
o Subsidiary idea to 2
o Subsidiary idea to 2

• MAIN IDEA
Subsidiary or supporting idea to II
Subsidiary idea to II
Subsidiary idea to II
• MAIN IDEA
• EXAMPLE SENTENCE OUTLINE
• Introduction
• Current Problem: Educational attainment rates are decreasing in the United States while health care cost is increasing.
• Population/Area of Focus: Unskilled or low-skilled adult workers
• Key Terms: healthy, well-educated
• Thesis Statement: Because of their income deficit (cite sources) and general susceptibility to depression (cite sources), students who drop
out of high school before graduation maintain a higher risk for physical and mental health problems later in life.
•  
• Background
• Historical Employment Overview: Unskilled laborers in the past were frequently unionized and adequately compensated for their work
(cite sources).
o Historical Healthcare Overview: Unskilled laborers in the past were often provided adequate healthcare and benefits (cite sources).
o Current Link between Education and Employment Type: Increasingly, uneducated workers work in unskilled or low-skilled jobs (cite sources).
o Gaps in the Research: Little information exists exploring the health implications of the current conditions in low-skilled jobs.
• Major Point 1: Conditions of employment affect workers' physical health.
o Minor Point 1: Unskilled work environments are correlated highly with worker injury (cite sources).
• Minor Point 2: Unskilled work environments rarely provide healthcare or adequate injury recovery time (cite sources).
• Major Point 2: Conditions of employment affect workers' mental health
• Minor Point 1: Employment in a low-skilled position is highly correlated with dangerous levels of stress (cite sources).
o Minor Point 2: Stress is highly correlated with mental health issues (cite sources).
• Major Point 3: Physical health and mental health correlate directly with one another.
o Minor Point 1: Mental health problems and physical health problems are highly correlated (cite sources).
o Minor Point 2: Stress manifests itself in physical form (cite sources)
• Major Point 4: People with more financial worries have more stress and worse physical health.
o Minor Point 1: Many high-school dropouts face financial problems (cite sources).
• Minor Point 2: Financial problems are often correlated with unhealthy lifestyle choices such unhealthy food choices,
overconsumption/abuse of alcohol, chain smoking, abusive relationships, etc. (cite sources).
• Conclusion
• Restatement of Thesis: Students who drop out of high school are at a higher risk for both mental and physical health problems throughout
their lives.
• Next Steps: Society needs educational advocates; educators need to be aware of this situation and strive for student retention in order to
promote healthy lifestyles and warn students of the risks associated with dropping out of school.
 EXAMPLE OF TOPIC OUTLINE
• Several aspects must be considered in writing a topic outline.
• Recall that all headings and subheadings must be words or phrases, not sentences.
• Also, the wording within each division must be parallel.
• Finally, as in any outline, remember that a division or subdivision cannot be divided into one part;
therefore, if there is an
•
"A" there must be a "B," and if there is a "1" there must be a "2."
I. Family Problems
• Custodial: Non-custodial Conflicts
• Extended Family
• Adolescent's Age
II. Economic Problems
• Child Support
• Women's Job Training
• Lower Standard of Living
• Possible Relocation
o Poorer Neighborhood
o New School
III. Peer Problems
• Loss of Friends
• Relationships with Dates
Guidelines in Writing an
Outline:
• Place the title at the center above the outline.
• Every level of the outline must have at least two items (I and
II, A and B, 1 and 2).
• Put a period after each numeral and letter.
• Indent each new level of the outline.
• All items of one kind (roman numerals, capital letters, Arabic
numerals) should line up with each other.
• Capitalize the first letter of each item.
• The terms Introduction, Body, and Conclusion do not have to
be included in the outline. They are not topics; they are merely
organizational units in the writer’s mind.
 CRITIQUE
• A critique is a careful analysis of an argument to determine
what is said, how well the points are made, what assumptions
underlie the argument, what issues are overlooked, and what
implications are drawn from such observations. It is a
systematic, yet personal response and evaluation of what you
read.
• It is a genre of academic writing that briefly summarizes and
critically evaluates a work or concept.
• Critiques can be used to carefully analyze a variety of works
such as:
• Creative works – novels, exhibits, film, images, poetry
• Research – monographs, journal articles, systematic reviews,
theories
• Media – news reports, feature articles

Note: Like an essay, a critique uses a formal, academic writing

style and has a clear structure, that is, an introduction, body and
conclusion. However, the body of a critique includes a summary
of the work and a detailed evaluation. The purpose of an
evaluation is to gauge the usefulness or impact of a work in a
particular field.
 Reaction Papers, Review,
and Critiques?
• These are specialized forms of writing in which a reviewer or
reader evaluates any of the following: SCHOLARLY WORK, A
WORK OF ART, DESIGNS, GRAPHIC DESIGNS.
• Usually range in length from 25o to 750 words
• Critical assessments, analyses or evaluation of different works.
• Reviewers use both proofs and logical reasoning
• Presents an analytical response to a book or article.
 Reaction Papers, Review,
and Critiques
• These are not simply summaries
• Critique = cynicism and pessimism
• Do not rely only on mere opinions

Pessimism is the state of mind wherein a person

has the tendency to look at life negatively.

Cynicism does not believe in the sincerity of others. Instead,

it is distrustful of human nature as a whole. No matter how
honorable a man is, a cynic will always see him as someone
with only his interests in mind and therefore must not be
trusted.
 Formalism
• mainly to do with structural purposes of a particular text. It is the
study of a text without taking into account any outside influence.
• The name of the author is not important
• The time in which the author lived is not important.
• The political belief of the author is not important
• The actual reader is not important
 Common aspects looked
into in formalism:
• Intrinsic properties and treats each work as a distinct work of
art.
• The key understanding a text is through a text itself.
• Author’s techniques in resolving contradictions within the
work.
• Central passage that sums up the work
• Relationship of the form and the content
• Unity in the work
 Feminism
• the advocacy of women's rights on the basis of the equality of
the sexes.
• Feminist literary criticism recognizes that since literature both
reflects culture and shapes it, literary studies can either
perpetuate the oppression of women or help to eliminate it.
• Presents women as subjects of sociopolitical, psychological
and economic oppression
 Common aspects looked
into in feminism:
• How culture determines gender.
• How gender equality is presented in the text
• How gender issues are presented in literary works.
• How women are socially, politically, psychologically and
economically oppressed by patriarchy.
 Reader Response
Criticism
• Reviewer’s reaction as an audience of a work.
• A text does not have meaning until the reader
reads it.
 Common aspects looked
into in reader response:
• Interaction between the reader and the text in
creating meaning.
• The impact of reader’s delivery of sounds and
visuals on enhancing and changing meaning.
 Marxist Criticism
• It is the belief that literature reflects this class
struggle and materialism
• It investigates how literature can work as a force for
social change.
• Differences between economic classes and
implications of a capital system.
• Continuing conflicts between the working class and
the elite.
 Common aspects looked
into in Marxism
• Social class as represented in the work
• Social class of the characters
• Conflicts and interactions between economic
classes.
 Structure of a Reaction
Paper
• Introduction (5%)
‣Title of the book/article or work
‣Writer’s name
‣Thesis statement

• Summary (10%)
‣ Objective or Purpose
‣ Methods used (if applicable)
‣ Major findings, claims, ideas, or messages
 Structure of a Reaction
Paper
• Review/Critique (in no particular order 75%)
‣ Does the writer explicitly state his/her thesis statement.
‣ What are the assumptions
‣ What are the contributions of the work to the field where it
belongs?
‣ What problems and issues are discussed or presented in the
work?
‣ What kind of information are presented in the work?
 Structure of a Reaction
Paper
• Conclusion (10%)
‣ Overall impression of the work
‣ Scholarly or literary value of the reviewed article, book or
work.
‣ Benefits for the intended audience
‣ Suggestion for future direction of research
WHAT IS BALANCED/OBJECTIVE
REVIEW OR CRITICISM?

• It is a system of interpreting, judging, and

assessing a person, thing, or any work of art
not influenced by feelings or opinions in
considering and presenting facts. It is a
systematic way of considering the truthfulness
of a piece of work.
 TO HAVE BALANCED/OBJECTIVE
REVIEW OF ANY PIECE OF WORK, THE
FOLLOWING ARE CONSIDERED:

• Description. Pure description of the object, piece of

work, art, event, etc. It answers the questions:
o Artwork - "What do you see?" (description constitutes form of art, medium,
size and scale, elements or general shapes, color, texture of surface, and
context of object).
o Piece of writing - "What do you see?" (form, structure, choice of words, length,
genre, etc)
• Analysis. Determining what the features suggest and
deciding why the artist or writers used such features to
convey specific ideas. It answers the questions:
=> Artwork - "How did the artist do it?"
=> Piece of writing-"How did the writer write it?"

• The analysis constitutes the following:

o determination of subject matter
o analysis of the principles of design or composition
o use of symbol and other elements, portrayal of movement and how it is achieved
o effect of particular medium, relationships of each part of the composition to the
whole and to each other part
o reaction to object.

•  
• Interpretation. Establishing the broader context for this type
of art. It answers the questions:
artwork - "Why did the artist create it and what does it
mean?
piece of writing - "Why did the write create it and what
does it mean?

• Remember: you shouldn’t make your interpretation too

arbitrary! Provide evidence and point out what exactly
influenced your understanding of the artwork. Here are the
elements that you can include in your interpretation:
• The interpretation constitutes:
(a) Main idea (overall meaning of the work),
(b) Interpretive Statement (Can I express what I
think the artwork is about in one sentence),
(c) Evidence (What evidence inside or outside the
artwork supports my interpretation?).
• . Judgment. Judging a piece of work means giving it rank in
relation to other works and of course considering a very
important aspect of the visual arts; its originality. It answers
the questions “Is it a good artwork?” Is it a good composition?

Here are some points that can help you write your judgment:
• How do you think: is the work successful or not?
• Does this art object seem original or not?
• What do you feel when looking at this piece of artwork?
• Go back to your first impression. Has anything changed? What
did you learn?
• If nothing changed, explain your first reaction to the work.
• What have you learned from this work that you might apply to
your own artwork or your thinking?
In judging the piece of work, there must be:
• Criteria (What criteria do I think are most appropriate for
judging the artwork or writing?),
• Evidence (What evidence inside or outside the artwork or
piece of writing relate to each criterion?)’ and
• Judgment (Based on the criteria and evidence, what is my
judgment about the quality of the artwork or piece of
writing?).
 Painting Critique.
• Describe the way the artist applies paint. Are there broad paint
strokes, small points of color, or just a smooth surface? What
effect does it help to achieve? E.g., Van Gogh’s broad brush
strokes help to create a sense of motion.
• Describe how the light is depicted. Where does the light come
from? Is there a strong value contrast? In what way does the
shadow function? What, in your opinion, does it evoke?
E.g., strong contrast makes the central figures stand out.
• Speak about the handling of space in the picture. Does it look flat
or three-dimensional? What kind of perspective is used? (e.g.,
one-point perspective or bird’s eye view?)
E.g., in this painting, Picasso uses multi-dimensional geometrical
shapes.
 Sculpture Critique.
• Say if the material gives a particular texture to the statue. Is the surface
smooth, or is it uneven?
E.g., Rodin’s sculpture has an unusual earthy texture.
• The surrounding space is just as important as the sculpture itself. Describe
the place (in the museum, in a park, in front of a building) where it is
situated. What does it add to the sculpture?
E.g., the statue appears to walk along the road.
• Speak about the color of the sculpture. Is it painted? Does it rely on natural
lights and shadows?
E.g., the statue is white. A museum floodlight lights it from above, creating
expressive shadows.
• Describe the composition of the sculpture. What does it look like when you
approach it? Did the sculptor provide any instructions on how to position it?
E.g., the statue is enormous and can be viewed from all sides.
 Architecture Critique
You can write art critiques on architecture, too! Just bear in mind the following points:
• What architectural style does it belong to?
E.g., the cathedral is a typical Gothic building.
• Was it built with a purpose? Did a specific person request it?
E.g., the Palace of Versailles was requested by Louis IV as a symbol of his monarchy.
• Did one architect complete the building, or were there any alterations? Why were they
made?
E.g., the spire was added to the cathedral much later. It became the integral part

of its image.
• What do the exterior and the interior look like? What effect do they produce? Is there a
contrast between them?
E.g., the building has a high ceiling painted like the sky. It also makes the organ
music sound louder.
• Are there statues or paintings on the walls? Discuss them as well!
E.g., statues on the cathedral’s facade illustrate scenes from the Bible.
 Photography Critique
• Analyzing a photograph is a lot like critiquing a painting. Still,
there are some unique features to consider:
• How does the photographer use focus? Is any part of the image
blurry? What effect does it produce?
E.g., the background is out-of-focus, which has a dreamy effect.
• Is the picture monochrome? If yes, describe its tone, contrast, and
shadows. If no, describe the use of color.
E.g., the picture is in black and white, with stark contrasts.
• If it’s a photo of a face, pay extra attention to the emotion it
expresses. If it’s dynamic, discuss the sense of motion.
E.g., the photograph conveys a sense of cheerfulness through the
girl’s expression and the use of light.