English
for
Academic Purposes
EAP
 focuses instruction on skills required to
perform in an English-speaking academic
context across core subject areas generally
encountered in a university setting
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
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)
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
Body
where the essay's (or article's)
argument, ideas and results are
developed and discussed
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
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
Purposes
 to inform
 to argue a specific point
 to persuade
Features
of
Academic Texts
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.
FORMAL
should avoid colloquial words and
expressions
PRECISE
Facts are given accurately and
precisely
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
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
ACCURATE
 uses vocabulary accurately
most subjects have words with
narrow specific meanings
HEDGING
it is necessary to make decisions
about your stance on a particular
subject, or the strength of the claims
you are making
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

Structure and Features of Academic Text

  • 1.
  • 2.
    EAP  focuses instructionon skills required to perform in an English-speaking academic context across core subject areas generally encountered in a university setting
  • 3.
    Structure of academictexts  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 thereader 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/backgroundof 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 containany 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  processthat 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
  • 10.
  • 11.
    COMPLEX Written language haslonger 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 colloquialwords and expressions
  • 13.
    PRECISE Facts are givenaccurately and precisely
  • 14.
    OBJECTIVE objective rather thanpersonal 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 theresponsibility of the writer in English to make it clear to the reader how the various parts of the text are related
  • 16.
    ACCURATE  uses vocabularyaccurately most subjects have words with narrow specific meanings
  • 17.
    HEDGING it is necessaryto make decisions about your stance on a particular subject, or the strength of the claims you are making
  • 18.
    RESPONSIBLE you must beresponsible 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