EAPP-11: Academic Reading and Writing – Vocabulary Review

This set of flashcards covers essential vocabulary from EAPP-11 lessons on academic reading and writing, including text types, writing features, rhetorical concepts, text structures, summarizing techniques, and thesis statements.

Academic Writing

Formal, structured writing that presents facts and evidence, avoids personal opinion, and follows scholarly conventions.

Professional Writing

Workplace-oriented writing that communicates information, decisions, or instructions in a formal manner.

Critical Questions

Queries that probe assumptions, evidence, and implications of a text or study.

Credible Sources

Reliable, authoritative references used to support facts and arguments.

Objective Point of View

A stance that avoids personal bias by focusing on facts rather than opinions.

Scanning

Rapid reading strategy for locating specific information in a text.

Gap Identification

Recognizing missing or under-researched areas in existing studies.

Essay

A short academic text that explains or argues a concept within a specific discipline.

Paper

A brief research work on a topic chosen by a student.

Thesis/Dissertation

A lengthy, original research document written to fulfill degree requirements.

Memorandum

An inter-office document used to inform, request data, or provide instructions.

Report

An official document that analyzes data to deliver information and recommendations.

Conference Report

A paper presented at a scholarly conference, often revised for journal publication.

Academic Language

Discipline-specific vocabulary and grammar used for school tasks; avoids slang.

Social Language

Everyday conversational language that can include slang and informal expressions.

Formality

The degree of professionalism and seriousness in language use.

Register

Level of formality chosen to suit purpose, audience, and context.

Tone

The writer’s attitude toward the subject, conveyed through word choice and style.

Structure (in writing)

Organized format that academic and professional texts generally follow.

Hedging

Use of cautious language to present claims tentatively and respectfully.

Objectivity

Avoidance of personal opinions or emotional language in writing.

Rhetoric

Language crafted to influence or persuade an audience.

Rhetorical Situation

The interplay of purpose, audience, and topic that shapes a piece of writing.

Purpose (in writing)

The writer’s goal—such as to inform, educate, or persuade.

Audience

The specific group of readers a writer addresses.

Topic

The focused subject around which a text is developed.

Schema

A reader’s background knowledge used to interpret new information.

Reading

The process of decoding and understanding written text.

Literal Comprehension

Understanding the explicit, surface meaning of a text.

Inferential Comprehension

Grasping implied or suggested meanings beyond the literal words.

Reasoning

Using logical explanations and evidence to justify an idea or convince others.

Critical Reading

Evaluating how effectively a text presents and supports its arguments.

Sound Reasoning

Argumentation that is fact-based, focused on issues, and respectful of differing views.

Text Structure

The organizational pattern an author uses to present information.

Definition (text structure)

Explains a term’s meaning, either denotative or connotative.

Description

Uses vivid, concrete details to create a clear impression of a subject.

Objective Description

Factual portrayal without personal judgment.

Subjective Description

Portrayal colored by personal attitudes or opinions.

Process Analysis

Explains step-by-step how something is done or occurs.

Comparison

Text pattern that highlights similarities among ideas or items.

Contrast

Text pattern that emphasizes differences among ideas or items.

Cause

The reason an event or situation happens.

Effect

The result produced by a cause.

Classification

Sorting items into groups based on shared characteristics.

Summarizing

Process of condensing a text to its main idea.

Summary

The concise output containing a text’s key points.

SWBST

Somebody-Wanted-But-So-Then technique for story summaries.

SAAC Method

State, Assign, Action, Complete framework for summarizing nonfiction.

W’s and 1H

Who, What, When, Where, Why, How questions for summarizing events.

FIRST-THEN-FINALLY

Three-step framework highlighting beginning, key events, and outcome.

Gist

A very brief retelling of only the most important details.

Thesis Statement

Sentence that summarizes the topic and states the writer’s position.

Deductive Thesis

Thesis presented at the beginning of an essay.

Inductive Thesis

Thesis revealed near the end of an essay after evidence is given.

Strong Thesis Statement

An arguable, specific, supportable sentence that takes a stand and guides the paper.