ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES NOTES SY 2022-2023

Academic Text
Academic text is defined as critical, objective, specialized texts written by experts or professionals in a given
field using formal language. Academic texts are objective. This means that they are based on facts with solid
basis. The emotions of the authors cannot be felt from texts or materials. Academic texts often take years to
publish because of intense writing and review.
Characteristic of Academic Text
1. being formal
2. studied
3. researched
4. objective
5. exact
6. direct
7. has the ability to influence its readers
Examples of academic text
1. Research Paper.
2. Conference Paper.
3. Feasibility Study.
4. Thesis.
5. Book Review.
6. Research Paper.
7. Essay
8. Academic Journal

Academic and Non-academic Text Comparison

STRUCTURE PURPOSE TONE

ACADEMIC Sentences and paragraphs, third To inform, to educate Formal, impersonal

TEXT person, objective, research-based,
use opinions of educated scholars
rather than that of the author’s

NON- Sentences and paragraphs, To entertain, to Informal; personal;

ACADEMIC verses, first person; subjective; persuade emotional
TEXTS creative/imaginative; uses personal
experience and opinions

Types of Academic Writing

The four main types of academic writing are descriptive, analytical, persuasive and critical. Each of these types
of writing has specific language features and purposes.

In many academic texts you will need to use more than one type. For example, in an empirical thesis:

✓ you will use critical writing in the literature review to show where there is a gap or opportunity in the
existing research
✓ the methods section will be mostly descriptive to summarise the methods used to collect and analyse
information
✓ the results section will be mostly descriptive and analytical as you report on the data you collected
 ✓ the discussion section is more analytical, as you relate your findings back to your research questions,
and also persuasive, as you propose your interpretations of the findings.

1. Descriptive

The simplest type of academic writing is descriptive. Its purpose is to provide facts or information. An example
would be a summary of an article or a report of the results of an experiment.

The kinds of instructions for a purely descriptive assignment include: 'identify', 'report', 'record', 'summarize'
and 'define'.

2. Analytical

Analytical writing includes descriptive writing, but also requires you to re-organize the facts and information you
describe into categories, groups, parts, types or relationships.

Sometimes, these categories or relationships are already part of the discipline, while in other cases you will
create them specifically for your text. If you’re comparing two theories, you might break your comparison into
several parts, for example: how each theory deals with social context, how each theory deals with language
learning, and how each theory can be used in practice.

The kinds of instructions for an analytical assignment include: 'analyze', 'compare', 'contrast', 'relate', and
'examine'.

To make your writing more analytical:

✓ spend plenty of time planning. Brainstorm the facts and ideas, and try different ways of grouping them,
according to patterns, parts, similarities and differences. You could use colour-coding, flow charts, tree
diagrams or tables.
✓ create a name for the relationships and categories you find. For example, advantages and
disadvantages.
✓ build each section and paragraph around one of the analytical categories.
✓ make the structure of your paper clear to your reader, by using topic sentences and a clear
introduction.

3. Persuasive

Persuasive writing has all the features of analytical writing (that is, information plus re-organizing the
information), with the addition of your own point of view. Most essays are persuasive, and there is a persuasive
element in at least the discussion and conclusion of a research article.

Points of view in academic writing can include an argument, recommendation, interpretation of findings or
evaluation of the work of others. In persuasive writing, each claim you make needs to be supported by some
evidence, for example a reference to research findings or published sources.

The kinds of instructions for a persuasive assignment include: 'argue', 'evaluate', 'discuss', and 'take a
position'.

To help reach your own point of view on the facts or ideas:

✓ read some other researchers' points of view on the topic. Who do you feel is the most convincing?
✓ look for patterns in the data or references. Where is the evidence strongest?
✓ list several different interpretations. What are the real-life implications of each one? Which ones are
likely to be most useful or beneficial? Which ones have some problems?
✓ discuss the facts and ideas with someone else. Do you agree with their point of view?
To develop your argument:

✓ list the different reasons for your point of view

✓ think about the different types and sources of evidence which you can use to support your point of view
✓ consider different ways that your point of view is similar to, and different from, the points of view of
other researchers
 ✓ look for various ways to break your point of view into parts. For example, cost effectiveness,
environmental sustainability, scope of real-world application.
To present your argument, make sure:

✓ your text develops a coherent argument where all the individual claims work together to support your
overall point of view
✓ your reasoning for each claim is clear to the reader
✓ your assumptions are valid
✓ you have evidence for every claim you make
✓ you use evidence that is convincing and directly relevant.

4. Critical

Critical writing is common for research, postgraduate and advanced undergraduate writing. It has all the
features of persuasive writing, with the added feature of at least one other point of view. While persuasive
writing requires you to have your own point of view on an issue or topic, critical writing requires you to consider
at least two points of view, including your own.

For example, you may explain a researcher's interpretation or argument and then evaluate the merits of the
argument, or give your own alternative interpretation.

Examples of critical writing assignments include a critique of a journal article, or a literature review that
identifies the strengths and weaknesses of existing research. The kinds of instructions for critical writing
include: 'critique', 'debate', 'disagree' and 'evaluate'.

You need to:

✓ accurately summarise all or part of the work. This could include identifying the main interpretations,
assumptions or methodology.
✓ have an opinion about the work. Appropriate types of opinion could include pointing out some problems
with it, proposing an alternative approach that would be better, and/or defending the work against the
critiques of others.
✓ provide evidence for your point of view. Depending on the specific assignment and the discipline,
different types of evidence may be appropriate, such as logical reasoning, reference to authoritative
sources and/or research data.
Critical writing requires strong writing skills. You need to thoroughly understand the topic and the issues. You
need to develop an essay structure and paragraph structure that allows you to analyse different interpretations
and develop your own argument, supported by evidence.

Common Purposes of Writing

✓ to express the writer’s feelings for himself, for his relatives, or for his friends , for example journal
writing
✓ to describe the subject with enough vivid details to help the reader form a mental picture about it.
Descriptive writing appeals to the five senses to show, not tell what the subject is.
✓ to explore/learn possible explanations to questions that defy simple answers. In exploratory writing,
intuition and reflection are more important than rational analysis or argument. Writers focus more on
their journey of discovery than on definite answers
✓ to entertain other with humor
✓ to inform readers as accurately and objectively as possible
✓ to explain the writers understanding or interpretation of facts and information
✓ to argue to convince reader to believe something in a certain way
✓ to persuade the readers to believe in order to do something using appeals to reason and emotions
✓ to evaluate a person, product, thing, or policy using criteria that are valid, fair and appropriate
✓ to problem solve to persuade readers to adopt a solution to a particular problem
✓ to narrate a story

Simplified Text Structure and its types

What is a text structure?

Text structures refer to the way authors organize information in text

1. Chronological order

-Authors use chronological order to explain how things happen in order

-You will know that you are reading a text in chronological order because you will see words like first, next,
later, then, and finally

2. Compare and contrast

-Explaining the similarities and differences between chosen/assigned topics.

-How things are similar or different.

3. Cause and Effect

-a writer wants to explain how one event leads to another.
- When authors write paragraphs to show causes and effects, they use words like cause, effect, as a result,
consequently, and so.

4. Problem and Solution

-an author will want to explain a problem, and then show one or more solutions. Often, authors will signal problem
and solution structure with clue words like problem and solution.

5. Problem and Solution

-Synonyms for problem include difficulty, struggle, uncertainty, worry, threat, and trouble

6. Description
*This text structure is used to describe a location, idea, or event.
* Clue words in these paragraphs may include:
* One reason, another reason, and for example
*These paragraphs may also include spatial order words to show how details relate to each other: next to, by,
along, in, above, and so forth

Two Common Structures of Academic Text

1. The 3-Part Essay

Introduction
Body
Conclusion

2. IMRaD Structure
Introduction
Methods
Results
Discussion

Critical Reading Strategies

1. Annotating
2. Contextualizing
3. Reflecting on challenges to your beliefs and values
4. Paraphrasing
5. Outlining
6. Summarizing
7. Exploring the figurative language
8. Looking for patterns of opposition
9. Evaluating the logic of an argument
10. Recognizing emotional manipulation
11. Judging the writer’s credibility
12. Analyzing the writing in other disciplines

Summary

A summary is a restatement of someone else's words in your own words. There are many different kinds of
summaries, and they vary according to the degree to which you interpret or analyze the source. Some are
pages long, while others are just one or two sentences. However, for all types of summary, the writer is
responsible for generally stating, in his or her own words, the main information or argument of another writer.

Summarizing is reducing text to one-third or on-quarter its original size, clearly articulating the author’s
meaning and retaining the main idea.

Purposes of the Summary

Before you write the summary, consider why your audience (professor, boss, client) wants to read it. Why
shouldn't the reader just read the original? Summaries benefit the reader because they offer a concise, general
version of the original information. For a busy reader, summaries provide quick overviews of material.
Summaries also show readers that you have understood the general point of a text, and in this way, teachers
can test your knowledge. The process of summarizing someone else's material enables you to better
understand that material. Finally, summaries allow you to introduce knowledge within a research context: you
can summarize someone's argument in order to analyze or critique it.

What and When to Summarize

Many student writers tend to quote when they should summarize material. Quote only when the author
expresses a point in a particularly telling or interesting language. Otherwise, simply summarize. Use a
summary to restate an entire argument. Use a summary to present information. Summary is more economical
than quotation because a summary allows the writer more control over the argument.

How to Summarize

• Read the original passage or text very carefully.

• Use a pencil to highlight or underline what you take to be the main point of the original text, or make
notes in the margins or on another sheet of paper.
• If you're summarizing an entire essay, outline the writer's argument.
• Now tell your audience what the original source argued.

Summary Conventions

• Summaries can range in length from two sentences to several pages. In any case, use complete
sentences to describe an author's general points to your reader. Don't quote extensively. If you quote,
use quotation marks and document the quotation. If you fail to document the quotation, even one word
that the author used, you are plagiarizing material (presenting another person's information as if it were
your own).
• Use the author's last name as a tag to introduce information: "Smith argues that population growth and
environmental degradation are causally related." "Brown notes that education in the U.S. has
undergone major revolutions in the past 20 years."
• Use the present tense (often called the historical present tense) to summarize the author's argument.
"Green contends that the Republican and Democratic parties are funded by the same major
corporations."
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing adequately may be the most difficult, and commonly violated, aspect of effective source use. The
bottom line with paraphrases is that the ideas are the source's (so they must be cited), but the words are
yours. Changing a word or three or eliminating part of a sentence or sentences does not constitute adequate
paraphrase. The following are some suggestions for paraphrasing your source material effectively.

1. Place the information in a new order

2. Break the complex ideas into smaller units
3. Use concrete, direct vocabulary in place of technical jargon
4. Use synonyms for words in the source
5. Accompany each important fact or idea in your notes with the source page number
6) Incorporate the paraphrase smoothly into the grammar and style of your own writing

Basics of Paraphrasing
A successful paraphrase is your own explanation or interpretation of another person's ideas. Paraphrasing in
academic writing is an effective way to restate, condense, or clarify another author's ideas while also providing
credibility to your own argument or analysis. Successful paraphrasing is essential for strong academic writing,
and unsuccessful paraphrasing can result in unintentional plagiarism. Look through the paraphrasing strategies
below to better understand what counts as an effective paraphrase.
In order for a reader to understand the impact of a direct quotation or paraphrased source material, you should
work to integrate your evidence into your paragraph's overall discussion. A strong way to integrate source
material is to use transitions. As you integrate sources, you will also often begin analyzing evidence.
Citing Paraphrases

1. Paraphrased material must be cited. Even though paraphrasing means that you are restating
information in your own words, you must give credit to the original source of the information.
2. Citations for paraphrased material should always include both the author and the year. In-text citation
can be placed within the sentence or at the end:

Example: According to Johnson (2012), mirror neurons may be connected with empathy and imitation.
Example: Mirror neurons may be connected with empathy and imitation in human beings (Johnson, 2012).
Note: Be sure to consider the frequency of your source citation when you are paraphrasing.

Effective Paraphrasing Strategies

If you are having trouble paraphrasing a text effectively, try following these steps:

1. Reread the original passage you wish to paraphrase, looking up any words you do not recognize, until
you think you understand the full meaning of and intention behind the author's words.
2. Next, cover or hide the passage. Once the passage is hidden from view, write out the author's idea, in
your own words, as if you were explaining it to your instructor or classmates.
3. After you have finished writing, check your account of the author's idea against the original. While
comparing the two, ask yourself the following questions:

Have I accurately addressed the author's ideas in a new way that is unique to my writing style and
scholarly voice?

Have I tried to replicate the author's idea or have I simply changed words around in his/her original
sentence(s)?

4. Last, include a citation, which should contain the author's name, the year, and the page or paragraph
number (if available), directly following your paraphrase.

Why and How to Create a Useful Outline

Why create an outline? There are many reasons, but in general, it may be helpful to create an outline when
you want to show the hierarchical relationship or logical ordering of information. For research papers, an
outline may help you keep track of large amounts of information. For creative writing, an outline may help
organize the various plot threads and help keep track of character traits. Many people find that organizing an
oral report or presentation in outline form helps them speak more effectively in front of a crowd. Below are the
primary reasons for creating an outline.

✓ Aids in the process of writing

✓ Helps you organize your ideas
✓ Presents your material in a logical form
✓ Shows the relationships among ideas in your writing
✓ Constructs an ordered overview of your writing
✓ Defines boundaries and groups

How do I create an outline?

✓ Determine the purpose of your paper.

✓ Determine the audience you are writing for.
✓ Develop the thesis of your paper.

Then: (steps in creating an outline)

✓ Brainstorm: List all the ideas that you want to include in your paper.
✓ Organize: Group related ideas together.
✓ Order: Arrange material in subsections from general to specific or from abstract to concrete.
 ✓ Label: Create main and sub headings.

Principles of Outlining
1. Coordination – requires ideas of the same relevance to be labeled in the same way
2. Subordination – shows that minor details have to be placed under their respective major details
3. Division- Requires that no cluster should contain only one item
4. Parallel construction – requires all entries in each cluster to use the same structure and format
5. Sentences Outline – uses complete sentences as its entries, also known as expanded outline
6. Topic Outline – systematic arrangement of ideas using broad topics in the form of words or simple
phrases as headers
Outline Formats
1. Alphanumeric – uses both letters and numbers
2. Decimal – uses only numbers as labels
Kinds of Outline
1. Sentences Outline – uses complete sentences as its entries, also known as expanded outline
2. Topic Outline – systematic arrangement of ideas using broad topics in the form of words or simple
phrases as headers
Benefits of Outlining
1. It easily shows the relationship of ideas
2. It helps you organize your ideas
3. It simplifies and helps you save time in writing
4. It helps effective speaking
Remember: creating an outline before writing your paper will make organizing your thoughts a lot easier.
Whether you follow the suggested guidelines is up to you, but making any kind of outline (even just some
jotting down some main ideas) will be beneficial to your writing process.

Plagiarism
Plagiarism – the act of presenting the words, ideas, images, sounds or the creative expression of others as
your own without giving credit; maybe intentional, reckless and unintentional
Types of Plagiarism
Direct Plagiarism – word for word transcription of someone’s work without quotation or credit
Self-Plagiarism - submitting own previous work or mixing parts of previous works
Mosaic Plagiarism - borrowing phrases from a source without quotation marks or finding synonyms for the
author’s language while keeping the same structure
Accidental Plagiarism – neglecting to cite sources, misquotations of sources or unintentionally paraphrasing a
source by using similar words, groups of words and or sentence structure without attribution

Plagiarism of ideas – it occurs when credit for work is ascribed to oneself untruthfully
Plagiarism of language – happens when an author uses language of other writer and claims it as his or her
own

What is a Precis: Definition

What is a precis?” It is a summary, which gets its name from the French language. It literally means, ‘cut brief’
or ‘precise’. It is a concise synopsis of a published work, like scholarly article or dissertation. If a student is asked
to define précis, they can call it a summary of the text but not a paraphrased text. When a student sums up the
ideas of certain literary work, it can be called précis. Do note that it is different from paraphrasing because here
no need for mentioning all details discussed in a piece of writing.
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Précis explains the core of the text and has a structure. The précis format will help you to understand the
structure of the text. It is an objective view or you can call it a brief summing up of ideas. It is not a critical
analysis, which requires you to examine contents and ideas expressed in the article. It does not demand you to
write your personal opinion. Only essential points should be covered. When you are writing a precis, you must
make it short, precise and one must stick to the theme.
Read also: How to choose a personal statement writer?
Let us understand the same with help of a précis example. This will give you a clear idea about a précis format.
‘’In his article “Who Knows What Happened That Summer?” (1999), Matt Kamodang asserts that the Tibetans
are reading more than ever despite the false claims. It is about time to reassess why we value analysis so much
more, especially certain types of “high culture” reading. Kamodang supports his claims about Tibetans
reading behaviour with supporting facts and figures that compares the precedent and present reading practices,
and he even challenges the assumptions by raising valid questions about reading’s intrinsic value. His purpose
is to disperse certain traditions or myths about interpretation in order to raise significant questions about the
value of reading. He seems to have a youthful, hip, and somewhat impertinent audience in mind because his
tone is sardonic, and he suggests that ideas he opposes are conventional.’’
This was just a sample and you can get an idea of how it starts, flows, and ends. Speaking of starting a critical
précis, let us proceed to the next section, which covers basic tips.
Note – summarize the main idea and do not give any personal opinion on it. It should be avoided. It is not creative
writing or a reflective essay. Stick to the topic and do not go off-topic with personal opinions.
Read also: Get online assignment help that will improve your academic performance!

How should you start writing a Précis?

The steps of writing a précis can be generally categorized as those involving careful examination of the source
(with some potential note-taking) , outlining a structure, and writing down the precis itself. Writing a precis is the
process of reading through/ analyzing a literary work and extracting the main points, so as to assemble a brief
summary of the mentioned work.
Précis writing is not as easy as you might think! You have to keep certain points in your mind before you start to
pen it down. How to write a précis? Here are some tips for you to write it!

✓ Read the article carefully and highlight or mark the main ideas.
✓ Try to reflect on what author is trying to communicate through the text.
✓ Take a close look at evidences that the author has used.
✓ You would need to restate thesis given by the author in your own words. Do note that it should be precise
and on-point.
✓ You need to write only one or two sentences for each of the section. It would be a summary of each
section but not in too many words.
✓ Now you need to re-read article and check whether it is in sync with your summary.
✓ You must review write-up and confirm whether you have covered the main points or not. Always use a
logical structure.
✓ Check the text for correctness and clarity. Do a grammar check before submitting it to the professor.

When citing a précis, the author's name and article title - both pertaining to the original article would have to be
mentioned, besides the author name of the precis author. If you are writing the precis yourself, you normally
have to cite only attributes related to the original article.
Note – Always check a précis example before you start.
Take a look at how you can start writing it.
In his thesis “The Idea of Capitalism” (1897), Marx argues that… [You can insert a quote here].
As for ending, you can take inspiration from the following sample.
‘’Marx’s tone assumes that the proletariats are being suppressed by the bourgeoisies. He is referring to an
audience who believe in the idea of socialism.’’
You need to mention about the tone of the author and how he/she is trying to connect with the audience. Who is
your audience?
The Features of a Great Précis

Now that you did go through a précis outline, it would be wise to check what needs to be included in it. What are
the features? Let us check out!

✓ Text should have clarity and precision.

✓ Student should not lift sentences from the original text. You need to use your own words.
✓ A precis needs to be concise - to convey important rather than secondary information. Also, key points
should be listed in their entirety, covering the material as comprehensively as possible.
✓ It is a summary of the text and not a paraphrased version.
✓ Writing should be in a logical order. It should be well-connected.
✓ It should have a title.
✓ It should not have any irrelevant details
✓ Do not take information from outside the article.

Précis Outline
The outline is one of the essential parts of précis writing. It allows to properly structure and organize the flow of
ideas and helps to sequentially point out the main arguments of your précis. Before you start writing the
outline, it’s important to boil down the list of possible topics to the main one. Then, you’ll need to decide on the
purpose of your outline, which depends on the topic you chose to write about. For example, the outline can be
written to entertain, reflect, or inform readers on this or that theme.

Précis Format

To wrap up the information mentioned above, let’s schematically define the typical format of a nicely-written
précis.
In the introductory sentence:
✓ Indicate the author’s name, article/book title, date of publishing in parenthesis, and topic you want to
discuss.
✓ A rhetorical verb outlining the author’s primary purpose (e.g., “assert,” “argue,” “deny,” “refute,” “prove,”
disprove,” “explain”)
✓ a that clause which includes the thesis statement of the book or novel
In the main body:
✓ Write a sentence that provides clarification of how the author formulates and further explains the main
point of the reading
✓ Write a sentence wherein include a statement that reflects the author’s purpose. Use the “in order”
phrase to develop this sentence.
✓ Write a sentence with a description of the presumed audience and the depiction of connection which
the author establishes with readers.
In the conclusion:
✓ Present a finishing remark of 2-3 sentences to shed light on the author’s intended idea for the book or
article
✓ Give a 1-sentence restatement of the major claim which the author used to develop their evidence in
the reading.
REACTION PAPER
A reaction paper, review, or critique is a specialized form of writing in which a reviewer or reader evaluates any
of the following:

✓ Scholarly Work (Academic books and articles)

✓ Work of Art (performance art, play, dance, sports, films, exhibits)
✓ Designs (industrial designs, furniture, fashion design)
✓ Graphic Designs (posters, billboards, commercials and digital media)

Critical Approaches in Writing a Critique

There are various ways or standpoints by which you can analyze and critique a certain material based on
technical aspects, its approach to gender, your reaction as the audience, or through its portrayal of class
struggle and social structure.

1. Formalism – claims that literary work contains intrinsic properties and treats work ass a distinct work of
art. In short it posits that the key to understanding a text is through the text itself; its historical context,
the author or any other external contexts are not necessary in interpreting the meaning.
Following are the common aspects looked into formalism:
✓ Author’s techniques in resolving contradictions within the work
✓ Central passage that sums up the entirety of the work
✓ Contribution of parts and the work as a whole to its aesthetic quality
✓ Use of imagery to develop the symbols in the work
 Interconnectedness of various parts of the work
Unity in the work

2. Feminist Criticism – also called feminism, it focuses on how literature presents women as subjects of
socio -political, psychological, and economic oppression. It also reveals how aspects of our culture are
patriarchal i.e., how our culture views men as superior and women as inferior. The common aspects
looked into when using feminism are as follows:
✓ How culture determine gender
✓ How gender equality (or lack of it) presented in the text
✓ How gender issues are presented in literary works and other aspects of human production and
daily life

3. Reader-Response Criticism – is concerned with the reviewer’s reaction as an audience. This approach
claims that the reader’s role cannot be separated from the understanding of work; a text does not have
meaning until the reader reads and interprets it. The common aspects looked into when using reader
response are as follows:
✓ Interaction between the reader and the text in creating meaning
✓ The impact of the reader’s delivery of the sounds and visuals on enhancing and changing
meaning

4. Marxist Criticism – is concerned with the differences between economic classes and implications of a
capitalist system, such as continuing conflicts between the working class and the elite. Hence, it
attempts to reveal that the ultimate source of people’s experience is the socioeconomic system. The
common aspects looked into when using is Marxist criticism are as follows:
✓ Social class as represented in the work
✓ Social class of the writer /creator
✓ Social class of the characters
✓ Conflicts and interactions between economic classes.

GUIDELINES IN WRITING A REACTION PAPER, REVIEW, OR CRITIQUE

I. Introduction

• Basic details of the material, such as its title, director or artist, name of exhibition/event, and the like
• Main assessment of the material (for films and performances)

II. Plot summary/description

• Gist of the plot

• Simple description of the artwork

III. Analysis / Interpretation

✓ Discussion and analysis of the work (you may employ the critical approach here)
✓ Ask the following questions:
✓ What aspects of the work make you think it is a success or failure?
✓ Were there unanswered questions or plot lines? If yes, how did they affect the story?
✓ Does the work remind you of other things you have experienced through analogies, metaphors, or
other figurative devices? How did this contribute to the meaning?
✓ How does the work relate to other ideas or events in the world and/or in your other studies?
✓ What stood out while you were watching the film or the performance?
✓ Interaction between the reader and the text in creating meaning
✓ The impact of readers’ delivery of sounds and visuals on enhancing and changing meaning

COMMON ASPECTS LOOKED AT:

Claims that literary works contain intrinsic properties and treats each work as a distinct work of art.
The historical context, the author, or any other external context are NOT necessary in interpreting the meaning.

(academic books and articles)

✓ Overall impression of the work

 ✓ Scholarly or literary value of the reviewed article, book, or work
✓ Benefits for the intended audience or field
✓ Suggestion for future direction of research

FOR ARTWORKS AND OTHER MEDIA

✓ How culture determines gender
✓ How gender equality (or the lack of it) is presented in the text
✓ How gender issues are presented in literary works and other aspects of human production and daily life
✓ How women are socially, politically, psychologically, and economically oppressed by patriarchy
✓ How patriarchal ideology is an overpowering presence
✓ Does the writer explicitly state his/her thesis statement?
✓ What are the assumptions (ex. A scientific/logical/literary explanation without evidence) mentioned in
the work? Are they explicitly discussed?
✓ What are the contributions of the work to the field it is situated in?
✓ What are the problems and issues discussed or presented in the work?
✓ What kinds of information (ex. Observation, survey, statistics, historical accounts) are presented in the
work? How are they used to support the arguments or thesis?
✓ Are there other ways of supporting the arguments or thesis aside from the information used in the
work? Is the author or creator silent about these alternative ways of explanation?

IV. Conclusion (around 10% of the paper)

V. Recommendation

A reaction paper is mainly based on response towards certain deeds in a story. Before getting to the reaction
paper, one has to analyze the subject under investigation and acquire all the useful information before
providing a critique on the matter
The key thing in writing a reaction paper is giving an opinion on a subject and supporting your statement
relevantly to the satisfaction of whoever would be reading your work. Let the reader be convinced that you are
right and go by your opinion on the matter. A reaction paper usually has two audiences, the first audience is
the readers of your work and the second one is the referees who choose the appropriate articles to post. In
most cases, reaction papers might be used in the future for references by other authors, and therefore you
should come up with clear content.

To come up with great content for your movie or book analysis, you have to:

– Watch a movie and note down the main points in the episodes. If it is a book, you have to reread it and get all
the themes found in the story before you can start complementing on it.

– After reading/watching the piece, the next step is evaluating the story and figuring out the needs of the paper.
You have to get back to the instructions given by your examiner. You may be asked to react to a specific part
of the story, and you have to center your opinions to that section, so the instructions of the examiner are very
key because your paper must reflect the question. If you are asked to write on a specific part, then you will
need to quote a sentence or theme of that region and relate it to the purpose of the author. There are two types
of reactions you might be asked to write by your teacher.

First, you may be asked to give personal opinions concerning a certain theme in a book. In this case, the
opinions that you give should be centered on your personal experience and the knowledge you have on the
topic. The second option is that you might be asked to write about the opinion of the author for the literature
resource allocated. In this case, you will have to major your points on what the author was thinking concerning
the idea and not your own opinions. You are restricted to talk about the theme depending on how it is brought
up in the book.

After understanding the essence of the question, you have to reread the book and note the information that
would be useful for your content. It is good to repeat this several times so that you can have all the story at
your fingertips and it would help you to avoid writing the ideas that are not evident in the source given.

Writing a reaction paper is mainly based on how you feel or think about something. After reading through the
paper, you should annotate the text so that you do not miss any essential information.
Explain the personal opinion about the piece and illustrate using evidence from credible sources. In your
explanation, be certain to include examples to act as a backup to your statement.

Format of reaction paper

A reaction paper adopts different formats depending on the instructions given. A reaction paper is divided into
several parts. To organize your work, you have to understand every part of the essay and what it entails. In a
reaction paper, just like in any other essay format, there is the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.
Besides the three main parts, a reaction paper constitutes the citation list.

1. The introduction – the introduction is the face of your paper and therefore as a writer you have to make
sure that it looks attractive and increases the urgency of the reader to proceed to your body
paragraphs. In the introduction, you have to give a small description of the author and the main
problems and ideas on the story. It should not be too long, as it will be boring to the reader; a good
introduction should have three to four sentences. Immediately after the introduction, you should write a
thesis statement which should be clear and brief.
2. The body is the main section, where all the ideas for your essay are explained. In your body
paragraphs, you should start each one with a topic sentence. The topic sentence should reflect the idea
to be described in the section. You should include appropriate sources to back up your opinions. In the
body, you can add theoretical evidence to support your statement.
3. The conclusion – in writing your conclusion you should link your thesis statement with a summary of the
ideas in the body paragraphs. A good way of encrypting your conclusion is by touching on the major
points in summary then wrapping up everything by clarifying your opinion.
4. List of citations – while writing a reaction paper you have to include the citation for the sources you
have used within your paper. The sources used should be credible and scholarly so that they can
persuade the reader.

Concept Paper

A concept paper is a short document written by a researcher before starting their research project, with the
purpose of explaining what the study is about, why it is important and the methods that will be used.
Concept papers are summaries of projects or issues that reflect the interests, experience and expertise of the
writer or organization. Concept papers generally serve the purpose of providing in-depth discussion of a topic
that the writer has a strong position on, usually with the intent of obtaining funding for that project from donors.
The terms "concept paper" and "proposal" are often used interchangeably as they can be used for the same
function. The concept paper may also be used as an instructional tool that may have developed as a result of
extensive research, committee input and/or as a result of the outcome of a current project. In addition to
providing guidance for implementation of a program, a concept paper could also discuss best practices,
philosophies and other related issues that the writer believes action should be taken on in the near future.
Purposes:
1. Serves as a foundation of the full proposal
2. Helps determine whether a certain project is feasible or not
3. Used to pique the interest of the potential funding agencies
4. Used to obtain feedback on the ideas prior to preparing the full proposal
Types of Concept Paper
1. Research Paper/Proposal - this type of concept paper outlines a research study, including the
background, objectives, methods, and expected outcomes
2. Business Concept Paper - this type of concept paper outlines a new business idea or proposal,
including the target market, products or services offered, and projected financial outcomes.
3. Grant Paper – a grant concept paper is typically used to request funding for a project or program. It
usually includes an overview of the project, a description of the problem or need it addresses, and a
proposed solution.
4. Academic Concept Paper - refers to an academic or research paper that is written with the primary
purpose of identifying and explaining an idea or a concept related to a particular scholarly field or
discipline

Concept Papers - Writing Steps

There are steps to concept paper writing that are universal and can be applied in most situations in order to
develop the boilerplate.

First and probably most important, the writer must ensure that the mission, requirements, funding patterns and
other specific information about the target grantor or audience match with those of the organization or
individual project in need of funding or assistance. Grantors are very specific about what types of organizations
and projects they do and do not fund so, it is important to understand that thoroughly in advance to avoid
wasting time.

The second step would be to summarize the project by stating the problem to be discussed/solved, the goal of
the project, the objectives, the anticipated outcomes, procedures for determining whether the goals and
objectives have been achieved, the population served and the theoretical model upon which the project is
based.

Third, the writer must develop a list of references that discuss the model to which the project will be directed.

Fourth, there should be a budget developed for the project, if applicable. This would include all billable costs
associated with planning and executing the project. Whether the concept paper is for the purpose of obtaining
funding or merely for the purpose of conveying information, a budget may be necessary if there are costs and
resources associated with the project, such as hours devoted to research and information gathering.

The fifth step could entail obtaining the necessary approvals by individuals authorized to do so prior to
submission. In the case of a purely informational concept paper, this may be committee input. This step may
occur much earlier in the process. In addition, one must consider the timing and deadlines that submission of
the concept paper must adhere to. Expect deadlines to be strict whether funding is being sought or not. There
may be a bit more flexibility in due dates for those concept papers that are designed solely for disseminating
information.

Research Concept Paper/Research Proposal

Research title
Brief introduction to the subject
Aim of the study
Research questions you intend to answer
Type of data you will collect and how you will collect it

Five Elements of Concept Paper (Grant Concept Paper)

I. Introduction – mission, vision and brief introduction of the project

II. Purpose – includes the reasons why this project is worth your group and your sponsor’s
time, effort, and money
III. Description – includes all the necessary information about the project.
IV. Support – contains the budget needed for the project
V. Contact Information –information about your group

Ways to explain a concept

1. Definition – A method of identifying a term and making its meaning clearer
2. Explication – A method of explanation in which sentences, verses, quotes, or passages are taken away
from a literary or academic work and then interpreted and explained in detailed way
3. Clarification – Entails the analysis of the concept by looking at the examples
Types of Definition
1. Formal – most common way of defining a term by giving the genus and differentia of the term or word
2. Informal – provides operational definition or how the term is used when applied in a specific context, or
synonym or antonym
3. Extended – used to define profound and abstract concepts by using analogy, metaphors, comparison
and contrast, description, analysis, function, etymology, and semantic origin
Patterns of Development
1. Defining – giving the meaning of the concept
2. Describing – characterizing the concept by providing its characteristics
3. Comparing – Equating with other concepts to ascertain similarities between concepts
4. Making an analogy – similar to comparing but also includes any deduction about of what has been
compared
5. Contrasting – pairing or linking it with another concept with the purpose of identifying the differences
between the concepts
6. Classifying – arranging concepts into groups, based on ways they are alike
7. Illustrating – giving proof or evidence so the reader could understand the concept
8. Narrating – talking about the elaborately in a narrative manner
9. Explaining – explaining the different aspects of the process
10. Analyzing cause and effect – giving a critical explanation about the causes and effects of the idea or
concept
11. Enumerating – trying to take a rundown about what these kinds of concepts are
Guidelines in writing a concept paper
1. Cost and methodology should be reasonable
2. Budget, methodology, and timeline should be clearly mentioned.
3. Use statistics and figures when discussing the rationale for the project
4. Limit to only 5 pages or less
5. Never request funding for planning the proposal
6. Guidelines in writing a concept paper
7. Refrain from using jargon when your targeted readers are not professionals or experts
8. Include the overview of the budget if it is required or you may simply include the type of support you
require or need