EFAP Reviewer

I. Appropriate Reading Strategies for a Better 6. Reading improves your self-discipline and
Understanding of Academic Texts consistency
• “An interactive process in which the reader’s 7. Reading increases your knowledge of history
prior knowledge of the word interacts with the 8. Reading increases cultural knowledge
message conveyed directly or indirectly by the 9. Reading increases your skill in an area of
text” – Smith interest
• Being able to recognize, interpret written 10. Reading inspires you
symbols and understand the printed material 11. Reading reduces stress
• Process: Before, During, And After
Reading Strategies
• Learning to read does not happen all at once,
• Broad term used to describe the planned and
but happens gradually through continuous
explicit actions help readers translate print to
experiences with printed material and reading
meaning
related activities
• Improves decoding and reading
• Major goal of reading: To take meaning from
comprehension skills benefit every student,
the text (comprehension).
but are essential for beginning readers and
• Reading fluency is the ability to decode
struggling readers
individual words accurately and automatically
• Effective readers use strategies to understand
• Purpose: To connect the ideas on the page to
what they read before, during, and after
what you already know
reading
• If you don’t know anything about the subject,
then pouring words of text into your mind is Before Reading
like pouring water into your hand 1. Use prior knowledge to think about the topic
2. Make predictions about the probable meaning
Why do we read
of the text
1. Reading is good for your brain
3. Preview the text by skimming and scanning to
2. Reading introduces you to new ideas and
get a sense of the overall meaning
invites you to solve problems
3. Reading makes you a better writer During Reading
4. Reading improves your conversational skills 1. Monitor understanding by questioning,
5. Reading strengthens world view and thinking about, and reflecting on the ideas and
convictions information of the text.
EFAP Reviewer

After Reading information that you want to give and the

1. Reflect upon the ideas and information in the arguments you want to make, rather than you.
text 5. Explicit – It is the responsibility of the writer in
2. Relate what they have read to their own English to make it clear to the reader how the
experiences and knowledge various parts of the text are related.
3. Clarify their understanding of the text 6. Accurate – Uses vocabulary accurately – Most
4. Extend their understanding in critical and subjects have words with narrow specific
creative ways
meanings
Academic Text
7. Hedging – It is necessary to make decision
• Critical, Objective, Specialized Text written by
about your stance on a particular subject, or
experts or professionals in a given field using
the strength of the claims you are making.
formal language
8. Responsible – You must be responsible for,
• Based on facts with solid basis
and must be able to provide evidence and
• Emotions of the authors cannot be felt from
justification for any claims you make. – You
texts or materials
are also responsible for demonstrating an
• Often takes years to publish because of understanding of any source texts you use.
intense writing and review

Main Types of Academic Text

Characteristics
1. Textbook – Specifically designed to help the
1. Complex – Written language has longer
learner – Might have summarizes or review
words, it is lexically denser and it has a more
quizzes
valid vocabulary. - Written texts are shorter
2. Essays – Student essays vary in length and
and the language has more grammatical
formality – Usually contains three sections:
complexity, including more subordinate
Introduction, Body, Conclusion
clauses and more passives.
2. Formal – Should avoid colloquial words and
expressions.
3. Precise – Facts are given accurately and
precisely.
4. Objective – Objective rather than personal. –
Has fewer words that refer to the writer or the
reader. – Main emphasis should be on the
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3. Theses – Have to write longer texts at post 6. Reports – Its purpose is to describe what

graduate level – Longer texts include happened and discuss and evaluate its
dissertations (10k-20k words) – Master’s importance – Found in different disciplines,
level, a thesis has 60k-80k words – The such as science, law, and medicine – These
structure and style vary across disciplines but includes the following: Context/Overview,
is likely to include the following: Introduction, Introduction, Methodology/Description of the
Background, Literature Review, Research event, Findings/Main points,
Design/Methodology, Results/Findings, Discussion/Evaluation, Conclusion
Discussion/Interpretation,
Recommendations, Conclusion
4. Research Articles – Written mainly for
specialist audience: Researchers, Academics,
and Postgraduate Students – Usually contains
the following: Introduction, Literature Review,
Background and Method, Main Findings,
Discussion (including author’s interpretation
of the results), Recommendations,
Conclusion, Bibliography, Appendix
5. Case Studies – May be found in any discipline,
though they are most common in disciplines
such as business, sociology, and law –
Primarily Descriptive – Typical Structure:
Context, Description of the setting, How does
the account change over the period of time
under investigation, Headings help the
audience work through the text
EFAP Reviewer

A. DIFFERENCES OF LANGUAGE USED IN ACADEMIC o ABBREVIATIONS

TEXTS FROM VARIOUS DISCIPLINES  Only use abbreviations when it
makes the reading of your text
easier
ACADEMIC LANGUAGE  Abbreviated terms should appear
- -has a unique set of rules: it should be explicit, at least three times in paper
formal and factual as well as objective and  Words that are commonly
analytical in nature abbreviated such as "professor"
- Academic writing should be clear and concise in (prof.) And "department" (dept.)
order to communicate its content in the best way Should be spelled out in
FEATURES academic texts. (however that
some abbreviations may be used
1. FORMAL
in citations and reference lists)
- Requires considerable efforts to construct
o ACRONYM
meaningful sentences, paragraphs, and
 Type of abbreviation that is
arguments that make the text easy comprehend
formed by the first letter of each
- Conversational English should be avoided and
word in a phrase or organization.
facts and figures should be presented in a clear
 UN (United Nations) and WHO
manner
(World Health Organization) are
- Academic texts should be factual, concise, and
two examples of well - known
accurate
acronyms, when you introduce
- Choose words precisely and accurately so that the
the acronym, you should always
reader can accurately understand the concepts
write out the whole name or
within the text
phrases followed by the acronym
- It is important to remember that academic texts
in parentheses. Once you have
are written with an academic audience in mind and
introduced it, you may use the
your writing style needs to conform to the
acronym in the rest of your text.
conventions of the field you are studying
Latin abbreviation should not be
- In order to achieve the appropriate level of
used in the text itself but may be
formality, you should read literature within your
used in parentheses or in notes
field (to learn and use subject specific terms)
and illustrations.
- Correct use of terminology and language facilitates
2. ANALYTICAL
your communication and heightens the credibility
- The complexity of the subject matter is
of your work
acknowledged through critical analysis
- Correct use of terminology and language facilitates
- -can be done through asking questions and
your communication and heightens the credibility
examining and evaluating evidence
of your work
- -through critical analysis we are able to add a new
o CONTRACTIONS
perspective to a subject instead of just rewriting
 used in formal settings and are what has already been written
therefore not appropriate for - - treating your topic and your material in an
academic texts. Instead of using analytical manner should seep through in your
a contraction you should write language
out the words in their entirety - -part of being analytical in your writing is to
 It is important to use acronyms compare and contrast, evaluate and consider both
sides of an issue
and abbreviations properly in
- -means that you explain, gives reasons, draw
academic writing so that your conclusions, make suggestions and
text is a clear as possible for the recommendations and support this with evidence
reader
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PROCEDURE 3. OBJECTIVE
STEP 1. DEFINE A RESEARCH QUESTION - Based on research and not on the writer's own
opinion about a given topic
- This will be the main topic that your paper will set
- When you are objectively you are concerned about
out to prove
facts and not influence by personal feelings and
- Your paper will answer the research question
biases
- The answer to this research question will be the
- When presenting an argument to the reader, try to
thesis statement
show both sides if you can and avoid making value
- It will be easier to do your analysis when you have
judgments
an idea of the question that you are trying to
- At the same time, you will probably have to do an
answer (it can help you focus)
analysis or a discussion and in that manner
STEP 2. NARROW THE MATERIAL INTO MORE express an attitude
MANAGEABLE SECTIONS - In order to convey attitude without using, for
- Helps you analyze each part individually example "I think”, you may use words such as
- For example: if you are analyzing how an author's apparently, arguably, ideally, strangely, and
work has changed over years, you would break unexpectedly.
analysis down the individual pieces of work - Note that the attitude you are expressing should
not be based on personal preferences but rather
STEP 3. READ THROUGH THE DIFFERENT PIECES OF
on the evidence that you are presenting
WORK
o PERSONAL PRONOUNS
- You will not be able to analyze the work without  In general, academic texts are
reading it thoroughly impersonal in nature
STEP 4. DETERMINE WHICH ASPECTS THAT YOU WANT  The main emphasis should be on
TO ANALYZE evidence and arguments and not
- Analyze how the author's tone has changed bases on personal opinion and
- How the author has used more imagery as their feelings
work progresses  The use of personal pronouns
such as "i”, "we" and "you" should
STEP 5. DRAW SOME CONCLUSIONS FROM YOUR be avoided as much as possible
RESEARCH TO HELP YOU DECIDE ON HOW YOU WILL BE  Some types of academic writing
ABLE TO PRESENT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE encourage the use of personal
FOUND pronouns
- When conducting an analysis, you will be need to • Example: In reflective
determine what you are looking for and then start writing the use of the
to find the connections in the literature that personal is accepted
support your research question  You should be aware that the use
- A rather complex way of looking at literature but it of personal pronouns may be
can be a very helpful way to really understand different between academic fields
- If you are focusing on an author, it will help you and that some disciplines do not
analyze how the author writes accept it at all
- If the analysis is on a specific piece of work, it will  Make sure to check what is
help you determine what aspects of that work that recommended, either by asking
make it important your instructor or by reading
other academic texts within your
subject
EFAP Reviewer

VARIOUS DISCIPLINES - HUMANITIES

- BUSINESS o Art (performing arts, fine arts), history,
o Accounting, economics, finance, languages, literature, music, philosophy,
management, and marketing religion, theatre, ethics, aspects of
o Writing in business often means anthropology and cultural studies, and
explaining a situation, event, or change in linguistics
order to compel the reader toward a very o Writing in the humanities usually seeks to
specific action analyze, interpret, argue, and/or explain
o Format is key to a well - written business and express thoughts, reactions, ideas,
document, since its structure should and emotions - explores questions that
allow the reader to quickly find particular deal with human values
sections and a contact person who can o Ultimate goal in writing in the humanities
answer further questions is to explain or understand the human
o Writing in business can include memos, experience - to use writing as a tool to
cover letters, resumes, project reports, reflect upon life
proposals, thank you letters, emails, and o Literature and the Arts Text: Literature and
business plans arts have their content - specific terms or
o Adherence to conventional grammar, jargon (examples: gothic mood, symbol,
spelling, and punctuations is important in balance, mosaic, hue, etc.) but what
every discipline, this one laces the most makes them different is the dominant use
emphasis on mechanics of connotative language and figures of
speech to describe and convey content
Business text: business has a special Vivid Language is used to create images
vocabulary (jargon), so first of all you and impressions
have to learn its jargon, like remit, o The importance given to language and
obligate, loan, collateral, interest, stocks, structure is due to the value attached to a
etc. Some compound nouns are standard work's 'style' (in other words creativity
expressions in business, like tax weighs as much as content in literature
collection system, company car, price list, and the arts) To present a particular
and bulk buying. You must learn some of situation or world, a literary text might
the conventions, or established practices even violate language rules (to make
of business writing sense of a literary text, the trick is to
'suspend disbelief, ride along with the
Example: business uses a lot of form writer, and discover the patterns in the
letters, so you have to be familiar with the unique use of language)
standard forms (meaning the parts) of a - NATURAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES
business letter, a memo, minutes of o Biology, chemistry, computer science,
meeting, a proposal, etc. Some standard engineering, geology, mathematics,
parts of business communication are physics, medicine
dates, inside address, the salutation, the o Writing in the sciences focuses on
body or main purpose of the informing the reader of new discoveries
communication, the complimentary close, and assisting readers in discovering truth
etc. Common text structures in business through facts and solid data given in detail
communication are problem-solution in o Generally concise and includes genres
which the cause(s) of a problem situation such as lab reports and reviews of
is/are explained, followed by the scientific literature
company's proposed solution, and
description in which the specifications of
a product or offer are given.
EFAP Reviewer

Mathematics Text: - SOCIAL SCIENCES

 Is easily recognizable because of o Anthropology, education, geography, law,
its unique language features. Its political, science, psychology, sociology,
most prominent language and economics
features are the use of symbols o focus on the behavior and societies
o Involve documenting actual events as
 Math uses symbols in place of they happen
words, such as symbols for o Research - based writing in the sciences
operations like '+' for addition, 'x' generally uses a formal tone, third
for multiplication o person voice, and avoids personal
 It often uses letters with special references and needles adjectives
meanings, like 'x', 'y', and 'z' are o Depending on the assignment, you might
used to stand for variables or the also write an analytical, explanatory, or
unknown. persuasive paper in any of theses fields
 Notations, numbers, and for a popular or professional audience
formulas are typical of math
texts. Social Science Text:
 If there are nouns and verbs in  Requires knowledge of the jargon
ordinary language, in the of its disciplines, for example:
language of math, the nouns Political Science (communism,
could be numbers or expressions monarchy, and executive
with numbers and the verb could branch), Economics (market,
be equal sign = profit, equity, and trade
relations), Sociology (migration,
Natural Science Text: social, class, and discrimination),
 In natural science texts such as Psychology (depression, suicidal,
physics, chemistry, and a personality, and motivation).
biology, technical terms, symbols  Graphs and tables are common
(ph, NaCI, and CO2) and similar features of social science
abbreviations are common readings, therefore, knowing how
 Similar to other disciplines, to analyze graphic data is a big
common words like power, advantage.
pressure, force, work, and  Text structures or thought
impulse have a technical meaning patterns common in the social
 To help yourself understand sciences are definition and
many of the technical terms, you example, recount of an event
have to know some prefixes (uni, (history), cause - effect, and
semi, and multi), root words (bio, comparison and contrast.
geo, vis, and derma), and suffixes
 Diagrams and drawings are also *Formal aspects of articles within that
characteristics of science texts discipline and plan to emulate them in your
 Typical sentences in science texts work:
are dense; that is, they are o Title Format Introduction
information - heavy (the lengthy o Overall organization Tone (especially level
and dense sentences found in of formality) Person (first, second, or
science text suggest slow reading third person) Voice (active or passive)
for comprehension and retention o Sections and Subheads Use of images
of facts) (photos, tables, graphics, graphs, etc.)
Discipline - specific vocabulary
o Types of sources cited
EFAP Reviewer

o Use of source of information Biology:

o Conclusion Documentary style (American - "You need to conduct your own experiment and
Psychological Association, Modern then compare your results to the study presented
Language, Modern Language Association, in the book."
Chicago, Council of Science Editors, and
so on)
o Intended audience Note: What is required to complete a basic,
o Published format (print or online) introductory essay might essentially be the same
across all disciplines, but some types of assignments
*Different disciplines tend to recommend collecting require discipline – specific organizational features
different styles of evidence from research sources
EXAMPLE
Business disciplines:
Biologists:
- Documents such as resumes, memos, and
- Typically required to do laboratory research product descriptions require a specialized
Art historians: organization
- Often use details from a mix of primary and Science and engineering:
secondary sources (works of art and art criticism, - Follows specific conventions as they write lab
respectively reports and keep notebooks that include their
Political scientists: drawings and results of their experiments.
- Laboratory reports in the natural and applied
- Uses demographic data from government surveys
sciences emphasize a careful statement of the
and opinion polls along with direct quotations
hypothesis and prediction of the experiment.
from political candidates and party platforms
- They also take special care to account for the
Social scientist: measurements used in investigation to ensure that
- Are likely to gather data from a variety of research it is replicable.
study reports and direct ethnographic observation, Social Sciences and Humanities:
interviews, and field work
- Often use specialized formatting to develop
Modern Poetry: research papers, literature reviews, and book
- “I expect you to incorporate at least fifteen lines of reviews.
poetry in your paper” - You will notice a meticulous emphasis on the
History: specifics of methodology (especially key concepts
surrounding the collection of data, such as
- "Back up your work with at least two firsthand
reliability, validity, sample size, and variables) and
sources such as photos, documents, and artifacts.
careful presentation of results and their
You can check items out of the campus museum.”
significance.
Language: - An essay in the humanities on a piece of literature
- “Choose one non-English language and present might spend more time setting a theoretical
the history of at least twenty links between that foundation for its interpretation, it might also more
language and German” readily draw from a variety of other disciplines,
and it might present its "findings" more as
Chemistry:
questions than as answers.
- "Find a minimum of five experiments that show the
characteristics of cooper."
Note: As you are taking a variety of introductory college
Marketing:
courses, try to familiarize yourself within the jargon of each
- "I want you to choose a modern product that is discipline you encounter, paying attention to its specialized
selling well and critique the marketing techniques vocabulary and terminology (it might even help you make
involved.” a list of terms in your note
EFAP Reviewer

B. TEXT STRUCTURE TO GLEAN INFORMATION 4. Order/Sequence/Chronological Order/Temporal

Order
a. Gives readers a chronological of events or a
TEXT STRUCTURE
list of steps in a procedure
- Refers to how the information within a written b. Organized from one point in time to another
text is organized c. Transitional Words: First, Next, Later, and
- Helps understand that a text might present a Finally
main idea and details d. Dates and times are also used
e. Example: “A book about the American
revolution might list the events leading to the
1. Description
war. In another book, steps involved in
a. Organizer: Descriptive Pattern, Describing
harvesting blue crabs might be told.”
Qualities
f. Organizer: Sequence pattern, Chronological
b. Features a detailed description of something
sequence
to give the reader a mental picture
5. Problem – Solution
c. Transitional Words: (Spatial Words) Next to,
a. Sets up a problem or problems, explains the
On top of, Beside
solution, and then discusses the effects of
d. Example: A book may tell all about whales or
the solution
describe what the geography is like in a
b. Transitional words: Problem, Solution, Solve,
particular region
Effect, Hopeful
2. Cause and Effect
c. Organizer: Problem – Solution Organizer
a. Presents the casual relationship between
d. Example: “Park school had a terrible
specific event, idea, or concept, and the
problem. Every day at recess, students would
events, ideas, or concepts that follow
disagree over the slides. Teachers had to
b. Transition Words: Cause, Effect, As a result,
spend time every day taking care of the
Consequently, and Because
arguments. Finally, one teacher came up with
c. Example: Weather patterns could be
a great solution. They bought another set of
described that explain why a big snowstorm
slides that everyone could enjoy.”
occurred.
6. Narration
d. Organizer: Cause – Effect Pattern,
a. Tells a story or explains a sequence of events
Process/Cause and Effect
b. Can be fiction or nonfiction
3. Comparison and Contrast
c. Examples: Novels, Fables, Screenplays,
a. Examines the similarities and differences
Biographies, History books, Accidental
between two or more people, events,
reports
concepts, ideas, and etc.
d. A basic strategy used by writers for
b. May use a clustered approach, with details
presenting action
about the topic followed by details about the
e. Used by the writers for a variety of purposes:
other
To illustrate and support ideas with
c. May show an alternating approach, with the
anecdotes, entertain the readers with stories,
author going back between the two topics
predict what will happen with scenarios, and
d. Transition words: Like, Similar, Unlike, On
explain how something happens with process
the other hand, Also, and Too
narratives
e. Example: “A book about Ancient Greece may
f. Can be objective or subjective
explain how the Spartan women were
g. Retell past events
different from the Athenian women.”
h. The sequence of events can be presented
f. Organizer: Comparison/Contrast
using strategies like flashbacks – To previous
events and flash – forwards to the present or
future
EFAP Reviewer

i. The goal of narration is not only to retell - Invented Definition

everything that happened but rather to screen o Meanings given to words which are
and present details which explain the newly – coined as already being used in
significant event the society
Kinds of Narration o Example: Definition of flash mob
- Objective Narration 8. Classification
o Presents facts to create an accurate time a. Involves combining objects or items into
line of events categories based on distinct characteristics
o Example: Doctors use objective narration b. Grouped and classified items are labeled
to document a patient’s history under new combinations
o Police officers write objective narratives c. Classification paragraphs can be organized
to relate the details of a crime or record using official or personal classification
the testimony of the eyewitness d. Official classifications include widely – known
- Subjective Narration and accepted categories used by the
o Conveys the impressions, feelings, government, a business, or an organization
insights, or point of view e. Example: The classification used by PAG-ASA
o Example: A student’s personal essay are Yellow Rainfall Warning, Orange Rainfall
which details his 4 year pleasant Warning, etc.
experiences in the school
7. Definition
a. Used in explaining unfamiliar terms
b. Clearly stated definitions play a critical role in
a written text
c. Used for two major purposes: To explain or
to convince
d. The goal of narration is not only to retell
everything that happened but rather to screen
and present details which explain the
significant event
Types of Definition
- Standard Definition
o Meanings which rarely changes and is
universally accepted
o Example: Definition of right angle
- Regulatory Definition
o Meanings assigned by organizations and
changes depending on how it is used
o Example: PAG-ASA’s definition of critical
level
- Qualifying Definition
o Meaning of words that are subject for
interpretation
o Example: Eloquent
- Personal Definition
o Definitions which depend on the
interpretations or assigned meaning of
the writer themselves
o Example: The definition of friendship