What is Reading?
Reading is a multifaceted process involving word
recognition, comprehension, fluency, and motivation.
Learn how readers integrate these facets to make
meaning from print.
Reading is making meaning from print. It requires that we:



Identify the words in print – a process called word
recognition
Construct an understanding from them – a process
called comprehension
Coordinate identifying words and making meaning
so that reading is automatic and accurate – an
achievement called fluency
Academic Reading is defined as reading with a
specific academic and educational purpose. Academic
reading includes reading more traditional books,
dictionaries, encyclopedias, and journal articles, along
with a vast number of resources available online.
words and terms typical to the field. The author's name
will be present, as will their credentials. There will be a list
of references that indicate where the author obtained the
information s/he is using in the article.
Non-Academic articles are written for the mass public.
They are published quickly and can be written by anyone.
Their language is informal, casual, and may contain
slang. The author may not be provided and will not have
any credentials listed. There will be no reference list.
Non-Academic articles can be found in periodicals similar
to Time, Newsweek, or Rolling Stone.
Reading Goals
Before you read an academic text, ask yourself the
following questions:
1. Why am I reading this text?
2. What information or pieces of information do I need?
3. What do I want to learn?
Academic vs. Non-Academic: What's the
Difference?
Below are some general purposes for reading an
academic text.
The majority of your research will require academic and
scholarly articles. Many students struggle with trying to
determine what an academic source, or article, is.


Academic articles are written by professionals in a given
field. They are edited by the authors' peers and often take
years to publish. Their language is formal and will contain



to better understand an existing idea
to get ideas that can support a particular writing
assignment
to gain more information
to identify gaps in existing studies
to contact new ideas to existing ones

Structure of Academic Texts

Academic texts are typically formal. They have a
clearly structured introduction, body, and
conclusion. They also include information from
credible sources which are, in turn, properly cited.
They also include a list of references used in
developing an academic paper.
Content and Style of Academic Texts
Academic texts include concepts and theories that are
related to the specific discipline they explore. They
usually exhibit all the properties of a well-written text i.e.,
organization, unity, coherence, and cohesion, as well as
strict adherence to rules of language use and mechanics.
In general, the authors observe the following when writing
academic texts.






They state critical questions and issues.
They provide facts and evidence from credible.
They use precise and accurate words while
avoiding jargon and colloquial expressions.
They take an objective point-of-view and avoid
being personal subjective.
They list references.
They use hedging or cautious language to tone
down their claims.

Summary:
ACADEMIC WRITING
NON-ACADEMIC WRITING
01.
Academic writing refers to a
piece of writing which focuses
on a specific academic
subject/topic.
Non-Academic writing refers to a
piece of writing which focuses on
a general topic.
02.
Academic writings are based on Non-Academic writings are
academic findings and
based on any general
academic research etc.
conversation or topic.
03.
Its reader includes
academicians.
Its reader includes family and
friends.
04.
Its purpose is to inform the
readers with solid evidence.
Its purpose is to inform,
entertain, or persuade the
readers.
05.
It may include some complex
sentences.
Simple and short sentences are
always preferable.
06.
Its content is based on serious
thought.
Its thought is based on
conversational.
07.
It contains citations and
references.
It often does not contain citations
and references.
08.
Academic writing is structured in Non-Academic writing is not
a manner.
structured in a manner.
09.
It always follows a formal way of It may follow a formal or informal
writing.
way of writing.
10.
It is organized in a clear and
well-planned manner.
It is less likely to be clear and
organized.
11.
From a grammar point of view,
academic writing is error-free.
From a grammar point of view, it
may contain errors but mostly
avoided.
12.
In academic writing technical
and academic language used
In non-academic writing use
13.
accurately.
short forms, idioms, and slang.
For example, suppose a
professor writing on a concept
related to Chemistry and that
published in the college’s
monthly magazine.
For example, you are an
employee of a company and you
are writing a business letter to
your colleague related to the
current project.
Critical Reading
Strategies
Reading academic texts requires focus and
understanding. You have to interact with the text by
questioning its assumptions, responding to its arguments,
and connecting it to real-life experiences and
applications. Critical or reflective reading helps you
identify the key arguments presented by the author and
analyze concepts presented in the text.
To adopt a critical reading approach, practice the
strategies to be employed during each stage of reading.
Before Reading










Determine which type of academic text (article, review,
thesis, etc.) you are reading.
Determine and establish your purpose for reading.
Identify the author's purpose for writing.
Predict or infer the main idea or argument of the text
based on its title.
Identify your attitude towards the author and the text.
State what you already know and what you want to
learn about the topic.
Determine the target audience.
Check the publication date for relevance. It should have
been published at most five years earlier than the current
year.
Check the reference list while making sure to consider
the correctness of the formatting style.
Use a concept map or a graphic organizer to note your
existing ideas and knowledge on the topic.
During Reading
o
o
Annotate important parts of the text.

text.
Annotating a text can help you determine essential ideas
or information, main ideas or arguments, and new
information or ideas. Here are some ways to annotate a
text.

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Write keywords or phrases on the margins in
bullet form.
Write something on the page margin where
important information is found.
Write brief notes on the margin.
Write quotations on information that you find
confusing.
Write about what you already know about the
ideas.
Write the limitations of the author's arguments.
Write notes on the reliability of the text.
Comment on the author's biases.
Use a concept map or any graphic organizer to
note down the ideas being explained.
React to the arguments presented in the text.
Underline important words, phrases, or
sentences.
Underline or encircle meanings or definitions.
Mark or highlight relevant/essential parts of the
o
o
o
o
Use the headings and transition words to
identify relationships in the text.
Create a bank of unfamiliar or technical words
to be defined later.
Use context clues to define unfamiliar or
technical words.
Synthesize the author's arguments at the end of
the chapter or section.
Determine the main idea of the text.
Identify the evidence or supporting arguments
presented by the author and check their validity and
relevance.
Identify the findings and note the
appropriateness of the research method used.
After Reading




Reflect on what you learned.
React to some parts of the text through writing.
Discuss some parts with your teacher or classmates.
Link the main idea of the text to what you already know.
Other Reading Strategies
Here are more reading strategies that you can employ to ensure critical reading not only of academic texts but also of
other texts in general.
a. SQ3R Method of Reading
SQ3R stands for Survey (or Skim), Question, Read, Recite (or Recall), Revise.
Stage
Guidelines


Survey


Question
Read


Annotate tho headings with your questions
Develop questions on the types of information you expect from
the text.



Look for answers to your questions as you read the text.
Stop and slow down if the passage is not clear.
Make sure to proceed reading only when you already understand the
previous texts.


Recount the main points of the text.
Recall by writing a summary or synthesis based on what you understand
of the text.
Highlight or underline the important points you read.
Recite

Review
Skim the target text.
Check the headings and tables, diagrams, or figures presented in the
text.
Read the first few and last sentences of the text to determine key
information.
Get a feel of the text.

After finishing the text, go back and re-reod 'he questions you wrote and
see if you can answer therm; if not, refresh your memory.

Evaluate what you learned to ensure that you are convinced
and satisfied with the information presented In the text.
b. KWL Method
The KWL method guides you in reading and understanding a text. To apply the KWL method, simply make a table with
three columns. In the first column, write what you know (K) about the topic; in the second list down what you want (W) to
learn; and in the last column, write down what you learned (L).
Below is a simple KWL chart using an article that focuses on language and gender:
What I Know
What I Want to Learn
What I Have Learned



There is a connection
between language and
gender.
Women and men are
on different levels of
talkativeness.


Are women really more
talkative than men?
What accounts for the 
difference in the frequency
of language use between
men and women?

Understanding and
Women are reported to
speak 20, 000 words a day
while men speak an
average of 7, 000 words.
Foxp2 protein is one of
the genes associated with
language.
It was shown that
women have higher levels
of this protein than men.
Locating the Thesis
Statement
The thesis statement presents or describes the point of an
essay. In an academic text, the thesis statement is usually
presented in the abstract or executive summary or found at the
last part of the introduction. It is written in a declarative
sentence.
Strategies in Locating the Thesis Statement
The following strategies are useful in helping you locate
the topic sentence in a paragraph.



The following strategies are also useful in helping you
locate the thesis statement of a text.



Read the title of the text and make inferences
on its purpose.
If the text has no abstract or executive
summary, read the first few paragraphs as the
thesis statement is usually located there.
In other cases, you may also check the
conclusion where authors sum up and review
their main points.
Understanding and Locating the Topic
Sentence

The topic sentence presents or describes the
point of the paragraph; in other words, it is the
main idea of a paragraph. It can be located in the
beginning, middle, or last part of a paragraph.
Strategies in Locating the Topic Sentence


Read the first sentence of the paragraph very
carefully because most authors state their topic
sentence in the beginning of the paragraph.
Browse the sentences in the paragraph to identify
what they describe. The sentence that best describes
the topic of the paragraph is the topic sentence.
Find the concept or idea being tackled, which in
colloquial term is the "big word" in the paragraph. The
sentence that defines the big word is usually the topic
sentence.
Identify the purpose of the paragraph. The
sentence that presents or describes the purpose is
the topic sentence.
Observe the writing style of the author. Focus
specifically on where he/she places his/her topic
sentence.
Criteria in Evaluating
Sources
Not all pieces of information are accurate, relevant or
useful, and valid or credible. It is very important to
evaluate sources of information you plan to include,
specifically in academic writing.
o
Incorrect sources can affect your research, as well as
your credibility as a writer. Here are some criteria for
assessing whether a source is suitable to use for
academic purposes.
Publications from professors are usually
peer-reviewed and have undergone a strenuous
publication process and therefore reliable.
o
Legitimate academic texts must include
citations as a requirement for publication. Citations
demonstrate that the writer has thoroughly
researched the topic and is not plagiarizing the
material.
I. Relevance of the Source to the Research Topic


How well does the source support your topic?
Key Ideas:
o
You can check the title, table of contents,
summary/abstract, introduction or headings of the
text to have a sense of its content.
III. Currency/Date of Publication


II. Authority/Author's Qualifications






Is the author's name identified?
Is the author's background, education, or training
related to the topic?
Is he/she a professor in a reputable university?
What are his/her publications?
Is the contact information of the author available?
Key Ideas:
o
If the source does not have an author, think
twice before using it.
o
You can check the university's website to
make sure that the professor is associated with
the university.
What is the date of publication?
Key ideas:
o
In most fields, the data from older
publications may no longer be valid. As much as
possible, the date of publication should be at most
five years earlier.
IV. Contents/Accuracy of Information





Does the author have a lot of citations in his/her
text and/or a bibliography or works cited section?
What is the tome and style of writing?
Is the information inaccurate?
Is the information obviously biased or prejudiced?
Key ides:
o
The tone or the attitude of the author
towards his/her subject and writing style must
be formal. There should be no words or phrases
(such as colloquial words and contracted words)
that are unacceptable in English formal writing.
o
You do not want to use a source that is
disputable, so make sure to verify your
findings with multiple sources.
o
It might be alright to use a source that only
focuses on one aspect of the topic, as long as you
balance it in your research with sources from other
points of view. Make sure that the author has no
personal agenda in writing the information.
V. Location of Sources


Where is the source published? Is it published
digitally or in print?
Is it a book, an academic journal, or a reputable
news source such as www.nytimes.com (Links to an



external site.) or www.economist.com? (Links to an
external site.)
Does it provide complete publication information
such as author (s) /editor (s), title, date of publication,
and publisher?
What is the URL of the website?
Key ideas:
o
Avoid using blogs or personal homepage
and wiki sites (Wikipedia, Wiktionary
Wikiquotes).
o
If the URL includes the top-level
domain .edu, then that means that it has been
published by an academic institution such as a
university.
o
Common URLs
include .gov (government), .org (organizations), .c
om (commercial sites), and .net (network
infrastructures). In academic writing, reputable
sites are those with .edu, .gov, .net, and .org in
URL.
You can also use the criteria below in evaluating websites:
Evaluation of Web documents
1. Accuracy Of Web Documents


Who wrote the page and can
you
contact him or her?
What is the purpose of the
document and why was it
How to Interpret the basics
Accuracy


Make sure the author provides
e-mail or a contact address/phone
number.
Know the distinction between

produced?
Is this person qualified to write
this document?
author and Webmaster.
2. Authority Of Web Documents



Who published the document Authority
and is it separate from the
"Webmaster"

What credentials are listed for
Check the domain of the
the authors?
document,

Where is the document
what institution publishes this
published Check the website's
document?
URL domain.
Does the publisher list his/her
qualifications?
3. Objectivity of Web Documents



What goals/objectives does
this page meet?
How detailed is the
information?
What opinions (if any) are
expressed
by the author?
4. Currency of Web Documents


When was it produced?
When was it updated?
Objectivity


Determine if the page is a
mask for advertising; if so,
information might be biased.
View any Web page as you
would an infomercial on television.
Ask yourself why it was written
and for whom.
Currency

How many dead links are on
the page?


How up-to-date are the links (if
any)?

Are the links current or
updated regularly?
Is the Information on the page
outdated?
Coverage
5. Coverage of the Web Documents




Are the links (if any) evaluated
and do they complement the
documents' theme?
Is it all images or a balance of 
text and images?
Is the information presented

cited correctly?
If the page requires special
software to view the information,
how much are you missing if you
don't have the software?
Is it free or is there a fee to
obtain the information?
Is there an option for text only,
or frames, or a suggested browser
for better viewing?
Citing Sources

Not citing your sources is just unethical. In the academic
community, much importance is placed on attributing
something to the right person, so it is important that credit
is given where it is done.

By the end of the lesson, you will have been able to:


identify the importance of citations;
differentiate in-text citations from reference
citations;

identify different citation styles appropriate for a
specific discipline;
apply an appropriate citation style in research
writing; and
evaluate in-text citations and reference citations.
It is important not only to get information from credible
sources but to also properly document all borrowed
ideas, information, concepts, arguments, or information
and attribute them to their authors or creators. This is
done by citing sources.

Purpose for Citing Sources
1. To give credit to the original author of a work
2. To promote scholarly writing




The Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association (APA)
The Modern Language Association Style Guide (MLA)
Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
American Medical Association Manual of Style (AMA)
The Chicago Manual of Style
3. To help you target audience identify your original
source
Each is prepared by specific disciplines as shown below.
Forms of Citation
STYLE GUIDE
DISCIPLINE
APA
Psychology, Education, Hotel and Restaurant
Management, Business, Economics, and other Socia
Sciences
MLA
Literature, Arts, and Humanities
IEEE
Engineering
AMA
Medicine, Health Sciences, and other Natural Scienc
Chicago
Reference books, non-academic periodicals (e.g.
newspapers, magazines, journals)
There are only two forms of citations:
1. In-text citation requires the writer to cite the details of
the reference used in a certain part of his/her essay.
Two styles of parenthetical citation:


Author-named in text
Author-not-named in text
2. Reference Citation refers to the complete bibliographic
entries of all references used by the writer. It appears in the
reference list found at the last part of the paper
Style Guides
Citations are governed by rules of style and structure,
which are generally published as style guides or
manuals. Some of the widely used style guides are:
Guidelines in In-Text Citation
1. APA, 6th edition (pp 169-179) Basic Citation Rules

Follow the latest year of publication method. Although
not required, APA encourages you to indicate the page
numbers even in paraphrases or summaries. Place the
period after the citation when it is at the end of the
sentence.
2. Reference citation refers to the complete bibliographic
entries of all references used by the writer. This appears in the
reference list found in the last part of the paper.