Course Code:

Course Title: English For Academic and Professional Purposes

Course Type: Applied
Pre-requisite: N/A
Co-requisite: N/A
Quarter: 1st Course
Topic: Academic Writing: Characteristics and
Structure
Quarter 1 Week 3 - Module 2

HOW TO USE THIS MODULE

Before you start answering the module, I want you to set aside other tasks that will
distract you while enjoying the lessons. Read the simple instructions below to successfully
enjoy the objectives of this kit. Have fun!
1. Follow carefully all the contents and instructions indicated in every page of this module.
2. Write on your notebook or any writing pad the concepts about the lessons. Writing
enhances learning, which is important to develop and keep in mind.
3. Perform all the provided activities in the module.
4. Let your facilitator/guardian assess your answers.
5. Analyze conceptually the posttest and apply what you have learned
. 6. Enjoy studying!

PARTS OF THE MODULE

Expectations - These are what you will be able to know after completing the lessons in the
module.
Before Anything Else - This will measure your prior knowledge and the concepts to be
mastered throughout the lesson.
Throwback! - This section will measure what learning/s and skills that you understand from
the previous lesson.
Firming Up! - This section provides the discussion of the lesson to help you discover and
understand new concepts and skills.
Try Me! - These are activities designed to develop critical thinking and other competencies.
This can be done with or without a partner depending on the nature of the activity.
Things to Ponder - This section summarize/s the concepts and applications of the lessons.
Comprehension Check - It will verify how you learned from the lesson.
Checkpoint! - This will measure how much you have learned from the entire module
Wait, there’s more! - In this portion, an extended activity will be given for retention and
enrichment.

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 Academic Writing:
Characteristics and Structure
On your first module, the essential terminologies were
unlocked. This had given you an idea of what academic text and writing is. In
this module, you are going to dig deep into Academic writing as we are to
unfold its characteristics and the structure.

EXPECTATIONS

After studying and understanding this module you will be able to:
1. understand Academic writing as a different form of write up both in
characteristics and structure.;
2. integrate knowledge in previous lesson with this topic;
3. compile different examples of academic writing that could be helpful in their
studies and future career and;
4. value the essence of Academic Writing in life.

. BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE!

Directions: Give three words that you think can and will describe academic
writing. Write your words inside the boxes below. You can check your answers
later, after studying this module.

Academic Writing

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THROW BACK!
Directions: Identify the words being defined in each statement. Choose your
answer from the pool of words below. Write your answer on the space provided.

React Discuss Arguments Creative Writing

Academic Text Interpret Summarize Evaluate/Critique
Author Compare/Contrast Define Venn
Academic Writing Personal Narrative

___________1. This means to exert a reciprocal or counteracting force or

influence —often used with on or upon
___________2. It means to present in detail for examination or consideration.
___________3. This refers to the act of examining the character or qualities of
especially in order to discover resemblances or differences.
___________4. It refers to a coherent series of reasons, statements, or facts
intended to support or establish a point of view.
___________5. It refers to the act of determining the significance, worth or
condition of usually by careful appraisal and study.
___________6. It refers to the act of conceiving a meaning in the light of
individual belief, judgment, or circumstance
___________7. It refers to the act of reducing or of removing the details while
retaining the thoughts and main idea of a certain text.
___________8. It is a type of writing that is clear, concise, focussed, structured
and backed up by evidence. Its purpose is to aid the reader’s understanding.
___________9. It refers to the act of making distinct, clear, or detailed
explanation especially in outline.
___________10. It refers to where something originates or who creates
something

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FIRMING UP!

Academic Writing: Characteristics and

Structure

What is academic text/academic writing?

An academic text is an output of an academic writing that does not
pertain to a single definition because it refers to writing done for several
reasons. Also, academic writing is used in many different forms.

A broad definition of academic writing is any writing done to fulfill

a requirement of a college or university. Academic writing is also used
for publications that are read by teacher and researchers or presented
at conferences. A very broad definition of academic writing could
include any writing assignment given in an academic setting.

Academic writing is clear, concise, focussed, structured and

backed up by evidence. Its purpose is to aid the reader’s understanding.

It has a formal tone and style, but it is not complex and does not
require the use of long sentences and complicated vocabulary.

Academic text is a type of writing that requires thinking. You

cannot just write anything that comes to your mind.

Academic text:

 follows the rules of writing

 is formal but not too pretentious
 considers the target audience
 has solid evidence
 requires deliberate, thorough, and careful thought and that is why it
 involves research

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Examples:

 Books and book reports

 Translations
 Essays
 Research paper or research article
 Conference paper
 Academic journal
 Dissertation and Thesis - These are written to obtaining an advanced
degree at a college or university.
 Abstract - This is a short summary of a long document.
 Explication - This is a work which explains part of a particular work.

Characteristics of Academic Writing

Now that you have a definition of academic writing, here are some things
to remember about the characteristics of academic writing.

Academic writing is:

 Planned and focused: answers the question and demonstrates an

understanding of the subject.

Planning

There is a certain amount of planning before you start writing the paper; so, it
will be analytical and organized.

Planning is useful because it can help you organise your thoughts and
prioritise the way you present information.

By planning your writing:

It is more likely that you will end up with a coherent argument. You are
enabled to work out a logical structure and end point for your writing before
you start the process. You won't have to do all of your complex thinking about

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arguments, structure, etc. at the same time you are trying to find the right
words to express your ideas.

You are more likely to become committed to sticking to the point

 Structured: is coherent, written in a logical order, and brings

together related points and material.

Structure is 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.

Outline

A proper outline is a must for academic writing. An outline will not only
help you formulate your thoughts, but will sometimes make you aware of
certain relationships between topics. It will help you determine the pertinent
information to be included in your paper.

 Evidenced: demonstrates knowledge of the subject area, supports

opinions and arguments with evidence, and is referenced
accurately.
 Formal in tone and style: uses appropriate language and tenses,
and is clear, concise and balanced.

Tone

A formal tone is used. You do not use slang words, jargon,

abbreviations, or many clichés.

Language

The language in your paper needs to be clear and words need to be

chosen for their precision. A thesaurus is a good tool to help you pick just the
right words to explain the issues.

Point-of-view

The point of view in the third person, as the focus of academic writing is
to educate on the facts, not support an opinion.

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 Approach

Deductive reasoning is a big part of academic writing as your readers

have to follow the path that brought you to your conclusion.

Deductive reasoning and an analytical approach are important in

academic writing. Much planning and forethought are needed to have a well-
organized paper.

Academic Writing Structure

The structure of your writing depends on the type of assignment, but two
common structures used in academic writing are the three-part essay
structure and the IMRaD structure. Even shorter essays that are not divided
into titled sections follow such a structure. Longer texts may be further divided
into subsections. Different disciplines or departments may prefer that students
use a certain structure, so make sure to check with your instructor if you are
not sure what is expected of you.

The three-part 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.
http://www.novamil.org/sites/novamil.org/files/3_parts_to_an_e
ssay.pdf

The IMRaD structure

The sections of the IMRaD structure are Introduction,

Methods, Results and Discussion.

Watch this short film about the IMRaD structure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zud3lIXxdM#action=share

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An academic paper has three distinct sections - the introduction, body and
conclusion:

Introduction

In the introduction, you must grab the reader's attention and identify
the thesis of the paper. You can do this by starting with:

- Several questions
- A quote from a famous work or person
- Some interesting facts or information
- A definition of an important term related to the work

Body

This is the main part of the work and the paragraphs must be clearly
written and be arranged in a logical order, like chronologically or in order of
importance. Each initial sentence links the preceding paragraph and the whole
section flows smoothly.

Within each paragraph, the sentences need to flow and refer back to the
topic. Cohesion is achieved by repeating important words, using synonyms for
the main subject, and using transitional words like: however, such as,
therefore, and for example.

Conclusion

In the conclusion, you re-emphasize the thesis and summarize all the
main points. The conclusion consists of one paragraph which shows the final
conclusion to the reader.

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TRY ME!
Directions: Match the words in column A, with the definitions in column B.
Write your answer on the space provided before each number.

A B
_____1. You do not use slang words, jargon, a. Introduction

abbreviations, or many clichés.

_____2. It is Deductive and Analytical b. Academic Text
_____3. You must grab the reader's attention and c. Tone
identify the thesis of the paper.
_____4. It includes Planning, Outline, Approach d. Outline
and others.
_____5. This is written in the third person, as e. Approach

the focus of academic writing is to educate on

the facts, not support an opinion.
_____6. It is a write up that requires thinking f. Point – of - View
_____7. The main part of the work and the g. Body
paragraphs.
_____8. The act of re-emphasizing the thesis and h. Planning
summarizing all the main points.
_____9. It is a factor to consider before one starts I. Conclusion

writing the academic paper so as to make it

analytical and organized.
_____10. It helps on determining the pertinent j. Paragraph

information to be included in your paper.

k. Characteristics

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THINGS TO PONDER!

Academic Writing: Characteristics and

Structure

Planning
Planned &
Focused To be analytical and
organized

Outline
Structured determine the pertinent
information to be included in
your paper.

Evidenced Tone
Formal tone ;
No jargons, abbreviations or
Characteristics of cliches.
Academic Writing Formal in Tone Language
& Style
Must be clear and precise

Point - of- View

Third Person to educate on the facts,
not support an opinion.

Approach For your readers have

Deductive and to follow the path that
Analytical Approach brought you to your
conclusion.

Introduction grab the reader's attention and identify the thesis of the paper.

Body main part of the work

Conclusion you re-emphasize the thesis and summarize all the main points.

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COMPREHENSION CHECK!

Directions:
Read, identify and rewrite the following extracts from the text. The following
reports demonstrate common errors in academic writing.
TEXT 1:
After adding the solution, the mixture in the test tube went a bright scarlet red,
which we did not expect, as this was not the same as the washed out pink
colour it was supposed to go according to the book. We shook the test tube up
and left it for a while in the test tube stand. When we came back, the mixture
had settled to the bottom and dried out, which it was not supposed to have
happened; this was a bit of a problem.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
TEXT 2:
The results of the aforementioned experiment were collated in a systemized
manner with all due care and attention. Once the results had been collected
and processed with the appropriate process, it was necessary to perform the
analysis upon them which was conducted using the computer statistical
package previously mentioned in the methodology.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
TEXT 3:
The questionnaire will be carried out in the public space next to the town hall,
were local residents can be found and stopped. If we can't find enough local

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people to answer our survey, we'll do down the street and see if we can find
some more in the shopping centre as there tends to be local youths hanging
around their who we could ask.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
TEXT 4:
This is a feasibility study of the proposed extension to the property "22
Trumpington Terrace" commissioned by the residents Mr and Mrs Phelps. The
house is a semi-detached, two bedroom property with glazed windows and a
red door. It is situated on a quiet, winding street with nearby houses of a
similar design and the residents have started a local Neighbourhood Watch
group. The Phelps inherited the house from Mr Phelps' uncle and has been in
residence there since 31st August 1998.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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CHECKPOINT!
Output: Compilation

Directions: Compile different Academic Text / Academic Writing Samples

Related to the future work/industry that you are aiming. After each sample,
write a paragraph about the relevance of that sample in your future career.
Holistic Rubric: Paragraph Rubric:
These are the rubrics:
For the Checking of output. For the Checking of the
paragraph explanation.
Relevance - 10 points

Mechanics - 10 points Content - 10 points

Output presentation – 5 Mechanics - 10 points
points

Total: 25 points
Total: 20 points

WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Direction: Read the selection carefully, and answer the questions that follow.

Ms. Josephine was invited to talk in front of students in a big school

in Manila. She immediately drafted a speech. Her speech started with a
story.
Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that
she didn’t know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the
time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a
high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot,
and ground coffee beans in the third pot.

He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and
impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.

After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed
them in a bowl. He pulled the boiled eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

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He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. Turning to her he asked. ‘Daughter, what do
you see?’

‘Potatoes, eggs, and coffee,’ she hastily replied.

‘Look closer,’ he said, ‘and touch the potatoes.’ She did and noted that they were soft. He then
asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled
egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

‘Father, what does this mean?’ she asked.

He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same
adversity– the boiling water.

However, each one reacted differently.

The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak.

The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the
boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water,
they changed the water and created something new.

‘Which are you,’ he asked his daughter. ‘When adversity knocks on your door, how do you
respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?’

1. What do you think is the author’s AIM in writing the text?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. What purpose do you think does the inserted story in the text
serve?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. What do you think is the impact of the speech to the listeners?

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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. If you are to deliver a speech, what will be the main content of your
speech? Why?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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Contemplative Learning Sheet

Name: _______________________________Grade and Strand: ______________

Quarter 1 - Week 3 – Module 2: Academic Writing: Characteristics

and
Structure

Directions: Write a reflective statement about your learnings from this module.
You may express your answers in a more critical and creative presentation of
your great learning. Have fun and enjoy!

A. What I
like the
most about
the lesson?

B. What I need
to improve in
understanding
the lesson?

C. What I
want to learn
connected to
the lesson?

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Sources:
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/word-definitions/definition-of-academic
writing.html
https://uwl.libguides.com/studysupport/academicwriting
https://thoughtcatalog.com/january-nelson/2018/09/motivational-stories/
https://lnu.se/en/library/Writing-and-referencing/the-structure-of-academic-
texts/#:~:text=The%20structure%20of%20your%20writing,be%20further%20di
vided%20into%20subsections.
http://www.novamil.org/sites/novamil.org/files/3_parts_to_an_essay.pdf

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