Structure and Features of Academic Text
This document provides an overview of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and key aspects of academic writing. EAP focuses on developing the language skills needed to function in an English-speaking academic environment. The standard structure for academic texts includes an introduction presenting the topic and argument, a body section developing and discussing the argument through analysis and results, and a conclusion summarizing the main points. Academic writing involves posing a question or problem and answering it through informed argumentation to inform, argue a position, or persuade. Features of academic texts include complexity, formality, precision, objectivity, explicitness, accuracy, hedging, and responsibility in making and justifying claims.
Structure and Features of Academic Text
- 2. EAP focuses instruction on skills required to perform in an English-speaking academic context across core subject areas generally encountered in a university setting
- 3. Structure of academic texts three-part essay structure the reader is introduced to the topic that will be discussed and to the argument that will be presented the discussion/analysis is carried out and the results are presented the argument is summed up and conclusions are drawn
- 4. introduction to provide the reader with a clear idea of the focus and aim of the text the topic of the essay/article will be presented in the introduction, often accompanied by a thesis statement (the claim that the writer wishes to make)
- 5. introduction provides the context/background of the argument introduces the theoretical perspectives, terminology, etc. that will be used explains how the writing will be organised
- 6. Body where the essay's (or article's) argument, ideas and results are developed and discussed
- 7. conclusion should not contain any new facts or ideas, but rather function as a brief restatement of the main arguments and facts that have been treated in the essay
- 8. Academic Writing process that starts with: Posing a question Problematizing a concept Evaluating an opinion Answering the question/questions posed or Clarifying the problem or Arguing for a stand
- 9. Purposes to inform to argue a specific point to persuade
- 11. COMPLEX Written language has longer words, it is lexically more dense and it has a more varied vocabulary. Written texts are shorter and the language has more grammatical complexity, including more subordinate clauses and more passives.
- 12. FORMAL should avoid colloquial words and expressions
- 13. PRECISE Facts are given accurately and precisely
- 14. OBJECTIVE objective rather than personal has fewer words that refer to the writer or the reader main emphasis should be on the information that you want to give and the arguments you want to make, rather than you
- 15. EXPLICIT it is the responsibility of the writer in English to make it clear to the reader how the various parts of the text are related
- 16. ACCURATE uses vocabulary accurately most subjects have words with narrow specific meanings
- 17. HEDGING it is necessary to make decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you are making
- 18. RESPONSIBLE you must be responsible for, and must be able to provide evidence and justification for, any claims you make. You are also responsible for demonstrating an understanding of any source texts you use