Quarter 1 - Module 1 Reading and Writing Academic Text

 Academic texts
 written by professionals in a given field.
 edited by the authors' peers and often take years to publish.
 formal mode of writing intended for an educated audience.
 written in a third person or objective voice.
 depend heavily on facts.
 purpose: inform the reader.
 include concepts and theories that are related to the specific discipline they explore.
Examples:
A. Articles- offers results of research & development that can either impact the
academic community or provide relevance to nation-building.
B. Conference paper presented in scholastic conferences, and may be revised as
articles for possible publication in scholarly journals.
C. Reviews- These provide evaluation or reviews of works.
D. Dissertation and Thesis - These are written to obtaining an advanced degree at a
college or university.
E. Abstract - This is a short summary of a long document.
F. Explication - This is a work which explains part of a particular work.
G. Books and book reports
H. Translations
I. Essays
J. Academic journal
K. Research paper or research article
 Non-Academic texts
 and can be written by anyone. (No specialization is needed)
 published quickly
 uses casual, informal language (These texts may also use slang) and written for the
mass public.
 more personal and based on opinions or one's point-of-view (non-objective)
 rely more heavily on emotional appeal or opinions of the author
 purpose: entertain its audience or to persuade the reader
Examples
A. Personal Opinions
B. Letters to editors
C. Memos
D. Magazines
E. Fiction or Non-fiction
F. Writing for Newspapers
G. Digital Media

Quarter 1 - Module 2 Structure of Academic Texts

THE THREE-PART ESSAY STRUCTURES- (Introduction, Body and Conclusion)
 Introduction
 Introduce your topic.  Describe how you will fulfill the
 Place your topic in a context. aim.
 Provide background information.  Provide a thesis statement or
 Point out the aim of the text. research question.
 Suggest what your findings are.
  Explain why your topic is  Catch your reader’s interest.
interesting, necessary or  Provide the context/background
important. of the argument.
 Give the reader a guide to the  It is also the where the topic can
text. be found.
 Title
 before the Introduction
 words but not sentences that present what the text is all about
 Thesis Statement
 presents or describes the point of an essay.
 usually presented in the abstract or executive summary or found at the last part of the
introduction.
 Body (Body Paragraphs)
 main section of your text
 longest
 may be divided into subsections
 contains the whole information, examples, and main points of the whole essay
 it can be found at the middle.
 most substantial part of the text
 where the research or findings are presented, discussed, and analyzed.
 where you present your arguments that support your thesis or answer your question
 Paragraph
 is a collection of sentences that deals with one topic or idea.
 When a new paragraph begins, it signals to the reader that the focus shifts to a new
idea or thought.
 all paragraphs should connect to the main topic.
 Topic Sentences
 present or describe the point of the paragraph
 it is the main idea of a paragraph
 can be located in the beginning, middle, or last part of a paragraph. (most often near
the beginning of the paragraph)
 Supporting Details
 provide information to clarify
 prove or explain the main idea
 it gives each paragraph explanation and provides examples.
 Conclusion
 last part of an article that provides it a logical ending.
 should return to the thesis or problem that you presented in the introduction.
 do not just a repetition of what you have already written
 shows your reader how what you have written sheds new light on the problem
presented at the beginning
 evaluates and explain whether or not you have reached the aim or solved the problem
presented in the introduction, and how.
 no new material should be introduced but suggest topics for further studies.
 allows the writer to give his final message and encouragement to his readers.

Quarter 1 - Module 3 Techniques in Summarizing a Variety of Academic Texts

Techniques In Summary Writing
 PARAPHRASING
 to completely and correctly express other people’s ideas in one’s own words.
 It helps us understand the original better.
  It helps us grasp the central idea and the main points
 It helps us write summaries that are brief and to the point and in our own words.
Example:
You’ve cooked us all a hot potato. (a troublesome person or issue)
Prevention is better than cure. (It is better to prevent than something unpleasant from
happening than try to put it right afterwards)
 GROUPING THE CENTRAL IDEA
 WAYS OF CONDENSATION
 Use synonyms or synonymous phrase: He had a good command of English. (He knew
English well.)
 Change the structure of simple sentences: My brother has an appreciation of modern
art. (My brother appreciates modern art.)
 Turn complex sentences into simple sentences: He received a welcome that was as
cold as ice. (He received an icy welcome.)
 Combine the sentences: Hurry up, if you don’t, or you’ll miss the train. (Hurry up or
you’ll miss the train.)
 FINDING THE TOPIC SENTENCE AND MAKING ON OUTLINE
 Topic sentence/outline
 Reread your text until you fully understand it.
 Write a one sentence restatement of the text’s main idea without looking at the text.
 Use the text’s main idea as your summary’s topic sentences.
 Write the summary in your own words. Avoid looking at your text while writing your
summary.
 If you must include some of the text’s original words and phrases, quote and
paraphrase accurately.
 Document the text’s author, title date of publication and any other important citation
information. REMEMBER: All you are giving the reader is the “BARE BONES” of
the text!”

Quarter 1 - Module 4 Thesis Statement of Academic Texts

 Thesis Statement
 one sentence that establishes the focus of your essay.
 should always appear at the end of your introduction
 should be restated (worded in a new way) in your conclusion.
A Strong Thesis Statement:
 takes some sort of stand.
 justifies discussion.
 expresses one main idea.
 Specific
Why Should Your Essay Contain a Thesis Statement?
 to test your ideas by distilling them into a sentence or two
 to better organize and develop your argument.
 to provide your reader with a “guide” to your argument
A good thesis statement will usually include the following four attributes:
 take on a subject upon which reasonable people could disagree.
 deal with a subject that can be adequately treated given the nature of the assignment.
 express one main idea
  assert your conclusions about a subject.
CATEGORIES OF THESIS STATEMENT: INFORMATIVE AND PERSUASIVE
 Informative Thesis
 declare one’s intentions in an essay.
 guide the reader to the conclusion that you reach.
 Persuasive Thesis
 usually contains an opinion and the reason why your opinion is true.

Quarter 1 - Module 5 Outlining Reading Texts in Various Discipline

SCOPE:
A. OUTLINE
a. Topic outline- words or phrases
b. Sentence Outline- sentences

a. Informal Outlines - working outline (or scratch outline or informal outline) is a private
affair— fluid, subject to constant revision, made without attention to form, and destined
for the wastebasket.
b. Formal Outlines

a. Reading Outline- Making an outline for an existing text

b. Writing Outline- Making an outline to create your text.

Quarter 1 – Module 6 Writing the Reaction Paper/Review/Critique

 Critique- a somewhat formal word that typically refers to a careful judgment in which
someone gives an opinion about something.
 Review- an essay analyzing a literary or artistic work but can also sometimes imply a
more casual or personal opinion.
 Criticism- "the act of criticizing" or a "remark or comment that expresses disapproval," or
the activity of making judgments about the qualities of books, movies, etc. (as in "literary
criticism").
 Critical writing
 a clear and confident refusal to accept the conclusions of other writers without
evaluating the arguments and evidence that they provide.
 a balanced presentation of reasons why the conclusions of other writers may be
accepted or may need to be treated with caution.
 a clear presentation of your own evidence and argument, leading to your conclusion.
 a recognition of the limitations in your own evidence, argument, and conclusion.
CRITICAL WRITING AS A CRITIQUE (FORMALISM & FEMINISM)
 Formalism
 focus on literary elements such as plot, character, setting, diction, imagery, structure,
and point of view.
 t how the structure or form and style of a text or literary genre is consistent with the
literary superstructure constructed and objectives to be achieved with it
TWO PILLARS OF FORMALIST CRITICISM
1. “that a literary work exists independent of any particular reader-that is, that a literary
work exists outside of any reader’s re-creation of it in the act of reading.
2. that the greatest literary works are “universal”, their wholeness and aesthetic harmony
transcending the specific particularities they describe” (DiYanni 1961).
ANALYZING A TEXT THROUGH THE FORMALIST PERSPECTIVE
 The primary method of formalism is a close reading of the text, with an emphasis on
metaphor/simile/irony or the patterns of image and action.
 In longer works, formal analysis should focus on close reading of key passages
(opening and closing passages of a novel, or a climactic moment in the action)
 One consistent feature of formalist criticism is the emphasis on tension and ambiguity
• Tension- the way elements of a text’s language reflect conflict and opposition.
• Ambiguity- the way texts remain open to more than a single, unifies, definitive
interpretation.

 Feminist criticism
 concern with stereotypical representations of genders.
 may trace the history of relatively unknown or undervalued women writers,
potentially earning them their rightful place within the literary canon.
 helps create a climate in which women's creativity may be fully realized and
appreciated.
COMMON SPACE IN FEMINIST THEORIES
1. Women are oppressed by patriarchy economically, politically, socially, and
psychologically; patriarchal ideology is the primary means by which women are
oppressed.
2. In every domain where patriarchy reigns, woman is other: she is marginalized, defined
only by her difference from male norms and values.
3. All of Western (Anglo-European) civilization is deeply rooted in patriarchal ideology, for
example, in the Biblical portrayal of Eve as the origin of sin and death in the world.
4. While biology determines our sex (male or female), culture determines our gender (scales
of masculine and feminine).
5. All feminist activity, including feminist theory and literary criticism, has as its ultimate
goal to change the world by prompting gender equality.
6. Gender issues play a part in every aspect of human production and experience, including
the production and experience of literature, whether we are consciously aware of these
issues or not.