English for Academic and Professional Purposes: Unit 1

Flashcards covering the nature, characteristics, features, and language of academic texts as presented in the lecture notes.

Academic Text

A written language that provides information containing ideas and concepts related to a particular discipline, such as essays, research papers, and dissertations.

Structure

The formal and logical organization of a text consisting of an introduction, body, and conclusion to help the reader follow the argument.

Tone

The attitude conveyed in writing where arguments are presented fairly and accurately without using loaded or biased language.

Complexity

A characteristic of academic writing that addresses complex issues by expressing ideas in a detailed, connected, and meaningful way through subordinate clauses and noun phrases.

Subordinate Clause

A part of a sentence that adds extra detail but cannot stand alone; it is also known as a dependent clause and usually starts with words like because, although, or if.

Noun Phrase

A group of words consisting of a noun and descriptive words attached to it, such as "The big, fluffy golden dog."

Formal Vocabulary

The practice of swapping casual, everyday words for precise, serious words, such as using "discovered" instead of "found out."

Evidence-based Arguments

Opinions and claims in an academic text that are based on a sound understanding of the pertinent body of knowledge and existing academic debates.

Thesis-driven

The starting point of an academic text that applies a particular perspective, idea, or position to prove or disprove solutions to a research problem.

Formal (Feature)

A feature of academic writing that avoids colloquial words and expressions, like using "reduced academic engagement" instead of "kinda lazy."

Precise

A feature of academic writing where facts are given accurately, such as stating "Approximately $70\%$ of students" rather than "A lot of people."

Objective

A writing style that emphasizes information and arguments over personal feelings, often using nouns and adjectives rather than first-person pronouns.

Explicit

The responsibility of the writer to make relationships between ideas clear through proper organization and transitional devices like "furthermore" or "moreover."

Accurate

The use of vocabulary with narrow specific meanings and the ensuring of sentences are free from grammatical errors.

Hedging

The use of language to express tentativeness, possibility, or modesty in claims using words like "seem," "tend," or "might."

Responsible

The requirement that a writer must be able to provide evidence and justification for any claims they make.

Academic Language

The formal and sophisticated language needed for school work, involving discipline-specific vocabulary and appropriate transitions.

Social Language

The set of vocabulary used for regular daily conversations and informal interactions, which can include slang and repetitive phrases.

Impersonal

A characteristic of academic language that involves avoiding the personal pronouns "I," "we," and "you."