ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES
Strategic Reading: Reading for Meaning
Strategic reading is an effective way of understanding a text by employing
strategies to understand content and structure better, which will result in reading
proficiency
Strategic Readers: Successful Readers
Studies show that strategic readers have a higher success rate not only in reading
but also in learning because they have an awareness of the cognitive process involved in
reading. Brown and Briggs lists four characteristics of strategic readers:
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They set a purpose for reading.
They employ reading strategies appropriate to a specific text.
They check their understanding of the text.
They show a positive attitude toward reading.
A. Methods of Paragraph Development
Skilled readers know how to use their knowledge of content and structure to
increase their reading efficiency. Knowledge of text structure pertains to the readers'
ability to identify the organizational pattern of a text in order to locate and gather specific
information, thus improving their understanding of the text.
Knowing the text structure and the thesis statement (even when implied) saves
readers significant time.
Here are the most common rhetorical patterns used by writers in organizing
information in a text:
1. Definition explores a subject matter fully by presenting both denotation (dictionary
meaning) and connotation and by distinguishing the subject from other topics to clearly
draw the distinction.
2. Illustration explains or clarifies a subject by presenting examples to support a general
statement. Transitional markers such as for example, for instance, to illustrate, another
example of this are usually found in an illustration paragraph.
3. Description uses vivid details to allow the readers to visualize the subject and get the
dominant impression of the text. Often, adjectives are used in description.
4. Process analysis shows how to do something or how something works by analyzing
and presenting the steps in an orderly sequence.
5. Comparison and contrast explain two ideas/objects by showing their similarities and
differences.
6. Cause and effect analyze why something happened and what the consequences are
or might be.
7. Classification works by clustering objects, people, or events on the basis of their
similarities and characteristics thus forming categories.
A. Purposes and Types of Academic and Professional Writing
Writing in the university level and in the workplace is done with a clear purpose in
mind. The most common reasons for writing are the following:
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to report findings from research endeavors
to discuss a concept to a greater populace
to formulate a solution to a problem
to evaluate programs and personnel
B. Features of Academic and Professional Writing
1. Formality
Register refers to the degree of formality of language use, while tone pertains to
the writer's attitude or treatment of the subject matter. The register and tone used in
academic writing are expected to be formal and professional. This means that the written
output adheres to the set standards acceptable in the academic and professional
community.
To achieve formality in writing, keep in mind the following points:
a) Avoid contractions.
A contraction is a common feature of spoken language but in formal writing, it is
avoided. It is best to spell out phrases to achieve the formality required in writing. Therefore, use:
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cannot instead of can't
have not instead of haven't
will not instead of won't
could not instead of couldn't
is not instead of isn't
b) Avoid figurative language.
Formal writing adheres to direct and clear expressions and avoids creating multiple
meanings that can confuse readers.
c) Observe rules in writing numbers and acronyms.
Generally, spell out numbers less than one hundred (i.e, ninety, forty, twenty-six).
In using an acronym, be sure to provide what the acronym stands for the first time it
inpears on the paper and then put the acronym within parentheses. Thereafter, you can
write the acronym only to refer to the same entity.
d) Avoid slang and colloquial expressions.
Slang and colloquial expressions are typically used in casual. spoken conversation
but may appear weak and inappropriate when used in formal writing. Expressions like a
lot, wanna, gonna, kinda, sort of, should be replaced with several or many, want to, going
to, somewhat, and rather
e) Consider the type, purpose, and reader of the written output in choosing the appropriate
point of view.
Most academic written output such as thesis and dissertations use the third person
perspective where the writer refers to oneself as the researcher instead of using the firstperson.
In professional writing though, the choice of point of view largely depends upon
the purpose and the reader.
2. Objectivity
In academic writing, the writer avoids expressing personal opinions about the
subject matter and resorts to facts in presenting evidence.
Expressions like I believe, in my opinion, and I think focus attention on opinion
rather than on facts and therefore undermine the value of research and scholarly work,
Use phrases like the results show, the data indicates that, the findings suggest that, which
have more credibility in writing.
3. Structure
Any type of academic and professional writing generally follows an organized
structure and format, which guides the readers in understanding the text. Most essays,
for example, are divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion in presenting the
information. Research output like thesis and dissertation have
several sections that discuss the research proceedings more comprehensively.
4. Hedging
Practicing caution in the use of language is important in academic and professional
writing to distinguish between facts and claims. Hedging, a technique used by writers by
resorting to tentative language, is often employed in argumentative essays to show a high
level of credibility on the part of the writer. In research, hedging is usually reflected in the
recommendations part where the writer wants to appear to be suggesting and not
imposing.
The Rhetorical Situation in Writing
Understanding the circumstances in which you write (rhetorical purposeful writing
process situation) is an important step toward This means that as you prepare to write,
you examine several factors that will affect what, why, and how you write. Adapting your
writing to various elements such as the purpose, audience, and topic will give you a better
direction as you go through the writing process
1. Purpose
Why are you writing? What do you hope to achieve? These are important questions
to consider as you embark on a writing task. There are several purposes for writing
academically and professionally- to inform, educate, and persuade
Purposes of Wrting
to inform
to educate
to persuade
Examples
thesis/dissertation, research
journals, news articles, office
memorandum, company reports
medical
pamphlets/leaflets/brochures,
corporate workshop modules,
training manuals
editorials, position paper, project
proposals
Persuading through writing is evident in newspaper editorials, position papers, and
project proposals. These outputs pre- sent carefully chosen information from reliable
sources to influence readers and later persuade them. Persuasion happens when a
reader of an editorial or position paper takes the side of the writer or when investors, for
example, agree to a project proposal presented by another organization/group.
3. Audience
because they are the ones you are directly communicating with. Understanding and
adapting to your audi- ence can fulfill your purpose for writing.
In academic writing, your audience or readers are not only your instructors but the
00 entire academic community in general In professional writing, your readers
could be your immediate su- pervisor, fellow employees, or clients. Profiling your
audience and keeping them in mind while you write would help you convey the
message you intend to send.
3. Topic
The topic is an important element in the rhetorical situation since the entire output
revolves around it. Choosing a specific, relevant, focused topic is a crucial step every
writer must undertake. The choice of topic is of course based on the discipline you are
writing about, Since a field of study can be very broad, narrowing down a topic for writing
can be a great challenge.
Reference:
Cayog, R. T., & Datu, P. A. (2019). Learning English for Academic and Professional
Purposes. Quezon City: The Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.