2. ACADEMIC TEXT

• Academic text


  Reading material that provides information which include concepts and theories that are related to the specific discipline
• Examples of academic texts

  • Research Paper
  • Conference Paper
  • Feasibility Study
  • Thesis/Dissertation
  • Reviews
  • Essay
  • Academic Journals
  • Reports
• Structure of academic text

  • Formal and logical (Introduction, Body, Conclusion)
  • Cohesive and possess a logically organized flow of ideas
• Tone of academic text


  • Arguments of others are fairly presented and with an appropriate narrative tone
  • When presenting a position or argument that disagrees, describe the argument accurately without loaded or biased language
• Language of academic text

  • Unambiguous
  • Clear topic sentences
  • Formal language and third person point-of-view
  • Technical language appropriate to the area of study
• Citation in academic text


  • Citing sources in the body of the paper and providing a list of references as either footnotes or endnotes
  • Acknowledging the source of any ideas, research findings, data, or quoted text to defend against plagiarism
• Complexity of academic text


  • Addresses complex issues that require higher-order thinking skills to comprehend
• Evidence-based arguments in academic text

  • Opinions are based on a sound understanding of the pertinent body of knowledge and academic debates
• Thesis-driven nature of academic text


  • Starting point is a particular perspective, idea or position applied to the chosen research problem
• Characteristics of academic vs non-academic text

  • Audience: Academia vs Mass public
  • Purpose: Inform with solid evidence vs Inform, entertain or persuade
  • Style: Formal and impersonal vs Personal, impressionistic, emotional or subjective
  • Structure: Standard structure vs No rigid structure
  • Language: Formal avoiding colloquialisms vs Informal and casual, may contain slang
  • Subject/Content: Shared historical events, literature or other forms of knowledge vs Personal life and everyday events
• Academic language


  • Oral, written, auditory, and visual language proficiency required to learn effectively in schools and academic programs
  • Language used in classroom lessons, books, tests, and assignments
  • Language students are expected to learn and achieve fluency in
• Social language


  • Simple, informal language used when talking face to face with family and friends
  • Allows use of contemporary or slang terms
  • Communicates feelings, needs, and wants using symbolic hand gestures
  • Includes writing emails, friendly letters, texts, and retelling stories
• Difference between academic and social language

  • Academic language is used to describe and comprehend complex ideas, process higher-order thinking, and understand abstract concepts
  • Academic language is what students read in textbooks and on tests and what they hear during instruction in the classroom
  • Students with limited or low academic language skills are more than likely to have low academic performance in classroom settings
• Differences between social and academic language

  • Social: Repetition of words

  Academic: Variety of words, more sophisticated vocabulary

  Social: Sentences start with "and" and "but"

  Academic: Sentences start with transition words like "however," "moreover," and "in addition"

  Social: Use of slang like "guy," "cool," and "awesome"

  Academic: No slang