EAPP Lesson 2

I. Most Essential Competency:

● Differentiates language used in academic texts from

various disciplines (CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-Ia-c-2)
I. Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:

1. Define academic writing and distinguish it from other kinds of writing;
2. differentiate language used in academic texts from various
disciplines;
3. distinguish language used in academic texts from various disciplines;
4. Reread texts and write an analysis; and
5. appreciate sample texts by analyzing the standards of academic
writing.
I. Introduction: How the English language improved or changed.

1. Old English usually refers to the period in the history of the English
language covering the years from its introduction by the Anglo-Saxon to
around 1100. In the middle of the fifth century, England was invaded by the
Germanic tribes (the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes) that are regarded as
‘the founders of the English nation” [Albert C. Baugh and Thomas Cable, A
History of the English Language (London: Routledge, 2002)]. The account of
these invasions is found in the Benedictine monk Bede’s work Ecclesiastical
History of the English People, which was completed in 731 (Baugh and cable
2002). The earliest records of the language date back to about 700.
2. Middle English covers the period from 1100 to 1450 or 1500. William of Normandy,
a French territory, conquered England in 1066. The French rule brought changes to
the English language. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle existed until 1154. By that time,
the English language had taken on new features different from the ones of Old
English.
3. Modern English covers the period 1500 to the present in the history of the English
language. The introduction of the movable printing process into England by William
Caxton in 1476 made possible the production of uniform copies of big number of
books. The increase in the number of schools, in literacy production, and in travel
and explorations brought change to the language from the time of the Renaissance
in the 1500s.
4. Anglo-Saxon is the term that came about with reference to the Teutonic
tribes that invaded England. The term is often used to refer to “the earliest
period of English” (Baugh and Cable 2002).
5. Indo-European is the term used to refer to the family of languages to
which English belongs.
6. The Celts were “the original inhabitants of the British Isles before the
arrival of the Romans” [Phillip, The Story of English (London: Quercus,
2009)].
● (Differentiate Academic Language and Social Language)
● (Define reading)
● (Why it is important?)
Reading

● is one skill that is put into good use every day. As soon as we go to the
kitchen and open the cupboard to prepare our first meal for the day, we start
reading the labels on the boxes and cans found on the shelves. We pick a
box of cereals and read the instructions written on the package. With proper
understanding of these directions, we can enjoy a hearty breakfast.
● The love of reading begins early in life; it comes with the first awareness of
beauty. The first stirrings of youth, the first pangs of heartache. Reading
involves you in experiences that appeal to the senses and to reason. It makes
you more sensitive, more compassionate, and more capable of achieving the
fullness of life.
● Moreover, reading, as an integral component, plays an active role in the
transformation of society because it is a dynamic synthesis of the spiritual,
material and historical reality of a society.
WHY WE NEED TO READ?
● When we read, we get pleasure in entering into a new world so different from
our possessed world. We get pleasure of reading and we get the pleasure of
having built our own knowledge, emotions, and imaginations stipulated, and
most importantly, we come to know man and later become one.
● Man has a dual nature: he is a dreamer of dreams and a doer of deeds. His
dreams are recorded and his accomplishments, too. History records man’s
deeds, his outward nature, but to know man well, we search deeper beyond
his history. Only when we read that we understand man’s deeds and ideals.
● The same experience awaits us when we begin to read seriously. This module
has two aspects: one, of simple enjoyment and appreciation; the other, of
analysis and description. When we read an academic text that appeals to our
senses, we discover new world, a world so different from ours. To enter and
enjoy this new world, we must learn to love reading academic texts. To
analyse and explain them is less joyous but still an important thing in this very
modern and challenging world in the first quarter of the 21st century.
Watch the video clip and be able to answer the following:
Aspect

Topic
What is the video clip about?

Purpose
What is the writer’s goal in the video?
Audience
Who is the target reader of the video?
Vocabulary
List down special vocabulary found in the video.
Grammar
List down the language features of the video.
Field/Profession
Identify the Discipline (medicine, law, journalism,
etc.)
Academic Language vs. Social Language
● Academic language and social language are not two separate languages. Social language is
the language of everyday communication in oral and written forms. When using social, or
informal language in daily conversation, it’s possible to communicate by using slang and
without using English in a grammatically correct way. You can be understood without using
articles, prepositions, sophisticated vocabulary, and pronoun reference.
● Academic language is more demanding and complex than social language. Academic
language is the language used in the classroom and workplace. Academic language is also a
part of speaking. Mastering oral academic language will allow students to participate in
academic discussions, debates and project presentations.
● When comparing social and academic language, you should look for the following differences:
 Informal Language Academic Language

repetition of words variety of words, more sophisticated

vocabulary

sentences start with “and” and “but” sentences start with transition words,
such as “however,” “moreover,” and “in
addition”

use of slang: “guy,” “cool,” and No slang

“awesome”
Academic Writing

● The term academic writing refers to the forms of

expository and argumentative prose used by university
students, faculty, and researchers to convey a body of
information about a particular subject.

● Generally, academic writing is expected to be precise,

semi-formal, impersonal, and objective.
Structure of Academic Texts
● An important feature of academic texts is that they are organized in a specific
way; they have a clear structure. This structure makes it easier for the readers
to navigate your text and understand the material better. It also makes it
easier for the writer to organize his material. The structure of an academic
text should be clear throughout the text and within each section, paragraph
and even sentence.

● Most academic texts in the sciences adhere to the model called IMRaD,
which is an acronym for introduction, methods and materials, results, and
discussion.
Features of Academic Texts

● Formal
● Analytical
● Objective
● Explicit
● Academic Disciplines
Classification of Academic Disciplines (adapted from World Heritage
Encyclopedia)
1. Humanities – includes history, language, and literature.
2. Fine Arts – includes performing arts, visual arts and applied arts
3. Social Sciences – includes economics, area studies and
archaeology
4. Natural Sciences – includes biology, chemistry, and physics
5. Mathematics – includes statistics, logic, and pure mathematics
Critical Reading [CITATION Dan17 \l 13321 ]

Elements:
1. The existence of a beginning, middle, and end
2. The use of illustrations to explicate remarks
3. The use of evidence to support remarks
4. The use of stylish language to portray topics
Facts v. Interpretation

● To Non-Critical Readers
● To Critical Readers

● What a Text Says, Does, and Means: Reaching for an

Interpretation
Non-critical reading

Three types of reading and discussion

● What a text says – restatement – talks about the same

topic as the original text
● What a text does – description – discusses aspects of the
discussion itself
● What a text means – interpretation— analyzes the text
and asserts a meaning for the text as a whole
Goals of Critical Reading

Textbooks on critical reading commonly ask students to

accomplish certain goals:
1. to recognize an author’s purpose
2. to understand tone and persuasive elements
3. to recognize bias
Inferences from Evidence Within the Text:

1. recognizing purpose involves inferring a basis for choices of content and

language
2. recognizing tone and persuasive elements involves classifying the nature of
language choices
3. recognizing bias involves classifying the nature of patterns of choice of content
and language

Critical reading is not simply close and careful reading. To read critically, one
must actively recognize and analyze evidence upon the page.
Analysis and Inference: The Tools of Critical Reading

●
The first part —what to look for— involves recognizing those aspects
of a discussion that control the meaning.
● The second part —how to think about what you find— involves the
processes of inference, the interpretation of data from within the text.

● Critical reading thus relies on an examination of those choices that

any and all authors must make when framing a presentation: choices of
content, language, and structure. Readers examine each of the three
areas of choice, and consider their effect on the meaning.
 Beowulf
Instructions: How then do you distinguish language used in academic texts from various disciplines? Below is a table that will help
you answer this question. Reread the two texts (A and B) and fill out this table based on your analysis of the texts.
Text A Text B

What is the text about? (subject/focus)

What is the writer’s goal in writing the text?

(purpose)

Who is the target reader of the text?

(audience)

What is the point of view used in the text?

(first person, second person, third person)

How much does the writer know of the

subject? (writer’s knowledge)

How did the writer organize the text? (style)

Did the writer write in a formal or informal

Explain the following questions.

1. How did the English language change?

2. Complete the following statements:

a. Academic writing is a …
b. Academic writing considers...
c. Academic writing is backed up/supported with...
d. Academic writing addresses specific…

3. How do you differentiate the language used in academic texts?

Multiple Choice: Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of paper.

1. The founders of the English nation are _____ A. the Angels B. the Saxons C. the Jutes D. all of these
2. It is a process that starts with posing a question, problematizing a concept, evaluating an opinion, and
ends in answering the question. A. Academic Writing B. Publishing C. Prewriting D. Revising
3. Which of the following is the subject of the paragraph? A. collect B. speaking C. writing D. words A. He
must collect words as enthusiastically as others collect coins or paintings. B. A student of speaking and
writing must put a high premium on words. C. He must also remember that “a man whose diction is
constantly becoming more varied and more exact is, beyond question, a man whose mind is improving”.
D. He must scrutinize the speech and the writings of reputable speakers and writers remembering, of
course, that “a large vocabulary is valuable only in so far as it makes for effective speech and writing”.
4. Refer to the choices above. What is the topic sentence of the paragraph? A. A B. B C. C D. D
5. How will you arrange the given four lettered sentences above into a well-woven paragraph? A. BCDA
B. BDAC C. BACD D. BADC