EAPP Reviewer Notes: Reading Academic Texts, Writing Styles, Summarizing, Outlining, and Critical Thinking

Lesson 1: Reading Academic Texts

  • Types of Books

    • E-BOOKS: Digital format, read on computers or handheld devices
    • PHYSICAL FORM: Includes newspapers, magazines, and printed books

  • Academic Writing

    • Definition: Formal, clear, concise, unbiased, consistent, and well-structured writing
    • Common in schools, colleges, research, and scholarly discourse
    • Involves reasoning or argument

  • Types of Academic Writing

    • 1. DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
    • Provides detailed info (statistics, data, scientific findings)
    • 2. ANALYTICAL WRITING
    • Organizes and analyzes facts logically
    • 3. PERSUASIVE WRITING
    • Aims to convince readers; presents arguments from different angles
    • 4. CRITICAL WRITING
    • Requires you to evaluate, assess, debate, critique, disagree, and consider all aspects possible

  • Politically Correct vs Politically Incorrect

    • Politically Correct: Respects diversity (disability, gender, financial status, etc.); avoids offensive language or actions
    • Politically Incorrect: Uses sexist/discriminatory language; diminishes people based on sex, race, status; fails to avoid offensive language or behavior

Lesson 2: Academic Writing Styles

  • Writer’s Purpose

    • INFORM – Teach or provide knowledge
    • ENTERTAIN – Use creative nonfiction or humor
    • PERSUADE – Convince readers to agree or take action
    • INSPIRE – Motivate and uplift the reader

  • Writer’s Tone

    • 1. FORMAL – Used in academic and professional writing
    • 2. INFORMAL – Casual; uses slang or colloquial terms
    • 3. CASUAL – Conversational and friendly
    • 4. SARCASTIC – Shows dissatisfaction; often humorous or mocking

  • Finding Meaning

    • LITERAL MEANING – Direct and obvious meaning
    • IMPLIED MEANING – Hidden or suggested meaning
    • INFERRED MEANING – Reader’s interpretation based on clues

  • THESIS STATEMENT

    • Presents the main idea or argument of an academic text
    • PURPOSE/FUNCTIONS:
    • Answers the central issue/topic
    • Provides direction to the writing
    • Supports the writer’s claim
    • GUIDELINES:
    • 1. Must be more than a fact
    • 2. Must be specific
    • 3. Must be declarative

Lesson 3: Summarizing and Paraphrasing

  • Summarizing

    • Goals: make shorter, simpler to understand; capture main point + main argument; follows introduction, body, conclusion; requires citation

  • Types of Summary

    • DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
    • List of topics without details; quick reference; annotated bibliographies
    • Example: ROmEO AND JULIET – 396 pages in old English
    • INFORMATIVE SUMMARY
    • Longer; provides context to the realization of the study; background of the problem and methods used; concise and direct
    • JOHANNES GUTENBERG – introduced printing to Europe (Printing Revolution)
    • ABSTRACT
    • 500-1000 words; summary for research paper/thesis; brief and concise description of the entire paper; what is to be read in the whole paper

  • Parts of an Abstract

    • INTRODUCTION
    • Gives reason why people should read the whole thing; teaser; what makes the article interesting; why readers should know the problem and results; what readers gain from reading the whole text
    • STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
    • What questions you’re going to answer; abstract must address SOP, how it’s solved, and the scope of the study; shortened version of the totality of the academic text and the reason for studying the topic
    • APPROACH
    • How you gained information; how problem was solved; progress in finishing the paper; materials and methods used and the scope of the work
    • RESULTS
    • Answer to the statement of the problem and how it was arrived at; figures and numbers; proximity and estimates of the paper

  • Guidelines in Writing Abstract

    • 1. Prepare the abstract while writing the academic paper
    • 2. Re-read your paper with the intention of editing it later
    • 3. Be concise and avoid using jargons and cliches
    • 4. Use exact phrases and keywords to describe the work
    • 5. Be mindful of the word count
    • 6. Check the keywords used to accurately describe the abstract

  • The abstract must include

    • 1. What was the study about?
    • 2. What did you find out?
    • 3. What are the implications of your study?

Page 3: Paraphrasing

  • Paraphrasing
    • Rewording; rewriting passage from an academic text
    • Translate a certain text into your own words to make the article clearer and shorter
    • Used in research to cite facts and information; situate a topic in context; support an argument
    • Proper citation is a must to avoid plagiarism
    • Reflects how you understand the text; enables you to connect your work to your own approach and method of finishing the paper

Lesson 4: Outlining as a Writing Strategy

  • OUTLINE

    • Condensed version of academic text; linear, structured format

  • OUTLINE EQUATION

    • ext{Outlining} = ext{Paraphrasing} + ext{Summarizing} + ext{Diagramming}

  • Function of an Outline

    • Organizing one’s ideas
    • Chronological approach to easier concept of summary
    • Makes writing easier due to a better view of what to write
    • Helps others see your work in an easier way

  • 6 Types of Outline

    • 1. TOPIC OUTLINE – systematic list of topics and subtopics; topic ONLY (e.g., the sections of grade 10; sentences only)
    • 2. SENTENCE OUTLINE – topic outline but with sentences; sentence ONLY
    • 3. DECIMAL OUTLINE – relies on decimals to separate topics (e.g., 1.1 grade 7)
    • 4. WORKING OUTLINE – used for developing your speech
    • 5. SPEAKING OUTLINE – keywords for speaking (order of what you wanna say)
    • 6. ALPHANUMERIC OUTLINE – most common type of outline; instantly recognizable

  • Writing an Outline

    • 1. Observe parallelism (don’t jump from one concept to another unless using alphanumeric)
    • 2. Include general ideas (easy ideas)
    • 3. Expand your heading (must support)
    • 4. Check your outline

Lesson 5: Critical Thinking and Beyond

  • Fallacies

    • Importance of Critical Thinking
    • Question, analyze, interpret, and evaluate and make a judgement about what you read, hear, say, or write
    • Critical reading, writing, speaking; using judgement; understanding critically
    • Critical and analytical are different; conceptualizing, applying, synthesizing and evaluating

  • Fact and Opinion

    • Facts
    • Factual information; information that can be verified; TESTED EXPERIMENTATION – underwent processes to prove it is a fact
    • If opinion is proven true, it is a fact
    • Opinion
    • Subjective; ideas without basis; can be false

  • Kinds of Reasoning

    • Deductive ext{ Reasoning} (General to Specific)
    • Top-Down Reasoning
    • Bigger chunk into smaller chunk
    • General principle is true; therefore the conclusion is true
    • Always has an “all”
    • Both inductive and deductive reasoning have a premise and conclusion
    • Premise – primary source; Conclusion – based on premises
    • Examples:
      • The Philippines is experiencing rain. San Juan City was suspended.
      • All males in g11 are in SPC. (Male Student) is in SPC.
      • All dogs have ears; golden retrievers are dogs; therefore they have ears
      • All racing cars must go over 80 mph; the dodger charger is a racing car; therefore it can go over 80 mph
      • Christmas is always Dec 25th; today is Dec 25th; therefore it’s Christmas
    • Inductive ext{ Reasoning} (Specific to General)
    • Bottom-Up; smaller chunks into bigger chunks
    • Cause and effect argument; specific premise and end with a definitive conclusion
    • Premise and conclusion
    • Examples:
      • Mandaluyong is a flood-prone city. Cities in Metro Manila are also prone to flood. Therefore all cities in Metro Manila are flooded
      • This cat is black; that cat is black; a third cat is black; therefore all cats are black
      • Angelo is from g11; Honey is also a girl; therefore all boys and girls are from g11
      • Enhypen is a Kpop Group. TXT is another Kpop Group. Enhypen and TXT are composed of boys. SB19 is an all-boy group. Therefore, SB19 is a Kpop Group

  • JOHN BARROW fallacy

    • People assume that because you have graced the same stage as the star act you must be reaping similar financial rewards; this is a complete fallacy

  • Logical Fallacies (common types and examples)

    • Ad Hominem
    • Character assassination and attacks; attack personally instead of addressing the topic; no connection to the topic; backhanded compliment or sarcasm
    • Examples:
      • I love what you’re pointing at but your eyes are too big to look at.
      • You’re pleasing to the eyes when they’re closed.
      • A celebrity surely does not have the capacities to be a senator of the country.
      • Your grammar incompetence is a total drawback to your application
    • Appeal to Flattery
    • Gaslighting; insincere comments to make a person feel good; complements and praises (insincere) to win an argument
    • Examples:
      • You have such a great point, but I think I will win this debate.
      • My ability and intellect will surely win the hearts of the people.
      • Jaycee is an Ilocano and the Northern people are in favor of Jaycee; therefore Jaycee will win as President
    • Appeal to Force (argumentum ad baculum)
    • Uses threats to win an argument
    • Examples:
      • If you don’t let me win I will beat you up later
      • You think I’m wrong? I have a weapon right here
      • If you don’t answer my call I will do something you’ll regret later
      • Ken will definitely lose his position in the company if he doesn’t follow orders
    • Bandwagon
    • Trends; jumping into the train; need to be part of the group or updated
    • Examples:
      • Everyone is into iPhone right now, so should you
      • I will vote for Gregor because most of our section votes for him
      • Jollibee mix n match is a hit; most fast-food chains followed suit
    • Appeal to Pity
    • Looking for sympathy; emotional manipulation; capitalizes on emotions and sentimentality
    • Examples:
      • If I don’t win this, I will lose my scholarship
      • Those dogs need you, so scan and donate now!
      • Many starving children are dying every minute; are you going to let another die?
      • I am in need of financial aid due to sickness and lack of capacity to provide for myself
    • False Analogy
    • Overextension; not connected or no longer applies; ideas with similarities but the analogy is overextended
    • Examples:
      • Sir Gelo is the adviser of SPC but is not the adviser of St. Matthew anymore
      • Jose Rizal is a national hero; therefore my brother with the same name is also a national hero
      • The bird is white. Snow White is white. Therefore, the bird is Snow White
    • Hasty Generalization
    • Past generalization; isolated experience as basis for general statement
    • Examples:
      • It’s raining! It must be suspended.
      • Those two are totally dating. They’re eating at a cafe.
      • At the birthday I attended over the weekend there was a clown. Clowns are a part of birthday parties.
      • I don’t like matcha; you like matcha; so I don’t like you.
    • Non Sequitur
    • Premise is true but conclusion is weak or off-topic; does not follow
    • Examples:
      • His cat is black and your cat is black; therefore my dog is cute
      • The canteen offers high priced food. McDo also offers high priced food; therefore I will give you food
      • Birds have wings; this creature has wings; so this is a bird
      • Spotted lanternflies are an invasive species; so flies with spots must be invasive
    • Begging the Question
    • Circular argument; assuming what you set out to prove
    • Examples:
      • Bini is a girl group; therefore Bini is a group full of girls
      • If God isn’t real, you cannot see your brains, so it must be unreal too
      • Cheating is bad because the handbook forbids it
      • Mining is unacceptable; therefore it is deemed as bad
    • Either/Or
    • Presents only two options; limited alternatives
    • Examples:
      • Either you agree or not; the test will still push through
      • Either you review and pass or don’t and fail
      • Either they make the work done or they lose their jobs
      • Either Honey creates masterpiece artworks or she goes bankrupt
    • False Cause
    • Connection between two events is misleading; conclusion differs from arguments
    • Examples:
      • Girl group is blank; therefore boy group is this
      • I am wearing a lucky jersey; so we will win today’s game
      • You should put a coin inside your shoes to ease nervousness
      • John was taught to always bow at each post to not be hit by a car
    • Oversimplification
    • Correlation between events hastily concluded with insufficient reasons
    • Examples:
      • She is a volleyball player from NU; therefore she is an NU student
      • I water the plants daily; that’s why they grow well
      • Money can’t buy happiness
      • Success is the result of hard work
      • All politicians are corrupt officials
    • Red Herring
    • Teasing; uses irrelevant things to distract opponents; distractions to take away from the real issue
    • Examples:
      • Your stand about Sara is good but your eyes are twinkling. Do you have a crush on me?
      • I’m aware of your stand but your hair looks shiny
      • I am standing to speak but your looks spell victory for me
      • If a food is cold, then it is a dessert; salad is cold; therefore salad is a dessert
    • Slippery Slope
    • Negative consequences from a small action; fear of a chain of events
    • Examples:
      • If marijuana is legalized, more people will use marijuana
      • If I don’t get the kids a snack now, they’ll be grumpy all the ride to grandma’s house
      • If I don’t do well in the interview, I’ll forever be poor
    • Straw Man
    • Misrepresents or attacks a weaker version of the opponent’s stance; trivial reasons to argue
    • Examples:
      • Bong Bong Marcos promised 20 pesos rice ratio but Sara Duterte is in Amsterdam
      • If you are in favor of legalizing marijuana for medical use, then you are a criminal
      • Plus 5 for students for reading the lesson ahead of time; however, I think I am teaching them to always work with incentives and not innately