Unit Topic 1:

Reading Academic Texts

Learning Competencies:
1. determines the structure of a specific academic text
2. differentiates language used in academic texts from various
disciplines
3. explains the specific ideas contained in various academic texts
4. uses knowledge of text structure to glean the information he/she
needs
5. uses various techniques in summarizing a variety of academic
texts
6. states the thesis statement of an academic text
7. paraphrases/ explains a text using one’s own words
8. outlines reading texts in various disciplines
9. summarizes the content of an academic text
10.writes a précis/abstract/summary of texts in the various
disciplines

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students must have:
a. determined the language and structure used in academic texts
from various disciplines;
b. composed a written output using the three various ways of
incorporating other writers’ work into one’s own writing; and
c. internalized the importance of academic texts through maximizing
the use of the writing techniques in gathering factual information.
Motivational Activity: “Ponder!”
Instructions: Read each question and write your answers on the blank
provided.

1. How many times have you been asked to write a narrative about your
summer vacation or your Christmas vacation?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
____________________

2. How many times have you been assigned to do

a book review or a reaction paper? Poems? Skits? Letters? Etc.?
 3. Have you pondered on the differences of the various writing
assignments that you have done?
______________________________________________________________
_________
 Lesson 1:
Nature of Academic Text

Academic writing is a process that starts with posing

question, problematizing a concept, evaluating an opinion, and ends in
answering the question or questions posed, clarifying problem,
and/or arguing for a stand. Just like other kinds of writing, academic writing
has a specific purpose, which is to inform, to argue a specific point, and to
persuade.

Academic texts are written with profound thinking; you cannot just write
anything that comes to your mind. You have to abide by the set of rules and
practices in writing. You have to write in a language that is appropriate and
formal but not too pretentious. You also have to consider the knowledge and
background of your audience. You have to make sure that you can back up
your statement with a strong and valid evidence. Writing academic papers
requires deliberate, thorough, and careful thought and that is why it involves
research.

Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyTLosz6aHA

Basic Structure of Academic Text

1. Introduction

Your introduction should include the following points (be aware

that not all points may be relevant for your project):

A. Introduce your topic

B. Place your topic in a context
C. Provide background information
D. Point out the aim of the text
E. Describe how you will fulfil the aim
F. Provide a thesis statement or research question
G. Suggest what your findings are
H. Explain why your topic is interesting, necessary or important
I. Give the reader a guide to the text

J. Catch your reader’s interest

The statements you make in the introduction are to be developed in
the body of the text and returned to in the conclusion.

You may write the introduction at the beginning or at the end of the writing
process. If you write it early in the process it can serve as a guide to your own
writing, but be aware that you most likely will have to go back to it and edit it
as the writing progresses.

2. Body

This is the main section of your text and it should also be the longest.
Depending on the length of the text, the body may be divided into
subsections. If your text is divided into subsections, remember to briefly
introduce each section. For longer works you may also need to conclude
sections.
The body of the text is where you as a writer and researcher are the
most active. It is the most substantial part of the text; this is where
the research or findings are presented, discussed and analyzed. This is also
where you present your arguments that support your thesis or answer your
question. The structure and contents of this main part may differ depending
on your discipline.

3. Conclusion
In the conclusion you should return to the thesis or problem that you
presented in the introduction. But be careful to not merely repeat what you
wrote in the introduction; instead, show your reader how what you have
written sheds new light on the problem presented at the beginning. For
longer works a brief summary of your findings may be in place, but this
should not be necessary for shorter texts. Be careful that your conclusion is
not just a repetition of what you have already written. In your
conclusion, you may also evaluate 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
in the conclusion, but it is quite common to suggest
topics for further studies.
4. Reference
It is the list of the sources used in the study being written, so readers
can easily find what you've cited. This can be found in the last part of the
paper.

Click the link for more information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5bbHTQMrho

Common Examples of Academic Text:

• Text Books
• Essays
• Dissertations and Thesis
• Reports
• Research Articles
• Case Studies

Watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E02ynJhVtFg

Non-academic writing refers to writing that is informal and intended
for a lay audience, often without research or sources involved. It is the
opposite of academic text. The author's name may not be given, or if it is,
there may be no indications of the credentials the author has. Often, the
author is not an expert in a field but has interviewed people who are.

Credibility of non-academic texts is not totally perfect. Many informational

websites, including Wikipedia, can be edited by users, so you have no
guarantee that the last person who edited the article was knowledgeable
about the subject.

Examples of Non-Academic Writing

• Letters
• Blogs Posts
• Newspapers
• Magazines
• Fictions
Activity 1:” Popplet: Mind Mapping Task” (August 24, 2021)
Instructions: Read the article about the impact of COVID-19 on
people’s livelihoods, their health and our food systems. Then, using the
“Popplet” app, create a diagram that shows the structure of the text you just
read.

Example diagram:
Activity 2: “Give What You Can Take!” (August 25, 2021)
Instructions: Each one of the students must prepare one academic and one
non-academic excerpt. Their names will be randomly called and they will let
his/her classmates guess what type of text he/she shared in class.

Activity 3: “Writing Activity” (August 25-27, 2021)

Instructions: Make a three-paragraph essay (minimum of 5 sentences for
each paragraph) about the topic below considering the structure of an
academic text. Refer to the rubrics attached below to be guided on how your
paper will be graded.

TOPIC: Can money buy you happiness?

 Lesson 2:
Reading Text Critically

What is critical reading?

Critical reading involves scrutinizing any information that you read or hear.
Critical reading means not easily believing information offered to you by a
text. ”Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted;
nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider” as Francis Bacon
stated The Essays.

Critical reading is an active process of discovery because when you read

critically, you are not just receiving information but also making an interaction
with the writer. The interaction happens when you question the writer’s claim
and assertions and when you comment on the writer’s ideas.
Ramage, Bean, and Johnson (2006) identified the following
requirements in critical thinking:
• The ability to pose problematic questions
• The ability to analyze a problem in all its dimensions – to define its key
terms, determine its causes, understand its history, appreciate its
human dimension and its connection to one’s own personal experience,
and appreciate what makes it problematic or complex
• The ability to find, gather, and interpret data, facts, and other
information relevant to the problem
• The ability to analyze completing approaches and answers, to construct
arguments for and against alternatives, and to choose the best solution
in the light of values, objectives, and other criteria that you determine
and articulate
• The ability to write an effective argument justifying your choice while
acknowledging counter-arguments.
React to these!

➢ Female teenagers are more concerned with their physical

appearance than male teenagers.

➢ Girls most likely do well in academic than boys.

➢ Walking is best than the rest of the exercises.

How is it done?

There are some suggested ways to help you become a critical reader:

1. Annotate what you read. One of the ways to interact with the
Writer is to write on the text. You can underline, circle, or highlight
words, phrases, or sentences that contain important details, or you can
write marginal notes asking questions or commenting on the ideas of
the writer. There are no clear and definite guidelines to annotating a
text; you can create your own style. For instance, you can circle
unfamiliar words or underline ideas that you think are questionable.
You can use the sample annotated essay below as your guide.
Example:
2. Outline the text. In order to fully engage in a dialogue with the
text or with the writer of the text, you need to identify the main
points of the writer and list them down so you can also identify the
ideas that the writer has raised to support his/her stand. You don’t
necessarily have to write a structured sentence or topic outline for this
purpose; you can just write in bullet or in numbers.
Example:
3. Summarize the text. Aside from outlining, you can also get the
main points of the text you are reading and write the gist in
your own words. This will test how much you have understood the text
and will help you evaluate it critically. A summary is usually one
paragraph long.
 4. Evaluate the text. The most challenging part in critical reading
is the process of evaluating what you are reading. This is the
point where the other three techniques—annotating, outlining,
summarizing—will be helpful. When you evaluate a text, you question
the author’s purpose and intentions, as well as his/her assumptions in
the claims. You also check if the arguments are supported by evidence
and if evidence are valid and are from credible sources.

Example questions when evaluating a text:

*What is the purpose of the author?

*Are his claims correct?
*Is there enough evidence? Etc.
Activity 4: “Maximizing the Writing Techniques!” (Sept. 7-10, 2021)

Instructions: Read the two different reading materials by clicking the

links provided below. While reading, do some annotations on the materials.
Afterwards, produce an outline, summary and evaluation of the reading
materials you just read. Refer to the rubric attached below.

Fiction Story: https://americanliterature.com/author/anonymous/short-

story/the-little-thief-in-the-pantry

Essay: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/wpro---
documents/countries/philippines/pr_philippines-welcomes-the-arrival-of-
covid-19-vaccinesvia-covax-facility.pdf?Status=Master&sfvrsn=f927cfc9_5
 References:

World Health Organization (2021). Philippines welcomes the arrival of

COVID-19 vaccines via COVAX facility. Retrieved August 21, 2021 from
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/wpro---
documents/countries/philippines/pr_philippines-welcomes-the-arrival-of-
covid-19-vaccinesvia-covax-facility.pdf?Status=Master&sfvrsn=f927cfc9_5

American Literature (n.d.) The Little Thief in the Pantry. Retrieved August 21,
2021 from https://americanliterature.com/author/anonymous/short-
story/the-little-thief-in-the-pantry

Academic.shu.edu (n.d.) Critical Reading Strategies. Retrieved August 21,

2021 from http://academic.shu.edu/english/1201/Reading/critical-reading-
strategies.htm
Mid-Michigan College (2020) Academic vs Non-Academic Articles.
Retrieved August 21, 2021 from https://www.midmich.edu/student-
resources/lls/library/find-articles/academic-
articles#:~:text=Academic%20articles%20are%20written%20by,often%20tak
e%20years%20to%20publish.&text=Non-
Academic%20articles%20are%20written,can%20be%20written%20by%20an
yone.

Saqueton, G., and Uychoco, M., English for Academic and Professional
Purposes. REX Bookstore. Manila Philippines.