Subject: English for Academic and Professional Purposes
Authors: Ms. Laila E. Mendoza and Ms. Cristina M. Cruz
Editors: Mrs. Crista E. Macale and Mr. Jaycie B. Robles
Reviewers: Mr. Elmar A. Cundangan and Mr. Victor T. Reyes
LESSON 2: TYPES OF ACADEMIC TEXT
Description of the Lesson:
Last week, you have learned about academic texts and its features. Today, we will continue going
through the lesson with the most popular types of academic texts. Are you ready to learn more?
Objectives (What I need to know)
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. familiarize yourself with the different types of academic texts;
2. exemplify the connection of the types of academic texts on one’s career path; and
3. write your own academic text.
Day 1
Pre-assessment (What I know)
Guess the image! Using the given hints, guess the hidden word portrayed by the images below. Write
your answer on the space provided. This will help you to have a preview of our next lesson.
1._ _ _ _ _ 2. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
VEEIRW LOSAORPP
3._ _ _ _ _
TOEPRR
Lesson Content (What’s new?)
Direction: Read the discussion of the lesson below. For deeper understanding of the lesson, you are
encouraged to take down notes and/or highlight important information from the texts. Accomplish your
notetaking on one whole intermediate paper.
An academic text is a critical, objective, specialized texts written by professionals in a specific field using
formal language. Objectivity of academic text means they are based on facts backed up with credible
evidences.
Types of Academic Texts
1. Article
Suppose you have some opinions regarding a certain topic or you want to make a difference
to the world and you want to share it with other people, what will you do? Sure, you can
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directly tell it to your friends, classmates, and family but what about those who are far away
from you?
An article is the main type of academic writing which is often published in print (newspaper,
magazine, and journal) or electronic medium. It publishes results of research and development
to the community and is intended for a large group of audience. It aims to impact on the
academic community through offering concepts and methods for others to use.
One example of an article is entitled, “Does Writing System Influence the Associations
between Phonological Awareness, Morphological Awareness, and Reading? A Meta-
Analysis” written by Yufan Ruan from Beijing Normal University, which analyses on to what
extent does linguistic skills influence reading.
2. Essay
An essay is a "short formal piece of writing, dealing with a single subject" ("Essay," 2001).
It is typically written to try to persuade the reader using selected
research evidence ("Essay," 1997).
Essays are communicative and discursive. It often argues for a concept, standpoint, or opinion.
There are many types of essays you may write as a student. They can be personal, sometimes
diary-like, or you may write a coherent set of ideas into an argument. Either way, the objective
of presenting and defending a topic and a stance to the reader.
3. Blogpost
Before we start defining a blog post, let us first define the basics.
As defined by Merriam dictionary, a blog is a website that contains personal reflections,
comments, and often hyperlinks, videos, and photographs provided by the writer or what we
call the blogger. A blog post is an article or piece of writing that is inside the blog. It is essay-
like and diary-like, as most of the times, it can be about blogger’s personal experiences about
something or can be an instruction for cooking, editing, and so on.
It is communicative and discursive as readers can give their feedbacks and opinions toward the
post through commenting on the sites.
Example sites for blogging are [Link], [Link], [Link], [Link].
4. Proposal
A proposal is the first step in producing a research or development project. It establishes
partnership and consortium between supervisors and/or academic committee. Its intent is to
convince your audience that your topic and approach is effective and sound. It sets premises,
starting points, brands, and concepts.
One example of proposal is title proposal for a research which tackles the plan and reason of
doing such action such as basis or problems involved, and the steps to be taken.
5. Report
A report is a short, sharp, and concise written document which is intended for a particular
purpose and audience. It is a statement of a work in progress and is designed to lead the reader
through the information in a structured way.
Oftentimes, report and essay are used interchangeably. An essay presents arguments and
reasoning while report concentrated on facts. It is often needed or requested in business and
technical subjects.
6. Review
A review is a written account that evaluates and contextualize someone else’s publication. The
writer aims to offer his/her opinion of the qualities of the book, film or any other type of text
being reviewed. The reviewer’s comments are supported by reference to details in book or
film. Reviews can be negative and positive; it shows the weakness as well as the strength of
the text being reviewed.
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Reviews give scholars an opportunity to respond to one another’s research, ideas, and
interpretations. In addition, reviews provide updates on the discipline which helps the new
writers of the said field.
7. Thesis/ Dissertations/ Monograph
Before a student graduate from a university, he is required to conduct either a thesis or a
dissertation. The thesis and dissertation are written documents researched by the graduate
students. The structures of the two academic texts are completely the same, as they contain
introduction, literature review, body, conclusion, bibliography, and appendix. However, this
two is often confused or used interchangeably.
A thesis is a compilation of researches that proves you are knowledgeable about what you have
learned throughout the graduate program. It is where you look for a research, analyze the
gathered information and show its relationship to the particular subject matter at hand. The
focus is for the students to discuss in-depth information and show their ability to think critically
about the said topic. In addition, students who undergo thesis writing choose subject that is
most relevant to a specialty or field they belong.
A dissertation is a written document that interprets old material in a new light and/or
introduces unique materials and new results. New theories and concepts were proven in
dissertation therefore making the bulk of information recognized to the author.
As defined by Merriam dictionary, a monograph is a learned treatise on small area of learning.
It was derived from the Greek word “mono” which means single and “grapho” or to write,
therefore making it to “writing on a single subject”. It is a special type of book written on a
single specialized topic which is highly detailed and documented devoted mainly for research
works; could pose unsolved problems and may provide explanation of some research papers.
A monograph is written by only a single author that is why it is also called a specialist type of
writing.
Day 2
Review
Direction: Recall what you’ve learned yesterday by rereading the lesson. You may want to reach out to
your teacher if you have questions regarding the lesson.
Practice (What is it?)
Direction: Identify what type of academic texts is being asked on each statement. Write your answer on
the space provided before each number. Do this on a separate sheet of paper.
__________1. It is an article or piece of writing that is inside the blog.
__________2. It is a statement of a work in progress and is designed to lead the reader through the
information in a structured way.
__________3. It is a type of academic writing which are often communicative and discursive, it often
argues for a concept, standpoint, or opinion.
__________4. It establishes partnership and consortium and its intent is to convince a supervisor or
academic committee about your topic and approach or sound.
__________5. It is a compilation of researches that proves you are knowledgeable about what you have
learned throughout the graduate program.
__________6. It is a written account that evaluates and contextualize someone else’s publication.
___________7. It is a special type of book written on a single specialized topic which is highly detailed
and documented devoted mainly for research works; could pose unsolved problems and may provide
explanation of some research papers.
___________8. It publishes results of research and development to the community and is intended for a
large group of audience.
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__________9. It is a written document that interprets old material in a new light and/or introduces unique
materials and new results.
__________10. It gives scholars an opportunity to respond to one another’s research, ideas, and
interpretations.
Day 3
Valuing/ Integration (What’s more?)
Direction: Write a short essay with 100 words on the relevance of knowing the different academic types
to your chosen course or career path. Your essay should have Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. You
have the option to create your own title. Write your essay on one whole sheet of intermediate paper.
Day 4
Application (What I can do)
Practice writing an academic text. On this activity, you have the freedom to choose between two types of
academic text: blogpost or report, to write on your own.
If you choose blogpost, you have to write a 100-word blogpost about the things you can do to entertain
yourself during the quarantine period. Go online and post it on
[Link] Please note that you can add images, gif, and/or
videos. If you do not have internet access, you may write it on a whole sheet of intermediate paper.
If you prefer writing a report, create one about your activities for this week. You may use charts and tables
to show your week’s progress and write it on a piece of bond paper. You may add colors to show your
creativity.
Day 5
Post-assessment (What I have learned)
How was your experience of discovering the lesson? I hope you enjoyed the activity set for this week’s
lesson. Today, you are going to do one more activity regarding the topic.
Direction: Using a Venn diagram, show the two differences and one similarity of the following:
1. Essay and blog
2. Thesis and Dissertation
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Congratulations! You are done with this week’s lesson about the types of academic text. What is your
favorite part of the lesson and/or activity? Do you have a preferred activity that we can use for the next
lesson? Tell me more by filling in the blanks below.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________.
Reminders:
1. Keep your written outputs in a portfolio.
2. Your opinion matters! Give your feedback or message regarding the lesson to your teacher through text
or messenger. You may also ask for clarification and guidance in order to achieve the lesson’s goal.
References:
English for Academic and Professional Purposes: Teacher’s Guide
Tetzner R. 2018. The Importance of Writing with Precision in a Thesis or Dissertation. derived from:
[Link]
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