EAPP Quarter 1

Pointers to review
Lesson 1 Academic Text and Academic Writing
What is language?
Language is crucial for communication. It is being used as part of our everyday lives.
You must use it at home, in school and in the future, your workplace. For each of these,
the language that we use varies. This means the way we communicate at home and at
school requires us to choose words that are appropriate.
What is Academic Text?
Academic text is an example of a text produced for academic purposes. Students do
this to meet the standard which the senior high school or college curriculum may require
to develop students’ strong command of the language set in an academic context.
What is Academic Writing?
Saquita & Uychoco (2016) defined academic writing as “a process that starts with
posing a question, problematizing a concept, evaluating and opinion, and ends in
answering the questions or question posed clarifying the problem, and/or arguing for a
stand”. It has to be noted that not all writing can be considered academic writing as their
features do not subscribe to the criteria of academic writing.
What are examples of Academic Writing?
Examples of Academic Texts include essay, concept paper, reaction paper, reflection
paper, position paper, education reports and research paper.
The following are the different considerations when doing academic writing:
a. ROLE – refers to who you are as a writer; Example is the role of the writer in Text A
(writing a letter to a friend) is different from the role of the writer in Text B (delivering a
formal speech)
b. AUDIENCE – refers to the intended reader for one’s piece of writing.
c. PURPOSE – refers to the reason a piece of writing is produced; these purposes may
include informing, persuading, or arguing for something.
d. FORMAT – refers to the form most appropriate for one’s piece of writing; one’s shape
this purpose for writing and intended writing.
What are the different Academic Writing Conventions?
ACADEMIC WRITING IS FORMAL – this refers to how we use a different phraseology
or words that we carefully chose to suit a particular idea or concept. This means not
writing immediately the first thing that comes to mind and avoiding a conversational tone
in writing. The following example will point this difference.
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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
INFORMAL - If users know how search engines work, they can deal better with them.
FORMAL - An understanding of the fundamental operations of the search engine will
provide improve user interface.
ACADEMIC WRITING IS IMPERSONAL
This refers to wording and expression that conveys a sense of non – familiarity and
objectivity. In other words, it’s how we maintain a certain distance between the reader
and the writer the way we implement social distancing during this pandemic. That way,
we communicate a sense of detachment making it impersonal.
This example is given:
PERSONAL - If you don’t know to navigate through an e-commerce site, you will waste
a lot of time.
IMPERSONAL - Navigating through an e-commerce site can be time consuming for
those who may be unfamiliar with the process.
ACADEMIC WRITING IS STRUCTURED
This refers to certain structural elements that set academic writing apart from others.
These two can be given as examples:
Avoiding Nominalization – nominalization is replacing an action word with a noun
counterpart that makes the sentence less active like:
Do this – The economy did not perform well.
Not this – The performance of the economy was miserable ∙
ACADEMIC WRITING IS STRUCTURED
Avoiding Passive Voice – the passive voice allows the doer of the action to be relegated
to the background.
Do this – The company can use the cost savings to add value to their products. Active
Voice
The product used the cost savings to add value by the company.
Not this – The cost savings can be used to add value to a company’s product.
ACADEMIC WRITING USES HEDGED LANGUAGE
This refers to the use of cautious language in order not to sound condescending or too
proud about a certain claim. Academic writing that uses hedged language allows for an

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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
objective and impersonal language and thus may provide greater interaction with the
readers.
WITHOUT HEDGED LANGUAGE: A repeat of terrorist attacks, as massive as 9/11, is
just a matter of time.
WITH HEDGED LANGUAGE: It is possible that the threat of terrorism is more serious
than ever before, and that a massive attack like September 11, may be just a matter of
time.

Lesson 2: Text Structure

What is text structure?
Text structure refers to how the information within a written text is organized.
This strategy helps you understand that a text might present a main idea and details; a
cause and then its effects; and/or different views of a topic, among others.
Knowing to recognize common text structures can help you monitor your
comprehension.
Academic Text Structure
3 Part Essay Structure- This is the basis of all formal writing.
1. Introduction- states the issue or topic, reason or purpose, and structure or the way
the writer wants the readers to get the information of the paper.
2. Body Paragraph-elaboration or explanation of the topic. It is in the body that
comprehensive discussion of the topic is done by citing evidence that support the
writer’s perspectives on the topic being discussed through examples, definitions, etc.
3. Conclusion-summary of the ideas presented in the paper and explains briefly how
these ideas are connected to one another. This connection of ideas is known as the
general statement.
What are the different types of text structures?
There are five (5) text structures: these are description, cause and effect, comparison
and contrast, sequence or order, and problem – solution.
 Description- Vivid and sensory details are used to create a clear mental image
or sensory experience for the reader.

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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
Example: A travelogue describing a bustling marketplace with colorful
stalls, fragrant spices, and the sound of vendors haggling.
 Problem and Solution- A problem is presented, followed by potential solutions
or strategies to address it.

Example: Problem: High unemployment rates / Solution: Government job

training programs and incentives for businesses to hire.
 Cause and Effect- This structure explores the relationship between causes
(why something happens) and effects (what happens as a result).

Example: Pollution in rivers leads to a decline in aquatic life. (Cause:

Pollution / Effect: Decline in aquatic life)
 Compare and Contrast- Similarities and differences between two or more
subjects are highlighted to help readers understand their relationships.

Example: Contrasting the advantages and disadvantages of online

education versus traditional classroom learning.
 Chronological Order- Information is presented in the order in which events
happened, typically from past to present or in a time sequence.

Example: A history textbook describing the American Revolutionary War,

starting with the causes, then detailing major battles, and ending with the
Treaty of Paris.

Lesson 3: Techniques in Summarizing Variety of Academic Text

Summarizing
1. Summarizing is a skill that you need to possess as learners of academic
writing.
2. Aside from the fact that summarizing improves one’s memory of a reading
text, it also helps a lot in identifying relevant information and integrating
essential ideas in making meaningful write ups.
3. As an important skill in critical reading, summarizing is often used to
determine the essential ideas in a book chapter, an article.
4. These essential ideas include the gist or main idea, useful information, or key
words or phrases that help you meet your reading purpose.

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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
5. Summarizing is done after reading. However, it can be done as well while
reading a text.
Summarizing is an important skill because it helps you deepen your understanding
of the text.
 you Learn to identify relevant information or key ideas.
 Combine details or examples that support the main ideas/s.
 you Concentrate on the gist or main idea and key words presented in the text.
 and capture the key ideas in the text and put them together clearly and
concisely.
When summarizing a piece of text or content, several key factors and considerations
should be considered to ensure an effective and accurate summary:

1. Identify the Main Idea: Understand the primary message or central theme of the
original material. This is the core concept around which your summary will
revolve.
2. Determine Key Points: Identify the most important supporting details, arguments,
examples, or evidence that contribute to the main idea. Focus on the information
that is essential for understanding the subject matter.
3. Omit Unnecessary Details: Avoid including minor or extraneous information,
anecdotes, or tangential points that do not significantly contribute to the main
message. Summaries should be concise.
4. Paraphrase and Simplify: Use your own words to rephrase the original content
while retaining its meaning and context. Summaries should be clear and easy to
understand.
5. Maintain Accuracy: Ensure that the summary accurately represents the author's
intentions and does not distort or misrepresent the original material.
6. Retain the Structure: Try to maintain the logical structure of the original content,
including the order of key points and their relationships. This helps maintain
coherence in the summary.
7. Highlight Key Quotes: If there are particularly impactful or essential quotes within
the original material, consider including them in the summary to capture the
author's voice or style.

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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
8. Be Objective: Present the information in an unbiased and neutral manner. Avoid
injecting personal opinions or interpretations into the summary.
9. Pay Attention to Length: Summaries can vary in length depending on the context
and purpose. Some summaries may need to be very short, while others may be
more extensive. Adhere to any length requirements if applicable.
10. Consider the Audience: Think about who will be reading or consuming the
summary. Tailor the summary to the needs and interests of the intended
audience.
11. Proofread and Edit: Review your summary for clarity, accuracy, and grammar.
Ensure that it effectively conveys the main points of the original content.
12. Cite Sources: If you're summarizing someone else's work, make sure to provide
proper citations or attribution to give credit to the original author or source.

Lesson 4: Writing Thesis Statement

What is a thesis statement?
 A thesis statement is a sentence used in an essay that serves as the guide for
the essay and directly answers the question or task asked of you.
 An essay must have a main point, main idea or central message.
 There are other specific arguments in it, and they should support or reflect the
main idea, and such main point or central message is the thesis.
Remember
A thesis statement is simply a factual statement nor is not just a topic sentence. It must
be noted that the thesis statement is also considered the main idea.
What are the characteristics of a thesis statement?
a. It addresses the prompt clearly.
b. b. It makes a claim or presents an argument.
c. c. It may be arguable if the thesis an opinion.
5 Groups of Never-Use Words: Personal pronouns – I, you, we
Uncertainty qualifiers – might perhaps
Extremism symptoms – everything, all, none, always, never
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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
Vague formulations – some, kind of, somewhat
Obvious exaggerations – lifesaving, best of the best

6 Groups of Must-Use Words:

• Sources of information: studies reveal, research shows.
• Realistic views: many, significant, most
• Characteristics: primarily, frequently
• Clear explanations: because, thus, for, due to, since
• Relationships: impact, influence, tendency, contribute to
• Active verbs: demonstrate, illustrate, identify, elucidate, present, inform.
Lesson 5: Outlining Reading Texts
What is outlining?
 It is the process of organizing one’s ideas in a logical way. In writing, it helps the
writer what to include and not to include.
 An outline helps a reader understand the topic by looking at the organization of
the details in the passage. Readers can use outlining when breaking down the
information in reading.
 An outline is a design to follow when writing a structure, a discourse, or an article. It
arranges a material in a logical way into main ideas, supporting ideas, and
supporting details.
 The main idea or topic is the main topic of the outline. All main topics are
indicated by Roman Numeral. Subtopics are noted by letters and supporting details
are indicated by Arabic Numerals.
 An outline can be a sentence outline or topic outline. A sentence outline is
written in full sentence while a topic outline is in words or phrases.

What are the general principles in outlining?

Parallelism - Nouns should be made parallel with nouns, verbs with verbs; This will
enable the reader to recognize similarity and function. This will enable the outline to be
expressed in parallel sentence structure.
Example:

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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth
What are the general principles in outlining?
2. Coordination - Items of equal significance in the same category or label.
Headings = using Roman Numerals
Subheadings = Arabic Letters
I. Definition of Communication
II. Functions of Communication
III. Forms of Communication
Oral
Written
What are the general principles in outlining?
3. Subordination – Though its most important and least important details.
Writer should distinguish major and minor components of the outline.
What are the general principles in outlining?
4. Division - Basic rule is to have two or more parts and this division should be based
on rank/level/category.
Example:
I. Preparing for a Test
A. Review the lessons
B. Take down notes
C. Sleep early
D. Have a good breakfast.
II. Taking the Test
A. Concentrate
B. Read the questions.
C. Answer the test

What are the general rules when writing an outline?

Prepared by:
ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
1. Follow this format:
MAIN TOPICS = ROMAN NUMERALS (I, II, III) Sub – topics = CAPITAL LETTERS
(A,B,C)
Details under capital letters = Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3)
Details under Arabic numbers are shown by small letters (a, b, c) Details under small
letters = ((1), (2), (3))
Details under Arabic numbers in parentheses (a) (b)
What are the general rules when writing an outline?
1. First letter must be capitalized.
2. Any point must have at least two (2) sub points
3. Use either the sentence or phrase (topic/words) for each point.
4. Be consistent.

Guidelines in Writing an Outline:

1. Place the title at the center above the outline.

2. Every level of the outline must have at least two items (I and II, A and B, 1 and 2). 3.
Put a period after each numeral and letter.
3. Indent each new level of the outline.
4. All items of one kind (roman numerals, capital letters, Arabic numerals) should lineup
with each other.
5. Capitalize the first letter of each item.
6. 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.

Example
Benjamin Franklin – Scientist and Inventor
I. Experiments with Electricity
A. Studied nature of Electricity.
B. Discovered Lightning Equals Electricity
C. Invented Lightning Rod
II. Other Scientific Work
A. Inventions
1. Bifocal Glasses
2. Franklin Stove
3. Daylight Saving Time
B. Scientific Studies
1. Charted Gulf Stream
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MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
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2. Worked on Soil Improvement
III. Importance as a Scientist
A. Scientific Honors
B. Writing Translated into Other Languages
C. Experts’ Comments
Lesson 6: Writing Critique Paper
What is critiquing?
1. Critiquing is a systematic way of highlighting weakness and strengths and
weaknesses and its applicability to practice. Experts affirm that almost every
reader can identify the strengths and weaknesses of a masterpiece.
2. Why writes a critique?
3. A critique is an exercise in judging the value of a piece of writing or research.
4. It is also a way of improving your own skills by looking at the way other writers
and researchers work.
5. It is a valuable exercise in the careful reading of text that will increase your
understanding of a particular subject.
What are the functions of being a critic?
1. to introduce the author/work
2. ignite interest on a neglected work
3. show relationship between ages and cultures
4. contribute to better understanding of a work
5. make a study on art and its "making"
6. introduce the relationship of art and life

Read about the critical approaches. You can highlight some important ideas. You
can use these in expressing your views.

1. Formalist Criticism

This approach regards literature as “a unique form of human knowledge that

needs to be examined on its own terms.” All the elements necessary for
understanding the work are contained within the work itself. Of particular interest to the
formalist critic are the elements of form—style, structure, tone, imagery, etc.— that are
found within the text. A primary goal for formalist critics is to determine how such
elements work together with the text’s content to shape its effects upon readers.

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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
2. Gender Criticism

This approach “examines how sexual identity influences the creation and
reception of literary works.” Originally an offshoot of feminist movements, gender
criticism today includes a number of approaches, including the so-called “masculinist”
approach recently advocated by poet Robert Bly. The bulk of gender criticism, however,
is feminist and takes as a central precept that the patriarchal attitudes that have
dominated western thought have resulted, consciously or unconsciously, in literature “full
of unexamined ‘male-produced’ assumptions.” Feminist criticism attempts to correct this
imbalance by analyzing and combatting such attitudes—by questioning, for example, why
none of the characters in Shakespeare’s play Othello ever challenge the right of a
husband to murder a wife accused of adultery. Other goals of feminist critics include
“analyzing how sexual identity influences the reader of a text” and “examining how the
images of men and women in imaginative literature reflect or reject the social forces that
have historically kept the sexes from achieving total equality.”

3. Historical Criticism

This approach “seeks to understand a literary work by investigating the social,

cultural, and intellectual context that produced it—a context that necessarily includes the
artist’s biography and milieu.” A key goal for historical critics is to understand the effect of
a literary work upon its original readers.

4. Reader-Response Criticism

This approach takes as a fundamental tenet that “literature” exists not as an

artifact upon a printed page but as a transaction between the physical text and the
mind of a reader. It attempts “to describe what happens in the reader’s mind
while interpreting a text” and reflects that reading, like writing, is a creative process.

5. Media Criticism

It is the act of closely examining and judging the media. When we examine
the media and various media stories, we often find instances of media bias. Media bias is
the perception that the media is reporting the news in a partial or prejudiced manner.
Media bias occurs when the media seems to push a specific viewpoint, rather than
reporting the news objectively. Keep in mind that media bias also occurs when the media
seems to ignore an important aspect of the story. This is the case in the news story about
the puppies.

6. Marxist Criticism

It focuses on the economic and political elements of art, often emphasizing the
ideological content of literature; because Marxist criticism often argues that all art is
political, either challenging or endorsing (by silence) the status quo, it is frequently
evaluative and judgmental, a tendency that “can lead to reductive judgment, as when
Soviet critics rated Jack London better than William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Edith
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MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
Wharton, and Henry James, because he illustrated the principles of class struggle more
clearly.” Nonetheless, Marxist criticism “can illuminate political and economic dimensions
of literature other approaches overlook.”

7. Structuralism

It focused on how human behavior is determined by social, cultural and

psychological structures. It tended to offer a single unified approach to human life that
would embrace all disciplines. The essence of structuralism is the belief that “things
cannot be understood in isolation, they have to be seen in the context of larger structures
which contain them. For example, the structuralist analysis of Donne’s poem, Good
Morrow, demands more focus on the relevant genre, the concept of courtly love, rather
than on the close reading of the formal elements of the text.

Reaction Paper
A form of paper writing in which the writer expresses his ideas and opinions about
what has been read or seen. Reaction paper is evaluated due to the writer's
communication skills and only then due the unique ideas and the content. This paper
writing may be informal, two pages long. As all essays, a reaction paper comprises
introduction, body, and conclusion. In introduction the writers state the main premise, in a
body he expresses his ideas and in conclusion summarizes the results. The reaction
paper is not a summary of the article although information should be included.
You may be asked to write a reaction paper indirectly, and you must get the
intention of the examiner fast. A good example is that you may be asked to give a critique
about a certain subject, and this would constitute a reaction paper, or to write a review
about a literature book; it also falls into the same group.
Even though you are writing about your reactions, thoughts and impressions, you
still need to follow an appropriate structure. So, make sure to:
• Read the material carefully
Whether it is a book, article, or a film, make sure to read or watch it very carefully.
Sometimes, you will need to repeat this procedure for a couple of times.
• Mark interesting places while reading/watching
This will help you focus on the aspects that impressed you the most and come
back to them after you are done with reading or watching.
• Write down your thought while reading/watching
Doing so, you will not forget any important ideas that came to your head. •
Produce a thesis statement

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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd
EAPP Quarter 1
Pointers to review
Use your notes to formulate a central idea you will develop in your further work.
Then put it in one sentence and make it your thesis statement.
• Compose an outline
Every time you author an academic paper, you need to make an outline. Try at
least once and you will see how helpful an outline could be!
• Construct your paper
Only when all the preparations are done, start authoring a paper itself.
The first part of your paper should contain information on the author and the topic.
You need to write down the main ideas and highlight the main points of the paper. You
can use direct quotations if needed. Avoid your opinion in this section. The second part
should contain your personal thoughts on the subject. Focus on a main problem or
address all of them and describe your opinion. Explain how the material can relate to the
modern world, to the society or separate individuals. Back your statements with sources
if needed and make conclusions whether you support the author or not.

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ALLEN P. ALCASID, LPT,
MAEd