11/12

English for Academic

and Professional
Purposes (EAPP)

Q1/Q3-Module 2
Academic Text Structure

What I Need to Know

Most Essential Learning Competency (MELC):
Use knowledge of text structure to glean the information he/she
 needs. (CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-Ia-c-4)

Objectives:
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
1. define academic texts;
2. determine text structure of an academic text; and
3. explain the components of the three-part essay structure.

What I Know
To check what you already know about our new topic/ lesson, answer the pre-
test below.
PRE-TEST
Directions: Read each item carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer, and
write it on a separate sheet of paper.
1. What part of the academic text usually states the thesis statement?
a. Introduction b. Body c. Conclusion
2. Which of the following texts are considered as formal texts?
a. Novels b. Academic texts c. Literary Texts
3. Which of the following is the proper structure of an Academic text?
a. Introduction, Thesis statement, Conclusion
b. Introduction, Body, Arguments
c. Introduction, Body, Conclusion
4. What part of academic text includes the paper’s argument and supporting
idea and details?
a. Introduction b. Body c. Conclusion
5. It is the part of the academic text that functions as a restatement of the
main arguments and facts presented in the text.
a. Introduction b. Body c. Conclusion

LESSON 2 ACADEMIC TEXT STRUCTURE

What’s In
Let us recall your knowledge about the previous lesson and try to link it to
our new topic by answering the short drill below.

Directions: Using the Venn diagram, compare and contrast the

characteristics of an academic text from non-academic texts. Write your
answers in a separate sheet of paper.

EAPP Module 2 – Quarter I/III, Page 1 of 9

 Academic Text Non-Academic Text

What’s New

Text structure refers to the way an author arranges information in his writing.
Text structure provides the format and enables writers to organize their thoughts
as they write. It also helps the reader in a way that it provides a structure in which
information can be found and understood while it is being read.
Structure is an important feature of academic writing. A well-structured text
enables the reader to follow the argument and navigate the text. In academic
writing, a clear structure and a logical flow are imperative to a cohesive text.
Meaning is actually mapped onto the structure of language.
While most pieces of non- academic texts follow the same or similar
general organizational patterns, different academic texts can have different text
structures. An academic text may present a main idea and then details, a cause
and then its effects, an effect and the causes, two different views of a topic, etc.
Therefore, it is important that you can recognize common text structures found in
academic texts.
In this module, you can learn how to determine the way an author arranges
information in his writing. Also, this helps you understand meaning and gather
information while reading the text and consequently provides ideas that enable
you to organize your thoughts as you write your own.

What Is It
What is an Academic Text?
Academic text is defined as critical, objective, specialized texts
written by experts or professionals in a given field using formal language. This
means that academic texts are based on facts with solid basis. Academic writing,
therefore, is generally quite formal, objective (impersonal) and technical. It is
formal by avoiding casual or conversational language, such as contractions or
informal vocabulary. It is impersonal and objective by avoiding direct reference to
people or feelings, and instead emphasizing objects, facts and ideas. It is
technical by using vocabulary specific to the discipline. To be a good academic
writer, you will need to learn the specific styles and structures for your discipline,
as well as for each individual writing task. Some examples of academic writing
are as follow: Literary Analysis, Research Paper, Dissertation or thesis,
textbooks, academic journal articles.
Academic writing is a particular style used in formal essays and other
assessments for the course. It requires formal language, a logical structure and is

EAPP Module 2 – Quarter I/III, Page 2 of 9

supported by evidence/s. Academic writing is clear, concise, focused, structured
and backed up by evidence. Its purpose is to aid the reader's understanding. It
has a formal tone and style, but it is not complex and does not require the use of
long sentences and complicated vocabulary. It also refers to a style of expression
that researchers use to define the intellectual boundaries of their disciplines and
their specific areas of expertise.
Academic reading differs from reading for pleasure. You will often not read
every word, and you are reading for a specific purpose rather than enjoyment.
This page explains different types of purpose and how the purpose affects how
you read, as well as suggesting a general approach to reading academic texts.
Academic and non-academic texts are also typically written for a particular
audience. While non-academic texts are intended more for mass, public
consumption than scholarly or academic texts, they may be targeted towards
special interests or occupations in society.
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.
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
Most academic writing is also 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.
The kinds of instructions for an analytical assignment include: 'analyse', 'compare',
'contrast', 'relate', and 'examine'.
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.
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'.
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. 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.
Structure is an important feature of academic writing. In academic writing a clear
structure and a logical flow are imperative to a cohesive text. These are the two
common structures of academic texts that you need to learn which depends on

EAPP Module 2 – Quarter I/III, Page 3 of 9

the type of assignment you are required: the three-part essay structure and the
IMRaD structure. Different disciplines also have different styles and structures of
writing. For example, some disciplines, such as in the humanities, expect longer
paragraphs, which include topic sentences to show how your argument is
structured. Other disciplines, for example in the sciences, expect short
paragraphs, with no topic sentences, which are denser in factual information.
The three-part essay structure is a basic structure that consists of
introduction, body and conclusion. The introduction and the conclusion should be
shorter than the body of the text. For shorter essays, one or two paragraphs for
each of these sections can be appropriate. For longer texts or theses, they may
be several pages long.
Introduction. Its purpose is to clearly tell the reader the topic, purpose and
structure of the paper. As a rough guide, an introduction might be between 10
and 20 percent of the length of the whole paper and has three main parts:
A. the most general information, such as background and/or definitions.
B. the core of the introduction, where you show the overall topic, purpose,
your point of view, hypotheses and/or research questions (depending
on what kind of paper it is); and
C. the most specific information, describing the scope and structure of
your paper.
The Body. It develops the question, “What is the topic about?”. It may
elaborate directly on the topic sentence by giving definitions, classifications,
explanations, contrasts, examples and evidence. This is considered as the heart
of the essay because it expounds the specific ideas for the readers to have a
better understanding of the topic. It usually is the largest part of the essay.
Conclusion. The conclusion is closely related to the introduction and is
often described as its ‘mirror image’. This means that if the introduction begins
with general information and ends with specific information, the conclusion
moves in the opposite direction. The conclusion usually begins by briefly
summarizing the main scope or structure of the paper, confirms the topic that
was given in the introduction, ends with a more general statement about how this
topic relates to its context. This may take the form of an evaluation of the
importance of the topic, implications for future research or a recommendation
about theory or practice.
The IMRaD Structure
The sections of the IMRaD structure are Introduction, Methods, Results
and Discussion. The Introduction usually depicts the background of the topic and
the central focus of the study. The Methodology lets your readers know your data
collection methods, research instrument employed, sample size and so on.
Results and Discussion states the brief summary of the key findings or the results
of your study.

What’s More

Directions: Indicate using a check mark () if you would agree to the
following statements about Academic text and its structure. Write your answers in
a separate sheet of paper.
_____1. Academic texts can use first person point-of-view and include one’s
emotional attachment to the topic.
_____2. An academic text should clearly state its thesis, argument or proposition.
_____3. An academic text does not necessarily need to include a list of

EAPP Module 2 – Quarter I/III, Page 4 of 9

references.
_____4. Poetry has the same text structure with that of the academic texts.
_____5. The introduction of an academic text provides the context of the
argument.
_____6. In the body of an academic text, arguments, ideas and results are
developed and discussed.
_____7. Academic texts are written in formal structures.
_____ 8. Structure of an academic text depends on its theme/ topic.
_____ 9. An academic text has an introduction, body and conclusion.
_____ 10. A thesis statement is necessary in academic texts.

What I Have Learned

Directions: Read the given article below then extract the essential
statements of the Introduction, Body and Conclusion parts. Write your answers in
a separate sheet of paper.
Online Education
It seems everything is moving online these days. Even our education is
transferring onto the internet. Many people might squabble about the
disadvantages of this phenomena, but today, I want to discuss the advantages of
getting an education online. This is a pertinent topic, as the future of education is
moving more and more towards shifting physical educational institutions online.
There are reasons for this: many times you can learn whatever you want, it is
more comfortable in a variety of ways, online courses often look good on resumes,
the pacing of learning is managed by the learner, and the cost of virtual education
is often lower than traditional education.
The freedom to choose your educational path is an enduring quality of
online education. For more creative people, or people who want to focus on a
single activity, this can be a dream come true. According to e-learning Industry,
“You can pick the program of your dreams in traditional education, too, but that
would involve traveling away from home, living in a completely unknown city, and
struggling in an extremely competitive learning environment. With online
education, you can take any program or course present in traditional four-year
universities” (Norman, Stephanie). So, the ease of access to the courses and
majors you are striving to study are widely available online. This increases
opportunities to gain the education we desire instead of making needless
compromises.
Like the last point, comfort takes center stage for many students.
Countless students choose online education in order to avoid wasting time
travelling and on many other activities in order to attend physical education
institutions. According to the Open Education Database, “Commercials that
feature online students studying in their pajamas only skims the surface of one of
the benefits of online education: no physical class sessions. Students listen to
lectures and complete assignments sent to them electronically, with no need to
fight traffic, leave work early for class, or miss important family time. Rather than
miss important class sessions (due to weather conditions), students in online
courses can always “attend” by participating in discussion boards or chat
sessions, turning in their work on time, and watching lectures or reading materials”
(“10 Advantages of Taking Online Classes”). In other words, by being an online
student, you circumnavigate many of the issues that regular students endure on a
daily basis.
In addition, many employers are happy to see online courses on resumes. Many
recruiters see the taking of online courses as a sign of taking initiative. As stated
by Pongo Resume, “Employers respect a degree earned online as much as a
degree earned from attending a brick-and-mortar school. They understand that
with the technological advances we have today, more and more employees are
getting their education and training online. Because hiring managers value
continuing education and professional development, having the relevant courses
and programs in the education section of your resume will demonstrate that you
are resourceful and have taken the initiative to stay ahead of the curve and
improve professionally” (“The Advantages of Online Learning for You and Your
Career”). Therefore, not only is online education seen as equal to regular
education by employers, but it is also viewed as being competent in the latest
technologies and trends.
Back to the students, one of the great advantages of online education is that
learners can study at their own pace. According to eLearning Industry, “This type
of system does not require attending live sessions; you can access the materials
at any time that works for you. If you have to work or take care of your home and
children during the day, you can study at night. That’s an advantage the
traditional educational system cannot beat” (Norman, Stephanie). In addition,
people who want to take a longer time to receive a degree can do so without any
pressure.
Finally, the cost of getting an online education is cheaper on average than
receiving a traditional education. According to the Open Education Database,
“Though not all online degrees offer less expensive net tuition prices than
traditional colleges, associated expenses almost always cost less. For example,
there are no commuting costs, and sometimes required course materials, such
as textbooks, are available online at no cost. In addition, many colleges and
universities accept credits earned via free massive open online courses
(MOOCs), the most recent advance in online education” (“10 Advantages of
Taking Online Classes”). Thus, there are a variety of reasons why an online
education costs less.
Receiving an online education is becoming more and more popular due to a
multitude of advantages it has over traditional instruction. These advantages
include, to name a few: students can learn whatever they want, it is more
comfortable, online courses often look great on resumes, the pacing of learning is
managed by the pupil, and the cost is often lower than traditional education. With
these reasons, it is hard to not see why this form of education is on the rise.
(Source: https://www.coursehero.com/file/39507225/Online-Educationdocx/)

What I Can Do
Directions: Write an essay/article about Covid-19 pandemic that we are
experiencing today using the three-part essay structure of an academic text.
Write your essay/article in a separate sheet of paper.
Scoring Rubrics:
 Criteria 1 2 3 4 Score
The essay is The essay is The essay is
The essay
focused on focused on the focused,
poorly
Focus/ Main topic topic and purposeful,
addresses topic
Point and includes includes and reflects
and includes
few loosely relevant ideas clear insight
irrelevant ideas
related ideas and ideas
Persuasively
supports
Supports main Supports main main
Provides little or point with some point with point with
Support no support for underdeveloped developed well
the main point reasons and/or reasons and/or developed
examples examples reasons
and/or
examples
Organization Effectively
& Format organizes
Little or no Some
(Paragraphs, Organizes ideas
organization of organization of
Transitions) ideas to build to build a
ideas to build ideas to build
an argument logical,
an argument an argument
coherent
argument
Effective and
creative use
Language Little or no use of
Use, of elements of Some use of Appropriate use elements of
Style & style elements of of elements of style to
Conventions Many errors in style style enhance
(Sentence grammar, Contains Uses correct meaning
structure, word spelling, and frequent errors grammar, Uses correct
choice, punctuation, in grammar, spelling, and grammar,
grammar, makes reader’s spelling, and punctuation spelling,
spelling, comprehension punctuation with few errors punctuation
punctuation) difficult throughout
with very few
errors
Distinctive
experimentati
on with
Sufficient language
No
experimentatio and usage to
experimentatio Very little
n with language enhance
Originality n experimentation
and usage to concepts
(Expression of nor to enhance
enhance Applies
the theme in a enhancement concepts
concepts higher order
creative way) of concepts Does not exhibit
Applies basic thinking
No adherence creativity
creative skills to and creative
to the theme
relay ideas skills
to relay
complex
ideas
Assessment:
Post Test
Directions: Read each item carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer
and write it on a separate sheet of paper.

1.Writing academic papers requires deliberate, thorough and careful thought.

Therefore, what should one do to achieve a well-crafted academic essay?
A. One must depend on his/her own opinions alone.
B. One must conduct a research on the topic at hand.
C. One must not consult the Internet for unsure sources.
D. One must depend highly on the Internet for easy information
access
2. What are the three main parts of an essay?
A. The hook, the main idea and the conclusion.
B. The introduction, the body and the conclusion.
C. The topic sentence, the body and the conclusion.
D. None of the above

3. What are the purposes of doing an academic writing?

A. To settle, to negotiate and to inform
B. To defend, to challenge and to question
C. To inform, to persuade and to argue a specific point
D. To guess, to hypothesize and to make conclusions
EAPP Module 2 – Quarter I/III, Page 7 of 9
4. Who are the target readers of an academic essay?
A. Parents, workers, teachers
B. Teachers, students, academic community
C. Students, out-of-school youth, government officials
D. None of the above
5. What refers to the way an author arranges information in his writing which
provides the format and enables writers to organize their thoughts as they write?
A. Text Structure
B. Academic writing
C. Researching
D. Academic Reading
6. Which of the following types of academic writing is called the simplest type and
its purpose is to provide facts or information?
A. Analytical
B. Persuasive
C. Critical
D. Descriptive
7. Which of the following words best describe an academic writing?
A. Talented, stylish, inspiring
B. Precise, clear, objective
C. Decisive, divisive, derisive
D. Subjective, obscure, vague
8. What particular part of an academic essay that is closely related to the
introduction and is often described as its ‘mirror image’, and usually begins by
briefly summarizing the main scope or topic of the paper?
A. Thesis Statement B. Introduction
C. Body D. Conclusion
9. What is true of the introductory paragraph?
A. ends with the thesis
B. introduces the big idea of the essay
C. starts with a hook
 D. all of these
10. What part of the IMRaD Structure lets your readers know your data collection
methods, research instrument employed, sample size?
A. Methodology B. Introduction
C. Results/Discussion D. Conclusion

Answer Key

WHAT I WHAT’S WHAT I HAVE

KNOW: MORE: EAPP Module 2 – Quarter I/III, Page 8 of 9
LEARNED:
1. X
1. A 2.  Answers may vary.
2. B 3. X
4. X WHAT I CAN DO:
3. C 5. X
4. B 6.  Answers may vary.
5. C 7. 
8. X ASSESSMENT
9.  1. B
10. 
WHAT’S IN: 2. B
Answers may 3. C
vary. 4. B
5. A
6. D
7. B
8. D
9. D
10. A
EAPP Module 2 – Quarter I/III, Page 9 of 9