Department of Education • Republic of the Philippines

Message
To the Parents:

Greetings of good life!

This learning material is made for your child to learn the needed skills in English. This
is composed of discussions and activities where your child can learn. The Introduction is all
about the knowledge that your child already knows. This part connects what is already known
and what is about to be learned. The Development part provides the needed information and
skills to be learned. Engagement part has activities which will strengthen the mastery of the
lesson. The Assimilation part is an assessment which check if your child acquired the needed
skills.

As a guardian, you have a big role in helping your child to learn. Your guidance and
time is needed so that they can understand the lessons and instructions better. Nevertheless,
you may let them work independently so they can develop their skills fully.

If you have any question or your child needs help about the lesson, please do not
hesitate to call us or message us. We are ready to assist you.

When you return this to school, his/her teacher will check and record your child
responses.

Thank you for always showing love to your child by continuously helping them to learn!

To the Learner:

Greetings!

This learning material is designed especially for you. This is composed of discussions
and activities to further develop your knowledge, understanding and skills in English. The
lesson has five parts: Introduction, Development, Engagement and Assimilation.

You are tasked to answer all the activities in this learning materials. You may ask the
guidance of your parents, guardian, brother and sisters while doing the activities. You are also
expected to attend the follow – up session on the schedule time provided for you. You have
to finish answering the activities before the date set by your teacher.

Your teacher will check all your responses in the activities once your parents/ guardian
have returned this material.

If you have any question about the lesson or you find difficulty in understanding the
lesson or activity, do not hesitate to contact or message your teacher. They are always ready
to assist you.

Happy learning!

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 Contextualized Material 1 EAPP – Q1

LESSON Reading Academic Texts

1

Introduction

There were times when you were asked to write about your summer vacation or your
Christmas vacations. Maybe, you have been assigned to do a book review or a reaction paper.
Perhaps, at some point, you were also asked to write poems, skits, letters, etc. you have had
different writing assignments. But have you really pondered on the differences of the various
writing assignments that you have done? As you go along, you will know the difference
between an academic essay and a personal narrative. You will be able to differentiate news
report from an editorial because this lesson will help you distinguish academic texts from other
kinds of writing.

After going through this learning material, you are expected to:
• Distinguish language used in academic text from various discipline.

TASK 1 SELF-AUDIT

Before you start, let us determine first which part from the following statements you
already know and which needs to be developed. Remember that this part will not be graded
as there is no wrong answer so do this as objectively as you can. Put a check on the
corresponding table.

Usually Sometimes Seldom Never

1. I can differentiate academic texts
from non-academic texts.
2. I establish my purpose when
reading academic texts.
3. I use graphic organizers to see the
relationships of the ideas in the
texts.
4. I read the title first then ask myself
essential questions about the topic.
5. I make inferences based on the title.
6. I check the evidence and arguments
presented to prove the main idea or
thesis statement.
7. I annotate a text to identify essential
information, comment on the
author’s arguments, or relate new
ideas to existing ones.

4
 8. I read to answer my own questions
posed before reading a text.
9. I make a summary or synthesis of
what I read.
10. I read and re-read the text until I
understand its arguments.

Development

The text you read in school are different from the texts you read during your leisure
time. While the texts you read for pleasure, such as graphic novels or magazines, can be
likened to appeal of sweet desserts, academic texts are more like the heavy main course.
More often than not they need to be chewed and savored for a long time before their meanings
can be full digested.

Hence, this lesson will help you understand the nature and fundamentals of academic
texts. Furthermore, there are provided activities, which aim to assist you in further
understanding the nature and fundamentals of academic texts and how it is different from
others kinds of writing.

TASK 2 LET’S WARM UP

Read the following passages from various texts and determine whether it came from
a formal publication or from a fictional story. Put a check on the corresponding table.

Passage Formal Fictional Story

Publication
1. If you establish the purpose for
reading early on, you will be able
to save time and improve your
comprehension.
2. Plagiarism is the use of ideas or
any relevant information of
another without giving proper
credit or acknowledgment.
3. He saw the pure crystal water from
where the lass is heavenly
plunged.
4. When you synthesize information,
you develop new understanding
about a topic by using information
from more than one source.
5. Just as the sun rises and peeps
from the east, and as the roosters
of the neighborhood crow, vivid
came the assiduous man.

Academic vs. Non-academic Texts

Academic and non-academic texts usually differ in format, purpose, and tone. It is
typically considered a formal mode of writing intended for an educated audience. As such, it

5
is generally written in a third person or objective voice, and tends to depend on heavily on
research, factual experimentation and evidence, and the opinions of other educated scholars
and researchers, rather than on the opinions of the author.
This type of writing include essays, themes, research studies, and similar structured
pieces. Academic writing includes an introduction, an overview of the topics discussed within
the writing piece, and a conclusion, which wraps up any final thoughts.

Purpose of Academic Texts

The purpose of writing is usually to inform the reader, providing non-biased facts and
backing up claims with evidence. In the field of literature, an academic may write an essay
based on a theory, but shows how the theory can be proven with evidence from the literature.
Examples of Academic texts are books and book reports, translations, essays research
papers and research articles, conference paper, academic journal, dissertation and thesis,
abstract and explication.

Characteristics of Academic Text

• Planning - There is a certain amount of planning before you start writing the paper; so,
it will be analytical and organized.
• Outline - A proper outline is a must for academic writing. An outline will not only help
you formulate your thoughts, but will sometimes make you aware of certain
relationships between topics. It will help you determine the pertinent information to be
included in your paper.
• Tone - A formal tone is used. You do not use slang words, jargon, abbreviations, or
many clichés.
• Language - The language in your paper needs to be clear and words need to be
chosen for their precision. A thesaurus is a good tool to help you pick just the right
words to explain the issues.
• Point-of-view - The point of view in the third person, as the focus of academic writing
is to educate on the facts, not support an opinion.
• Approach - Deductive reasoning is a big part of academic writing as your readers have
to follow the path that brought you to your conclusion.

Academic Text Structure

• Introduction
• Several Questions
• A quote from a famous work or person
• Some interesting facts or information
• A definition of an important term related to the work
• Body
• Conclusion
• References

Content and Style of Academic Texts

Academic texts include concepts and theories that are related to the specific discipline
they explore. They usually exhibit all the properties of a well-written texts i.e., organization,
unity, cohesion, coherence as well as strict adherence to rules of language use and
mechanics.
In general, authors observe the following when writing academic texts.
• They state critical questions and issues.
• They provide facts and evidence from credible sources.
• They use precise, accurate words while avoiding jargon and colloquial expressions.
• They take an objective point-of-view and avoid being personal and subjective.
• They list references.

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 • They use hedging or cautious language to tone down their claims.
Non-academic Text
Non-Academic writing may be considered that writing which is personal, emotional,
impressionistic, or subjective in nature. Such writing is often found in personal journal entries,
reader response writing, memoirs, any kind of autobiographical writing, and letters, e-mails,
and text messages. It is any other mode of writing that is not directly intended for an academic
or scholarly audience. Non- academic writing can be more informal in tone, and may even rely
more heavily on emotional appeal or the opinions of the author.

Purpose of Non-Academic Text

The purpose of non-academic writing may be to entertain its audience or to persuade

the reader. It is written for a lay audience, to appeal to people who are not experts in the field
in question.

Examples of Non-academic text are personal opinions, letters to editors, memos, magazine,
fiction or non-fiction, writing for newspapers, and digital media.

TASK 3: VENN DIAGRAM

Now that you are familiar with academic texts and its difference from other kinds of
writing, complete the Venn diagram below to compare and contrast the two.

Academic Text Non-academic Text

Engagement

7
 You’ve done a good job! Now that you are familiar with the difference between
academic texts and non-academic texts, you are now ready for the following tasks. Get ready
to learn more as you work on the following activities.
TASK 4: CLOSER LOOK

Read the two texts below. Your task is to evaluate the differences between the Text A and
Text B. Fill out the table based on your evaluation of the texts.

TEXT A

Why Do They Say That Our English Is Bad?

(An Excerpt)
Grace M. Saqueton

(1) English teachers in the Philippines often find themselves in a very frustrating situation –
no matter how hard they try to teach the rules of written English to their students, the
students still commit errors in word order, word choice, subject – verb agreement, tenses,
prepositions, articles, punctuations, and the like. Teachers get frustrated when they hear
or read sentences such as “They decided to got married,” “What did the students
watched”?” or “Ana go to the canteen.” It is also alarming because the rules that apply to
these sentences are supposedly simple rules that the students should have learned in
grade school. Yet, here they are in college, still committing those same errors.

(2) Teachers and linguists alike have sought and probably are still seeking for ways and
strategies to teach English effectively especially in the light of teaching English as a second
language or as a foreing language. Different research studies have been conducted and
different theories have been used to address the situation. One of the tpics that the
researchers have explored is the recurring errors in phonology, morphology, syntax,
semantics, and discourse of second language learners. They believe that studying these
recurring errors is necessary to address the supposed grammar problems of the Filipino
college students.

(3) In a paper titled, “Why Does They Say That Our Sentences Is Wrong When We Knows
English? An Analysis of The ‘Common Errors’ of Freshmen Compositions,” Saqueton
(2008) identified some of the common errrors found in the essays of first year college
students. She provided explanations, using error analysis, language acquisition theories,
and Fairclough’s paradigm on the appropracy of “appropriateness,” as to what caused the
“errors.” This is the hope of helping English teachers develop teaching materials and
devise teaching strategies that are appropriate for Filipino first year college students of
different linguistic backgrounds.

(4) Saqueton (2008) found out that among the student’s essays, errors in the use of verbs are
the most common, followed by errors in the use of prepositions, problems in word choice,
and problems in subject-verb agreement. There are also errors in the use of articles,
conjunctions, pronouns; spelling problems are also evident.

(5) These “errors” are considered errors because of certain standards that language
teachers want their students to follow. These standards are the ones prescribed by
grammarians. Educators want their students to master Standard English as second
language learners of English. The problem here lies in the definition of “Standard”
English. Is there really a common standard? If there is, who uses it? Whose standard
should be followed?

(6) Answering the question would entail a lot of problems. First, there should be a clear
definition of what standard is. What kind of English is Standard English? Dr. Andrew
Moody, when asked during the International Conference on World Englishes and Second
Language Teahcing on how to maintain correctness and consistency when teaching
8
English in the Philippines, said that it would be honest to teach Standard English as if it
exists.
 (7) That answer alone could raise a lot of issues. It only shows that the concept of standard
is problematic. According to Faikrclough (1995), there is a need for a particular standard
in order to rationalize policies on teaching of Standard English. He further stated that
appropriateness figures within dominant conceptions of language variations (234).

(8) Is there an implied claim then that students of English as a second language or as a foreign
language speak a substandard kind of English because they do not follow the standards
of General American variety? What if they (Filipinos, for example) have accepted English
and appropriated it to fit their needs and the context of situation in their own places?

(9) Andrew Gonzales (1985), in his paper, “When Does an Error Become a Feature of
Philippine English?” pointed out that until Philippine English is really creolized English is
still a second language in the Philippines, and he believed that in teaching any second
language, one must accept a standard. However, he also stressed that no matter how hard
the English teacher tries, a local variety will continue to develop (186)

(10) There will always be different perspectives on this matter, especially that
language issues seem to be a highly emotional matter. Should language education then go
for mutual intelligibility rather that subscribe to a certain standard? Educators and
language policy planners could go back to Fairclough’s model of language learning. They
have to decide how relevant English is to their students, and from there they have to
decide what to teach and how to teach it.

TEXT B

Dear Prof. Lanuza:

Congratulations for being chosen as one of the recipients of the ASEAN Educational Program
Award. You are invited to the 5th Annual ASEAN English Teacher’s Conference. Our sponsors value
the important work done by English language teachers and they are willing to support your
professional endeavors by giving financial aid in the conference.

The conference organizers and sponsors want to know more about your work and how the ASEAN
English Teachers’ Conference will be able to help uou. May we ask you to complete the attached
questionnaire to help us provide that information? Also, we would appreciate the opportunity for
members of our Sponsorship Profile team to talk with you about your work and the challenges
and opportunities that you have identified in your study.

If you have questions, just send me an email or check this link to the conference website. Thank
you and we look forward to meeting you. 9


 SOURCE: Saqueton, Grace M., Uychoco, Marikit Tara A., English for Academic and Professional Purposes. Rex Book Store,
Inc. 856 Nicanor Reyes Sr. St., Sampaloc, Manila, 2016

Questions Text A Text B

What is the text about? (subject/focus)
What is the writer’s goal in writing the text? (purpose)
Who is the target reader of the text? (audience)
What is the point of view used in the text? (first person,
second person, third person?
How much does the writer know of the subject? (writer’s
knowledge)
How did the writer organize the text? (style)
Did the writer write in a formal or informal manner? (tone)
How did the writer choose the words and organize the
sentences? Was the language formal, informal, or casual?

TASK 5: CARRY THIS OUT

Go back to Text A and Text B. Read them again and answer the following questions.

1. In your opinion, which of the texts is an academic text?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

2. Why did you consider it an academic text?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

3. How about the other text? Why did you consider it as non-academic text?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

ASSILIMILATION

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

10
 Keep in mind that Academic and non-academic texts usually differ in format, purpose,
and tone. Academic text is typically considered a formal mode of writing intended for an
educated audience. It is generally written in a third person or objective voice, and tends to
depend on heavily on research, factual experimentation and evidence, and the opinions of
other educated scholars and researchers, rather than on the opinions of the author.
On the other hand, Non-Academic writing may be considered that writing which is
personal, emotional, impressionistic, or subjective in nature. Such writing is often found in
personal journal entries, reader response writing, memoirs, any kind of autobiographical
writing, and letters, e-mails, and text messages. It is any other mode of writing that is not
directly intended for an academic or scholarly audience. Non- academic writing can be more
informal in tone, and may even rely more heavily on emotional appeal or the opinions of the
author.

ASSESSMENT:

Just a few more steps and you are a certified critical reader with the ability to distinguish
academic text from other discipline. Be redefined as you apply what you have learned from
previous tasks. Enjoy learning!

TASK 6: BE A PRO!
Read and evaluate the texts below. Tell whether if it is an academic text or non-academic text.
State your reasons why you think so. Focus your evaluation on the tone, approach, content,
and style of the text.

Text 1

Given that the influence of mobile technologies on tweeting patterns has been understudied,
was sought to bridge this gap by examining whether tweets from mobile and web-based sources
differ significantly in their linguistic styles. We studied 6 weeks of Twitter spritzer stream data,
containing 235 million tweets. We focused on the analysis of tweets by source—specifically mobile
versus web-based sources by time of day. This involved evaluating several categories or subsets in
which mobile sources may be similar to or different from web sources. We used word lists from
social psychology to test for levels of egocentricity, gender style, emotional content, and agency in
both mobile and web tweets.

Academic or Non- academic: _________________________________________________

Reason:__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

11
Text 2
Republic of the Philippines
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT
______ Judicial Program
Branch ____, _______ City

EX-PARTE MOTION FOR EXTENSION

TO SUBMIT COMPROMISE AGREEMENT

Defendants, by undersigned counsel and unto Honorable Court, respectfully state that:
(1) On 5 January 2015, the Honorable Court, in open court, directed the Parties to submit their
Compromise Agreement within ten (10) days therefrom, or on 15 January 2015. Said day
being a Sunday, the Parties have until the next working day, 16 January 2015, to submit
said Compromise Agreement.
(2) Defendant Hannah Dy is presently abroad and needs to execute a Special Power of Attorney
authorizing brother and Co-Defendant Roland Dy to sign the Compromise Agreement on
her behalf.
(3) Thus, the Defendants respectfully pray that the Parties be given additional fifteen (15) days
from today, or until 30 January 2015, within which to submit their Compromise Agreement.
(4) This Motion is not intended to delay the instant proceedings but filed solely by reason of
the foregoing. Moreover, the filing of the same will not result in any injustice or prejudice
to any of the parties herein.

Academic or Non- academic: _________________________________________________

Reason:__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Text 3

Earthquake is a mankind’s deadliest enemy. An earthquake can strike any area

regardless of the nationality or political affiliation of its residents.
The power of a quake is greater than any weapon of destruction mankind has made.
An earthquake strikes without warning, sending the most modern cities into rubbles and
ruins. The quake has struck numerous times such as those in Lisbon in 1755 that killed 450,
and Peru in 1970 that 50,000 lives. In Alaska in 1968, the quake caused landmass to move 80
feet into the Pacific Ocean. Scientists are trying to find ways to combat earthquakes, to predict
when it would strike so that precaution can be taken to save lives and property from
destruction.

Academic or Non- academic: _________________________________________________

Reason:__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Reflection

12
TASK 6: Reflection
Write the learning that you gained after taking this lesson by completing the chart below.

References

Barrot, Jessie, Ph.D. Sipacio, Philippe John, Communicate Today English for Academic
and Professional Purposes for Senior High School. C & E Publishing, Inc. 839 EDSA,
South Triangle, Quezon City, 2016

Saqueton, Grace M., Uychoco, Marikit Tara A., English for Academic and Professional
Purposes. Rex Book Store, Inc. 856 Nicanor Reyes Sr. St., Sampaloc, Manila, 2016

SOURCE: https://www.slideshare.net/sohailahmedsolangi/academic-and-non-academic-
writing-by-sohail-ahmed-solangi

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 Contextualized Material 2-4 EAPP – Q1

LESSON Text Structure, Thesis Statement and

2-4 Summarization

Introduction

After identifying academic text and its purpose, audience, language and style, you are
now ready to use your knowledge of text structure to gather information in the academic text.
Let us do a simple review about text structure and its meaning. Text structure refers to
how the text is organized. Structure is an important feature of academic writing. A well-
structured text enables the reader to follow the argument and navigate the text. In academic
writing a clear structure and a logical flow are imperative to a cohesive text.
Most academic texts follow established structures. This lesson describes a common
structure in academic writing: the three-part essay structure. This structure composes of
Introduction, Body and Conclusion. After knowing the techniques in summarizing, you will be
guided in identifying the thesis statement of an academic text.
After going through this learning material, you are expected to:
1. use knowledge of text structure to glean the information the you need;
2. use various techniques in summarizing a variety of academic text; and
3. state thesis statement of an academic text.

TASK 1: LET’S DO HUMAN BINGO

In this activity, we will assess your understanding about text structure, thesis statement
and summarization. Remember that this part will not be graded as there is no wrong answer
so do this as objectively as you can.

MECHANICS:

1. Using the HUMAN BINGO template, let us review what you know about text
structure, thesis statement and summarization.
2. Just check the box if you are doing the following activities.
3. If you get 5 in a row horizontally, vertically, or diagonally you win. Write the word
BINGO in the remarks.
4. If you don’t get 5, just smile and you can try it again at the end of the lesson.

14
 I read a paragraph I look for the main I summarize a text I establish my I cite sources when
carefully to get its ideas of a text to based on its thesis reading purpose I summarize.
topic sentence understand what it statement. before I summarize.
is about.
I use the title to I make sure that I I look for the topic I just do scanning to I eliminate
make inferences fully understand the sentence by looking know the message redundant ideas
about the purpose text before I for the sentence of a text. from the summary
of the text summarize. which discusses
the key word.
I observe the writing I use my own words I use reporting I underline the main
pattern of the in my summary. verbs for my idea when reading
author to find the summary. an academic text.
topic sentences in
the paragraph.
I look for thesis I include only the I refrain from adding I look for signal I am aware of
statement to key ideas when comments in words or phrases to proper format in
evaluate the summarizing. summarizing. look for the main summarizing.
author’s idea.
arguments.
I write the main idea I highlight key I vary sentences I look for the topic I understand that
in my own words to words and phrases structure when sentence using text structure is
understand the text and make writing a summary details in the thesis composed of
better. annotations when in paragraph form. statement. Introduction, Body
summarizing. and Conclusion.

REMARKS _________________________

Development

PART 1 : TEXT STRUCTURE

THE STRUCTURE OF ACADEMIC TEXTS

An important feature of academic texts is that they are organized in a specific way;
they have a clear structure. This structure makes it easier for your reader to navigate your text
and understand the material better. It also makes it easier for you to organize your material.
The structure of an academic text should be clear throughout the text and within each section,
paragraph and even sentence.

THE THREE-PART ESSAY STRUCTURE

The three-part essay structure is a basic structure that consists of introduction, body
and conclusion. The introduction and the conclusion should be shorter than the body of the
text. For shorter essays, one or two paragraphs for each of these sections can be appropriate.
For longer texts or theses, they may be several pages long.

15
 A. INTRODUCTION
Your introduction should include the following points (be aware that not all points may
be relevant for your project):
• Introduce your topic
• Place your topic in a context
• Provide background information
• Point out the aim of the text
• Describe how you will fulfill the aim
• Provide a thesis statement or research question
• Suggest what your findings are
• Explain why your topic is interesting, necessary or important
• Give the reader a guide to the text
• Catch your reader’s interest

B. Body

This is the main section of your text and it should also be the longest. Depending on
the length of the text, the body may be divided into subsections. If your text is divided into
subsections, remember to briefly introduce each section. For longer works you may also
need to conclude sections.
The body of the text is where you as a writer and researcher are the most active. It
is the most substantial part of the text; this is where the research or findings are presented,
discussed and analyzed. This is also where you present your arguments that support your
thesis or answer your question. The structure and contents of this main part may differ
depending on your discipline.

C. Conclusion

In the conclusion you should return to the thesis or problem that you presented in the
introduction. But be careful to not merely repeat what you wrote in the introduction; instead,
show your reader how what you have written sheds new light on the problem presented at the
beginning. For longer works a brief summary of your findings may be in place, but this should
not be necessary for shorter texts. Be careful that your conclusion is not just a repetition of
what you have already written. In your conclusion, you may also evaluate and explain whether
or not you have reached the aim or solved the problem presented in the introduction, and how.
No new material should be introduced in the conclusion, but it is quite common to suggest
topics for further studies.

Source: Linnaeus University (March 2020). The Structure of Academic Text

https://lnu.se/en/library/Writing-and-referencing/the-structure-of-academic-
texts/#:~:text=Contact%20and%20service-
,The%20Structure%20of%20Academic%20Texts,imperative%20to%20a%20
cohesive%20text.

16
 TASK 2 : TREE MAP

Now that you are familiar with three-part essay structure of an academic text, complete
the Tree Map to identify the unique characteristics of Introduction, Body and Conclusion.

THREE PART ESSAY STRUCTURE

INTRODUCTION BODY CONCLUSION

Detail 1 Detail 1 Detail 1

Detail 2 Detail 2 Detail 2

Detail 3 Detail 3 Detail 3

PART II. TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING ACADEMIC TEXT

As an important skill in critical reading, summarizing is often used to determine the
essential ideas in a book, article, book chapter, an article or parts of an article. These essential
ideas include the gist or main idea, useful information or key words or phrases that help you
meet your reading purpose. Summarizing is generally done after reading. However, it can be
done as well while reading a text.

Summarizing is an important skill because it helps you

• deepen your understanding of the text;

• learn to identify relevant information or key ideas; and,
• combine details or examples that support the main idea/s.

TECHNIQUES IN SUMMARIZING ACADEMIC TEXT

1. Clarify your purpose before reading
2. Read the text and understand the meaning. Do not stop reading until you understand
the message. Locate the gist or main idea of the text.
3. Select and underline or circle the key ideas and phrases while reading; another
strategy is to annotate the text.
4. Write all the key ideas and phrases on the margin or on your notebook in a bullet or
outline form.
5. Identify the connections of key ideas and phrases using a concept map.
6. List ideas in sentence form in a concept map.
7. Combine the sentences into a paragraph. Use appropriate transitional devices to
improve cohesion.
8. Do not copy single sentence from the original text.
9. Refrain from adding comments about the text.
10. Edit the draft of your summary.
11. Record the details of the original source (author’s name/s, date of publication, title,
publisher, place of publishing, and URL [if online]). It is not necessary to indicate the
FORMAT IN SUMMARIZING
page number/s of the original text in citing sources in summaries.

17
 1. Idea Heading Format

In this format, the summarized idea comes before the citation

Example:
Benchmarking is a useful strategy that has the potential to help public
officials improve the performance of local services (Folz, 2004; Ammons, 2001).
Once the practice of a particular city is benchmarked, it can be guidepost and the basis
for the other counterparts to improve its own.

2. Author Heading Format

In this format, the summarized idea comes after the citation. The author’s name/s
is/are connected by an appropriate reporting verb.

Example:

The considerable number of users of FB has ked educators to utilize FB for

communicating with their students (Grant, 2008; as cited in Donmus, 2010). The study of
Kabilan, Ahmad, and Abidin (2010) shows that the students perceived FB as an online
environment to expedite language learning specifically English. Donmus (2010) asserts
that educational games on FB fecundate learning process and make students’ learning
environment more engaging. As regards literacy, this notion reveals that FB could be used as
a tool to aid individuals execute a range of social acts through social literacy implementation
(ibid). Blackstone and Hardwood (2012) suggest the facilitative strength of FB as it elicits
greater engagement on collaboration among students.

3. Date Heading Format

In this format, the summarized idea comes after the date when the materials were
published.

Example:

On the other hand, active participation of the citizens in development contributes

to a sound and reasonable government decisions. In their 2004 study on the impact
of participatory development approach, Irvin and Stansbury argue that
participation can be valuable to the participants and the government in terms of
the process and outcomes of decision making.

USING REPORTING VERBS WHEN SUMMARIZING

A reporting verb is a word used to discuss another person’s writings or assertions.

In summarizing, you are highly encouraged to vary the verbs you use to make you
writing more interesting and to show importance to each of your sources.

18
 You can use either the past or the present tense depending on your meaning.
Using past tense usually indicates that you view the idea to be outdated and therefore
want to negate it. On the other hand, using the present tense generally indicates that
you view the idea to be relevant or agreeable.

Discipline Reporting Verbs from left to right, most common to least common
Biology Describe Find Report Show Suggest Observe
Marketing Suggest Argue Find Demonstrate Propose Show
Linguistics Suggest Argue Show Explain Find Point
Out
Sociology Argue Suggest Describe Note Analyze Discuss
Philosophy Say Suggest Argue Claim Point out Hold Think
Overall Suggest Argue Find Show Describe Propose Report

Source : Barrot, Jessie, Ph.D. Sipacio, Philippe John, Communicate Today English for
Academic and Professional Purposes for Senior High School. C & E Publishing, Inc. 839
EDSA, South Triangle, Quezon City, 2016

Let us try this.

This paper considers the nature of professional learning arising through the
processes of carrying out action research in professional organizations. It suggests that
communicative space opened up outside of the professional context can lead to
unanticipated professional learning. Such learning could be considered transformative in
the way it leads professionals to reframe their understanding of the dilemma arising from
doing action research. To illustrate this, two cases are presented to show the pivotal role
university tutors can play not only in the way they create and maintain communicative
space but also in the way they purposefully employ strategies to interrupt and challenge
viewpoints, assumptions and practices held by professionals doing action research,
enabling professional learning to become transformative.

Source: Eady, S., &Drew, V. (2015). Doing action research in organizations: Using
communicative spaces to facilitate (transformative) professional learning. Action Research.
13 (2), 105-122

Let us summarize.

1. Read the text.

2. Don’t let big words scare you.

3. Ask, “What was this text about?”

Your answer…

§ Should be a complete sentence or two

§ Should cover main point and key ideas

19
 § Should be in your own words

§ Shouldn’t just be a word or two

Suggested summary of the academic text:

• The study of Eady & Drew (2015) shows that the use of communicative spaces
to facilitate professional learning in doing action research.

Note: Format Used (Author Heading Format)

Congratulations! You made it this far. Let us now test what you learn about
summarizing an academic text. Be ready.

TASK 3 : CHECKING FOR UNDERSTANDING

Write S if the statement describes good summarizing and N if not.

1. Hazel copied everything from the book.

2. Peter extracted the key ideas in the text.
3. Sarah concentrated on the important details.
4. Anita looked for key words and phrases.
5. Sen simplified ideas.
6. Neth revised the main idea.
7. To add more information, Lea added her analysis and comments to the ideas of the
author.
8. Crystal wrote down the general and specific ideas of the text.
9. Yvette added some of his related research to the information presented in the text.
10. Reagan extended the message of the text and included some of his interpretations.

PART III THESIS STATEMENT OF AN ACADEMIC TEXT

Accomplishing something quickly but efficiently and accurately is one skill you will
definitely find useful in life. This skill is also helpful in your academic classes, especially when
you have to read various texts. One effective way of increasing your speed in reading is by
finding the main idea or thesis statement of a text and the topic sentence of the
paragraphs. If you can locate the thesis statement and the topic sentences, you do not have
to read the entire text to get the key information you need. It will also give you an idea of the
text and help you evaluate the author’s arguments as you read.

UNDERSTANDING AND LOCATING THE THESIS STATEMENT

The Thesis Statement presents or describes the point of an essay. In an

academic text, the thesis statement is usually presented in the abstract or
executive summary or found at the last part of the introduction. It is written in a
declarative sentence.

20
 Consider the sample introduction with the underlined thesis statement presented below.

Sample Introduction

Filipinos are frequent moviegoers. Perhaps because of the comic relief that comedy
films promise, or the fairytale ending we all want to have that the rom-coms provide, we
indulge in the cinematography of moving pictures. In the 1984 Guiness Book of World
Records, the Philippines was listed as the nation with the world’s most avid film-going
public, averaging 19 trips to the cinema per year, per person (Yeateer, 2007). In a more
recent statistic, the country has also been known to have the highest level of theatre
admission in South-East Asia, with 63 million moviegoers in 2004 (“ Phil. Indie films” n.d).
More often than not, movie theaters all over the Metro are filled with people who want to
break out from their usual working routine to catch a two-hour movie with friends. Oddly
enough, however, we as constant consumers of these motion pictures tend to patronize
those that are made particularly international.

Source: Tagudina, M. (n.d). Curioser and curioser: The making of a better

Philippine cinema.

In some cases in academic texts, the thesis statement located at the last part if
the introduction is replaced with a purpose statement. Unlike the thesis statement, the
purpose statement is introduced by signal phrases that announce the purpose, scope, or
direction of the text as well as its focus. These signal phrases include:

“This study examined…”, “This paper examines…”, “ The aim of this essay is to..”, “ This
paper begins with…”, In this paper, I hope to…”, “The primary objective of this paper is
to…” , and “ The purpose of this essay is to…” among others
STRATEGIES IN LOCATING THE THESIS STATEMENT

1. Read the title of the text and make inferences on its purpose.
2. If the text has no abstract o executive summary, read the first few paragraphs
as the thesis statement is usually located there.
3. In other cases, you may also check the conclusion where authors sum up and
review their main points.

UNDERSTANDING AND LOCATING TOPIC SENTENCES

The topic sentence presents or describes the point of the paragraph; in other words, it is the
main idea of a paragraph. It can be located in the beginning, middle, or last part of a
paragraph.

21
 Consider the example below:

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is the agency responsible for
human development concerns such as the provision of social services such as those
provided in day care centers. For instance, DSWD is implementing the Supplementary
Feeding Program (SFP) nationwide. This is in addition to the regular meals served to Day
Care Center children as part of DSWD’s program to ensure that day care children are well-
nourished as they attend classes.

Source : “Education for All, 2015 National Review Report Philippines” (2015)

STRATEGIES IN LOCATING THE TOPIC SENTENCE

1. Read the first sentence of the paragraph very carefully because most authors state
their topic sentence in the beginning of the paragraph
2. Browse the sentences in the paragraph to identify what they describe. The sentence
that best describes the topic of the paragraph is the topic sentence.
3. Find the concept or idea being tackled, which in colloquial term is the “big word” in
the paragraph. The sentence that defines the big word is usually the topic sentence.
4. Identify the purpose of the paragraph. The sentence that presents or describes the
purpose is the topic sentence.
5. Observe the writing style of the author. Focus specifically on where he/she usually
laces his/her topic sentence.

Source : Barrot, Jessie, Ph.D. Sipacio, Philippe John, Communicate Today English for
Academic and Professional Purposes for Senior High School. C & E Publishing, Inc. 839
EDSA, South Triangle, Quezon City, 2016

Example Activity

Topic: You have won the lottery and can choose to travel anywhere in the world. Write about
one place you would like to visit and explain why you’d like to travel there.

Supporting Details:

1. I would travel to France because I love French food.

2. Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and I would like to see it.

3. I would like to practice my French and become more fluent.

Thesis Statement: If I won the lottery and could travel anywhere in the world, I would travel
to France because I love French food, I want to see Paris, and I would like to become more
fluent in French.

22
Hi! How are you so far?

Have you learned new things about thesis statement and how it can help you in understanding
an academic text? I do hope it will help.

TASK 4 : LET’S PRACTICE

Use the given topic and supporting details in creating your thesis statement. Create a
1 sentence thesis statement. You can review the example activity in the previous lesson.

Topic 1: Education is important to have.

Supporting Details:

1. It could enable one to get a better paying job.

2. It makes a person a more interesting individual.

3. It makes a person a more informed citizen.

THESIS STATEMENT

_________________________________________________________________________

Topic 2: Bowling is a sport for everyone.

Supporting Details:

1. It is not limited to any age group.

2. It can be played at any time.

3. It does not require any expensive equipment.

THESIS STATEMENT

_________________________________________________________________________

Engagement

Now that you are familiar in using text structure, finding thesis statement and summarizing
academic text, you are now ready for the following tasks. Get ready to learn more as you work
on the following activities.

TASK 5 : LET US LOCATE THESIS STATEMENT AND SUMMARIZE

Read each of the following texts and locate the main idea by underlining it. Then, rewrite the
main idea in your own words. Include 2-3 sentences to summarize the text.

23
TEXT A

Sir Isaac Newton was contemplating the universe in his garden one day in 1665 when
he noticed an apple fall from a tree. Newton wondered to himself, “Why should the apple always
fall to the ground? Why does it not go sideways or upwards but directly toward the Earth’s
center?” After much contemplation Newton concluded that objects are pulled to the Earth
through a force that he called gravity, which means heaviness in Latin. On July 5th, 1687 Newton
formally expressed his law of universal gravitation in series of books called The Principia.

Source: Reading Exercises. Locating Main Ideas

https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/free-reading-
worksheets/reading-comprehension- worksheets/main-idea-
worksheets/

Be specific and clearly explain the thesis statement in 1-2 sentences.

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Summarize this paragraph in 2-3 sentences.

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

TEXT 2

In the summer of 1939, a few months before World War II started, Albert Einstein and a
group of Hungarian scientists wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In this letter they warned
Roosevelt that the Nazi’s were conducting atomic research and that the consequences would be
dire if the Nazis were to win the race to build an atom bomb. They recommended that U.S.
become involved in uranium research. As a result of this letter, the U.S. joined the atomic race
and poured billions of dollars into the development of weaponry. The U.S. won the race and
became the first country to build an atomic bomb. The bomb was then used in Japan, killing
hundreds of thousands of civilians. In 1954, a year before his death, Einstein would refer to the
moment that he signed the letter to President Roosevelt as the greatest mistake of his life.

Source: Reading Exercises. Locating Main Ideas

https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/free-reading-
worksheets/reading-comprehension- worksheets/main-idea-
worksheets/

Be specific and clearly explain the thesis statement in 1-2 sentences.

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Summarize this paragraph in 2-3 sentences.

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

24
 Assimilation

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Keep in mind that knowing text structure refers to how the text is organized. A
common structure in academic writing is composed of three-part essay structure. This
structure composes of Introduction, Body and Conclusion. On the other hand, identifying
techniques in summarizing will help you to concentrate on the gist or main idea and key
words presented in the academic text , capture the key ideas in the text and deepen its
understanding. Moreover, one effective way of increasing your speed in reading an academic
text is by finding the main idea or thesis statement of a text and the topic sentence of the
paragraphs. If you can locate the thesis statement and the topic sentences, you do not have
to read the entire text to get the key information you need. It will also give you an idea of the
text and help you evaluate the author’s arguments as you read.

ASSESSMENT:

TASK 6 : WRITING TIME

Choose one topic and write a 10 sentences paragraph applying the three-part essay
structure. Do not forget to indicate a good title in your paragraph. Be guided in using the rubric.
Write your answer in a sheet of paper.

Topic 1 : Compare and Contrast your life before and your life now with “The New Normal”

Topic 2: Define and enumerate the symptoms of Coronavirus or COVID-19 based on what
you know.

Topic 3 : Narrate your 3 months Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) daily routine.

Topic 4 : Describe your new or existing hobby/ hobbies during ECQ.

Topic 5 : Describe your dream career after Senior High School.

25
 Source: Read. Write. Think. International Reading Association.
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/Essay%20Rubric.pdf

TASK 7 : GET READY TO BECOME A PRO

Underline the main idea in the following texts and restate the gist in your own words in 2-3
sentences. Use appropriate reporting verbs. Cite your sources properly.

TEXT A

This study examines the viewpoints of Macau and Singapore residents on the
development of casino gambling and the social , economic, and environment impacts
that are thought to arise. It also assesses whether differences exist between socio-
demographic groupings. The sample comprised 416 respondents from Macau and
409 from Singapore. An analysis using primarily descriptive statistics indicated both
sub-samples had similar viewpoints although Macau residents tended to have higher
scores pertaining to the consequences of gambling. It is suggested that the
differences arise due to the greater exposure of Macau residents to the influences of
casino development.

Source: Wu, S-T., & Chen, Y-S. (2015). The social. Economic, and
environmental impacts of casino gambling on the residents of Macau and
Singapore. Tourism Management, 48, 285-298.

26
Summarize this paragraph in 2-3 sentences.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Identify the format in summarizing used.________________________________________

TEXT B

Filipino women are active as entrepreneurs. Data from the Department of Trade
and Industry for 2009 show that 54 percent of enterprises are owned by women. This
Policy Note discusses the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. To achieve inclusive
growth in the Asia-Pacific region, it is critical to increase the economic opportunities of
women in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies. APEC members
must take national level and regional actions toward creating enabling environments for
women enterprises and empowering women entrepreneurs. The significant number of
women entrepreneurs reflects the huge potential of women to make substantial
contributions to the national economy. For this to be realized, they need to be supported
through appropriate and timely interventions toward growing and scaling up their business.

Source: Lazo, L. (2015). Challenges in the economic participation of women

as entrepreneurs. Philippines Institute for Development Studies Policy Notes
Series No. 2015-03

Summarize this paragraph in 2-3 sentences.

_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Identify the format in summarizing used.________________________________________

Reflection

Tell us what you got so far after finishing this lesson. Answer the following Levels of
Reflection in a form of journal and write your answer in your notebook.

27
References

Barrot, Jessie, Ph.D. Sipacio, Philippe John, Communicate Today English for Academic
and Professional Purposes for Senior High School. C & E Publishing, Inc. 839 EDSA,
South Triangle, Quezon City, 2016

Saqueton, Grace M., Uychoco, Marikit Tara A., English for Academic and Professional
Purposes. Rex Book Store, Inc. 856 Nicanor Reyes Sr. St., Sampaloc, Manila, 2016

Reading Exercises: Locating Main Ideas

https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/free-reading-worksheets/reading-comprehension-
worksheets/main-idea-worksheets/

Linnaeus University (March 2020). The Structure of Academic Text

https://lnu.se/en/library/Writing-and-referencing/the-structure-of-academic-
texts/#:~:text=Contact%20and%20service-
,The%20Structure%20of%20Academic%20Texts,imperative%20to%20a%20cohesive%20te
xt.

Writing Thesis Statement.

https://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/2532/WritingThesisStatements
.pdf

Read. Write. Think. International Reading Association.

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/printouts/Essay%20Rubric.pdf

28
 Contextualized Material 5 EAPP – Q1

LESSON Outlining
5

Introduction

In this day and age where students are expected to be “globally competitive”, excellent
communication skills in English for academic and professional purposes in now an imperative.
Putting your thoughts and arguments into writing is a necessary skill you must possess for
whatever field and industry you might be in.

However, before writing your own academic papers, you need to equip yourselves with
the necessary knowledge on how to read academic texts. Learning appropriate reading
strategies would facilitate a better understanding of academic texts, which in turn would allow
you to construct well-informed, well-argued, and well-written academic texts.

Another way of organizing information is through an outline and that is what you will
learn today.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

• Outline reading texts in various disciplines.

TASK 1 LET’S WARM UP

Before we start with the lesson, let us determine first if you know how to categorize
and organize the items below. Read the list of words or phrases. Decide which two name are
general categories, and then put the rest of the words and phrases in the correct category.

read a book swim build a model play baseball

outdoor activities ride a bike bake cookies play cards
indoor activities climb a tree

_______________________________ ____________________________
(category) (category)
_______________________________ ____________________________
_______________________________ ____________________________
_______________________________ ____________________________
_______________________________ ____________________________

29
 Development

You might be wondering why you need to learn the skill of outlining reading materials.
After all, aren’t these reading assignment already organized? You may be surprised that
outlining your reading assignments can be beneficial. Outlines help you better understand the
material you are reading, and allow you to better remember the things that you have read. You
can even use them as study guides.

Hence, this lesson will help you understand the importance of outlining as one of the
strategies to help you better understand a reading text. Furthermore, there are provided
activities, which aim to improve your critical reading and writing.

TASK 2 LET’S TRY IT

Read the paragraph. Then fill in the blanks in the outlines that follow.

MAIN IDEA: Practitioners of Islam need to be willing to make a lot of effort to follow the
rules of their faith.

SUPPORTING IDEA: 1. Get up before dawn, perform ritualized cleansing and say the first of
five daily prayers.
2. ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
3. Fasting for the month of Ramadan.

30
 4. ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
6. Accepting Islamic beliefs.

Outlining

Dadufalza (2008) says that “an outline provides a rapid grasp of the fundamental
aspects or parts of an entire expository piece. It shows, through its standard format, how these
parts relate to each other as sections of equal importance or units of subordinate rank which
merely support, clarify, or illustrate the main headings under which they are classified” (pg.
303).
When making an outline of an academic text, the most important thing you need to
remember is understanding the source material. You need to thoroughly understand what the
writer is trying to argue or point out. Hence, correct identification of a text’s thesis statement
is crucial.
Once you identify the thesis statement, the next thing you need to do is to determine
the main ideas. You usually need to ask yourself any of these three questions:
• Does the thesis statement have logical divisions?
• Does the thesis statement follow a certain order?
• What are the reasons the thesis statement is true?

Now if any of those questions make vis-à-vis your thesis statement, you need to find out
the answers to those questions. Those are your main ideas. In a similar fashion, you need to
identify the point that support the main ideas. They may take the form of: (1) illustrations, (2)
descriptions or explanations, (3) definitions, (4) analogies, (5) statistics, and/or (6) opinions.
However, ideas do not stop at supporting materials. There might be facts that act as support
to the supporting materials. Therefore, you really need to be critical and carefully analyze
which ideas are subordinate to specific ideas.

WHY DO WE OUTLINE?
• It gives an overview of the topic and enables us to see how various subtopics relate to
one another.
• Recording the information in our own words tests our understanding of what we read.
• It is an effective way to record needed information from reference books you do not
own.

TWO OUTLINE FORMATS

1. Alphanumeric Outline – It includes prefix at the beginning of each topic as a reference
aid
• PREFIX – is in the form of ‘Roman Numerals’ for the top level. ‘uppercased
letters’ in the alphabet for the next level, ‘Arabic numerals’ for the next level,
and then ‘lowercased letters’ for the next level.
• Each numeral or letter is followed by a period, and each item is capitalized.

31
 2. Decimal Outline – It is similar in format to the alphanumeric outline. The added benefit
is a system of decimal notation that clearly shows how every level of the outline relates
to the larger whole. It uses numbers as labels.

KINDS OF OUTLINE ACCORDING TO STRUCTURE

1. Topic Outline – It makes use of key words and phrases

A topic outline is divided into three levels:
• the headings
• the subheadings
• the sub-subheadings

Ø Headings – look for the main ideas in the passage or text. Roman numerals (e.g.,
I, II, III…) are used to identify the headings.

Ø Subheadings – get the supporting ideas that further explain the main ideas. Use
capital letters (e.g., A, B, C…) to present the subheadings.

Ø Sub-subheadings – are the specific details or concrete examples of the

supporting ideas. Arabic numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3…) are used for sub-subheadings.
However, sub-subheadings are only given when necessary.

2. Sentence Outline – It uses complete sentences as its entries. It is also known as

expanded outline.

32
33
TASK 3: LET’S PRACTICE

Now that you are familiar with the kinds of outline, let us read and study the sentence
outline from the following story, then make a topic outline.

SPARROWS, ROBINS, AND YOU

Early one summer, city workers in Hamilton, Ontario, were trimming limbs from
trees along the streets. In one tree marker for cutting, they found nest of baby robins. The
workers decided not to touch the limb until the young birds flew.

Later, when the nest was abandoned, they examined it and discovered in the bottom
a little scrap of paper. The robins had used it, along with the dried twigs, to build their nest.
On the paper were these three words: “We trust in the Lord God.” Now, we don’t know if the
workers saw the remarkable significance of these words, but their concern for sparing those
tiny robins was God’s way of caring for his creatures.

Likewise, our heavenly Father takes special care to protect us from dangers we
cannot foresee. Sometimes, we are not even aware of His guarding hand, and at other times,
His care is evident in unusual ways. Therefore, we can “trust in the Lord”. The hymn writer
John Sammis wrote, “He daily spreads a bounteous feast and at His table dine the whole
creation, man and beast, and He’s a friend of mine.” Our loving God, Who takes care of
sparrows and robins will most surely protect and provide for His own children. NO wonder
Jesus said, “Do not fear.” The trust in God is the perfect cure for fear.

Sentence Outline Topic Outline

I. City workers were trimming limbs of trees.

A. They found a nest of baby robins.
B. The workers did not touch the limbs until
the young birds flew.
II. When the nest was abandoned, they
examined it.
A. They discovered a scrap paper.
B. Birds used the scrap paper along with the
dried twigs for nest.
C. The paper contained three words, “We
must trust in the Lord our God.”
1. The words are significant for them to
spare robins.
2. They spared the tiny robins.
III. Our Heavenly Father protects us from
danger.
A. We are not aware of His guarding hand.
B. His care is sometimes evident in
unusual ways.
IV. John Sammis wrote a song.
A. He spreads a feast.
B. The whole creation dines.
C. Man and beast are God’s friends.
D. He takes care of sparrows and robins.
E. He protects and provides for us.
F. “Do not fear.”

34
 Engagement

You’ve done a good job! Now that you know how to make an outline, you are now
ready for the following tasks. Get ready to learn more as you work on the following activities.

TASK 4: LET’S DO THIS

Study the sentence outline below and make a topic outline.

Thesis Statement: E-mail and internet monitoring, as currently practiced, is an

invasion of employees’ rights in the workplace.
I. Over 80% of today’s companies monitor their employees.
A. Monitoring is necessary to prevent fraudulent activities, theft, and other
workplace-related violations.
B. Monitoring can improve the employees’ productivity.
C. Monitoring prevents any legal liabilities due to harassing or offensive
communications.
II. What are employees’ privacy rights when it comes to electronic monitoring and
surveillance in the workplace?
A. American employees have basically no legal protection from mean and
snooping bosses.
1. There are no federal or State laws protecting employees.
2. Employees may assert privacy protection for their own personal effects.
B. Most managers believe that there is no right to privacy in the workplace.
1. Workplace communication should be about work; anything else is misuse
of company equipment and company time.
2. Employees have a right to prevent misuse by monitoring employee
communication.

TASK 5: LET’S BE DYNAMIC

The following is an abstract of a master’s thesis. Read the abstract and create a topic outline
for it.

This exploratory study described and analyzed the rhetoric and leadership of ten student
leaders who served as Student Regents in the University of the Philippines’ (UP) Board of Regents,
the highest decision- and policy- making body of the university system. The Student Regent is the
sole representative of the roughly 60,000 UP students from the system’s seven constituent
universities.

Specifically, this study examined how UP Student Regents, as rhetors and leaders, used
rhetoric to address exigencies in the rhetorical situations during their respective terms of office.
Covering ten years of student representation in the UP Board of Regents, the study identified the
exigencies in the rhetorical situations that led the Student Regents to create rhetorical discourses
(speeches, statements, and positions) to a rhetorical audience (board members and UP students)

35


It also analyzed how the Student Regents’ brand of transformational leadership and ideological
principles acted as constraints and substantially shaped their rhetorical discourses.

From the analyses of the UP Student Regents’ rhetorical discourses, it was found that
three clusters of persisting and overarching exigencies, namely: (1) the neoliberal nature of
Philippine education, (2) sectoral issues within UP, and (3) national multi-sectoral concerns,
motivate UP Student Regents to create rhetorical discourses that reflect both their ideological
lines and the transformational qualities of inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation,
and present them to a rhetorical audience, composed mainly of UP students, with the aim of
arousing, organizing and mobilizing their constituents to work towards attaining genuine social
change.

Based on the analyses of the Student Regents’ rhetorical discourses and brand of
leadership, this study proposes a conceptual model of what a rhetoric of student leadership in UP
ought to be. A UP student leader should use rhetoric, a skill in his/her power base, to persuade
his/her audience to move beyond their self-interest and collectively fight for social change. The
rhetoric of student leadership in UP ought to be principled, unwavering, and aimed at social
transformation.

TASK 6: LET’S MOVE FORWARD

Read the selection below and make a sentence outline.

The Coconut Tree

The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) is a member of the family Arecaceae (palm family) and
the only species of the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the
seed, or the fruit, which, botanically, is a drupe, not a nut. The spelling coconut is an archaic form
of the word. The term is derived from the 16th century Portuguese and Spanish word coco
meaning “head” or “skull”, from the three indentations on the coconut shell that resemble facial
features.

Coconuts are known for their great versatility, as evidenced by many traditional uses,
ranging from food to cosmetics. They form a regular part of the diets of many people in the tropics
and subtropics. Coconuts are distinct from other fruits for their large quantity of “water”, and
when immature, they are known as tender-nuts or jelly nuts and may be harvested for their
potable coconut water. When mature, they still contain some water and can be used as seed nuts
or processed to give oil from the kernel, charcoal from the hard shell, and coir from the fibrous
husk. The endosperm is initially in its nuclear phase suspended within the coconut water. As
development continues, cellular layers of endosperm deposit along the walls of the coconut,
becoming the edible coconut “flesh”. When dried, the coconut flesh is called copra. The oil and
milk derived from it are commonly used for cooking and frying, as well as in soaps and cosmetics.
The husks and leaves can be used as material to make variety of products for furnishing and
decorating. The coconut also has cultural and religious significance in certain societies,
particularly in India, where it is used in Hindu rituals.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut

36
 ASSILIMILATION

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Remember that an outline, also called as hierarchical outline, organizes material
hierarchically and sequentially by classifying the main topics, subtopics and the supporting
details. Outlines allow you to group materials by similar concepts or content and put them into
a logical order.

An alphanumeric outline includes a prefix at the beginning of each topic as a

reference aid. The prefix is in the form of ‘Roman Numerals’ for the top level, ‘uppercased
letters’ in the alphabet for the next level, ‘Arabic numerals’ for the next level, and then
‘lowercase letters’ for the next level. For further levels, the order is started over again. Each
numeral or letter is followed by a period, and each item is capitalized. While a decimal outline
is similar in format to the alphanumeric outline. The added benefit is a system
of decimal notation that clearly shows how every level of the outline relates to the larger whole.
It uses numbers as labels.

There are two general types of outline- the sentence outline and the topic outline. The
sentence outline, as the name suggests, is a hierarchical outline composed of sentences.
Each includes a heading or single sentence of a planned document about the subject of the
outline. On the other hand, a topic outline is a hierarchical outline composed of topics. Each
entry is a subtopic of the subject of the outline.

ASSESSMENT:

Good job you’ve reached this point! Just a few more steps and you will be able to
complete all the necessary tasks in this lesson. Keep your enthusiasm and enjoy learning!

TASK 7: LET’S THINK CRITICALLY

Identify the main idea in every paragraph and the details that support the main idea. Then
make a topic outline.

Higher Education and Social Mobility in the Philippines

For generations, Filipinos deeply value the significance of education in their social life. For
them, acquiring education, particularly higher education, can lead to their possible social
advancement or mobility. This mobility, as defined by Horton and Hunt (263), is the movement
from one class level to another. However, pieces of evidence have cast doubts on the role of higher
education in the promotion of social movement. Higher educational attainment does not
guarantee the social mobilization of the Filipino society.

37
 In the Philippines, wherein 45 percent of the population lives below $2 a day (World
Bank), the notion that higher education can lead to national development become the source of
hope for the majority of the people struggling for a brighter future. The country has an extensive
educational system; reports show that the country has one the highest tertiary enrollment among
Asian nations (Balmores 195). Notwithstanding the high engagement in education, the country
still suffers low economic improvement and low levels of social mobility. Of the 7.4 percent
unemployment rate in 2011, two-fifths of the unemployed were at least attained tertiary
education (Deparment of Labor and Employment). Experts contend that higher education does
not entirely promote social mobility, and there is no direct connection between educational
attainment and occupational prospects.

Higher education and its minimal effects on occupational Mobility

The acquisition of higher education does not provide a substantial link for possible
occupational flexibility based on numerous reports of unemployment among degree holders.
Findings on the education level of the Philippine workforce conclude that the labor market is
generally unskilled (blue-collar occupations) in nature, in which high degree of education is not
necessarily needed to perform these occupations. Moreover, the underutilization and job
mismatch are rampant among college graduates which only prove that college education no
longer brings with it a promise of multiple and copious job offers.

The education of the Philippine labor force

One way to measure the viability of higher education is its participation in the workforce.
A study conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment on the highest educational rank
completed in the employed labor force for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011 revealed that those
with at least primary (elementary) and secondary (high school) education constitute the majority
of the people in the workforce outnumbering those who pursue College. The employment of high
school graduates increased from 38.9 percent to 39 percent from 2009 to 2011. Those with
elementary education consistently place second with a slight decrease from 31 percent to 30
percent from 2009 to 2011. On the other hand, college graduates were the least represented in
the labor force with variations from 27.7 percent in 2009 to 29 percent in 2011. Hence, the

Philippine labor force can be characterized as a pool of unskilled or semi-skilled workers majority
of which are high school graduates and below (Balmores 63).

Among the unemployed, the data indicates very alarming results about the involvement of college
graduates. Aniceto Orbeta in his book Education, Labor Market and Development: A Review of
the Trends and Issues in the Philippines for the past 25 years states that: “It is disturbing to note
that even the highly educated have not been spared from unemployment, and this is not showing
signs of declining” (41). Indeed, the unemployment rate among college graduates is rising from
41 percent from 2009 to 42.5 percent in 2011. Those with high school diplomas constitute the
majority of the unemployed, from 45 percent in 2009 to 44 percent in 2011. Surprisingly, the least
unemployed educational group is the elementary graduates, with only 13 percent from 2009 to
2011.

Source: https://jphabacon.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/higher-education-and-social-mobility-in-the-
philippines/

38
 Reflection

TASK 8: Reflection How do you think outlining as discussed in this lesson helps young writers
better understand reading texts? Write a short reflection.

References

Dayagbil, Filomena T., Ed.D., Abao, Ethel L., Ed.D., Bacus, Remedios C., Ed.D., 2016,
Critical Reading and Writing for the Senior High School, 776 Aurora Blvd., cor. Boston
Street, Cubao, Quezon City, Metro Mania, Lorimar Publishing, Inc.

Saqueton, Grace M., Uychoco, Marikit Tara A., 2016, English for Academic and Professional
Purposes, 856 Nicanor Reyes Sr. St., Sampaloc, Manila, Rex Book Store, Inc.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut

Source: https://jphabacon.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/higher-education-and-social-mobility-
in-the-philippines/

39
 Contextualized Material 6 EAPP – Q1

LESSON Critical Writing Technique (Formalism and

6 Feminism and Reader Response)

Introduction

There are various ways or standpoints by which you can analyze and critique a certain
material. You can critique a material based on its technical aspects, its approach to gender,
your reaction as the audience, or through its portrayal of class struggle and social structure.

In this lesson, you will realize that writing a reaction paper, review, and critique is not
difficult. You will able to understand that watching a TV drama and giving reaction or writing a
long post in your Facebook account are like evaluating a text. You are already doing it; you
are not just aware of it.

After going through this learning material, you are expected to:
1. use appropriate critical writing critique such as formalism, feminism, etc.

TASK 1 SELF-AUDIT

Before we start, answer the checklist below based on how often you practice what the
following statements say. This part will not be graded as there is no wrong answer. Instead, it
will help you determine which part you already know, and which needs to be developed. Do
this as objectively as you can.

Usually Sometimes Seldom Never

11. I consider my purpose before
writing a reaction paper, review or
critique.
12. I take the reader into
consideration when writing.
13. I summarize the content of the
material at the beginning of my
reaction paper, review, or critique.
14. I form opinions based on facts and
cite instances in the text or
material to support these opinions.
15. I use reliable sources to support
my ideas.

40
 16. I evaluate the article or book using
sound explanation.
17. I raise my points objectively with
sufficient information.
18. I critique a material using
appropriate critical approaches.
19. I point out the ideas that the
author missed, scenes that were
left hanging, or questions which
were unanswered.
20. I state my overall impression of
the work at the end of the review.
TOTAL
GRAND TOTAL /30

Scoring Score Level of Proficiency

Usually- 3 points 28-30 Advanced
Sometimes- 2 points 25-27 Proficient
Seldom- 1 point 23-124 Approaching Proficiency
Never- 0 21-22 Developing
20 and below Beginning

Development

Let us consider the following scenarios.

Trina had to write a reaction paper on the article that they have just read in class. Zack
watched a movie using a feminist perspective. Yna is an art critic and she attended an art
exhibition at the Ayala Museum, after which she wrote a review in her blog about one of the
paintings that caught her attention. Coco watched the new commercial of a popular brand of
soap and wrote a critique and analysis of the commercial, which was published in a reputable
journal. Martin attended a cheer dance competition with his friend; after the event, they
discussed how and why the winning team’s performance did not deserve the award.
What common theme do you find in all the scenarios? All of them involved evaluating
something they read or watched using their reactions and opinions. If you think writing a
reaction paper, review, and critique is hard, think again: you have been evaluating and reacting
to different works without knowing it.

WHAT ARE REACTION PAPERS, REVIEWS, AND CRITIQUES?

A reaction paper, a review, and a critique are specialized forms of writing in which a
reviewer or reader evaluates any of the following:
• A scholarly work (e.g., academic books and articles)
• A work of art (e.g., performance art, play, dance, sports, films, exhibits)
• Designs (e.g., industrial designs, furniture, fashion design)
• Graphic designs (e.g., posters, billboards, commercials, and digital media)

41
 CRITICAL APPROACHES IN WRITNG A CRITIQUE

1. Formalism claims that literary works contain intrinsic properties and treats each work
as a distinct work of art. In short, it posits that the key to understanding a text is through
the text itself; the historical context, the author, or any other external contexts are not
necessary in interpreting the meaning.

Following are the common aspects looked into in formalism:

§ Author’s techniques in resolving contradictions within the work

§ Central passage that sums up the entirety of the work
§ Contribution of parts and the works as a whole to its aesthetic quality
§ Contribution of rhymes and rhythms to the meaning or effect of the work
§ Relationship of the form and the content
§ Use of imagery to develop the symbols used in the work
§ Interconnectedness of various parts of the work
§ Paradox, ambiguity, and irony in the work
§ Unity in the work

Read a sample formalist critique of Dead Stars, a classic Filipino short story by Paz
Marquez Benitez

The title of the work already gives an idea as to what it means. In physics,
it is stated that the light and energy of the stars have to travel light years to reach
us. Since they are millions of miles away and light has to travel his large distance,
it is highly possible that the star has already exploded while its light is still travelling
towards us. Therefore, it is possible that a bright light we see at night actually
comes from a dead star. In the story, this metaphor is used to refer to Alfredo’s
love for Julia, a woman he meets and falls for one fateful summer. Not only is the
title an indicator of what is to come, even the fate of the characters in the story can
already be seen through their names. Alfredo’s name means counselor of elves in
Spanish and suggests someone who is wise. In the story, it is indicated that Alfredo
is a lawyer, a person who counsels. Still, his name denotes a certain irony; despite
his supposed wisdom, Alfredo’s actions, especially his covert courtship with Julia
while being engaged to another, are anything but sensible. Julia’s name, on the
other hand, refers to someone who is youthful, which is how Alfredo sees her for
eight years until he is confronted by reality.

2. Another popular approach is feminist criticism. Feminist criticism or feminism

focuses on how literature presents women as subjects of socio-political, psychological,
and economic oppression. It also reveals how aspects of our culture are patriarchal,
i.e., how our culture views men as superior and women as inferior.

The common aspects looked into when using feminism are as follows:

§ How culture determines gender

§ How gender equality (or a lack of it) is presented in the text

42
 § How gender issues are presented in literary works and other aspects of human
production and daily life
§ How women are socially, politically, psychologically, and economically
oppressed by patriarchy
§ How patriarchal ideology is an overpowering presence

Sample feminist critique of Dead Stars

The story is a study of power imbalance brought about by gender. In the

beginning, Dead Star already clearly illustrates the gender roles ingrained in
Filipino society: Don Julian and the judge are portrayed as the male leaders of the
household , taking up lofty professions such as business and law while the women
ae portrayed accomplishing domestic tasks such as tending to children and
preparing food. The most note- worthy display of imbalance in power, however,
lies on the central theme of Alfredo’s love for Julia as simply a dead star. Eight
years after their forbidden love and after getting married to another woman, Alfredo
still holds Julia as an object of affection, thus creating a distance between him and
his wife, Esperanza. In their relationship as a wedded couple, the power lies in
Alfredo, not only because patriarchal society designates him as the head of the
household, but also because he remains unreachable to his wife by harboring
feelings for another woman. Moreover, the realization that his love for Julia is
simply a dead star is brought about by his treatment of Julia as simply an illusion
and an object of affection, and not as a woman. This gender imbalance leads to a
tragic epiphany for the characters but is also a reflection of how men are viewed
to dominate not only in the household but also in their relationship with women.

3. Reader response criticism is concerned with the reviewer’s reaction as an audience

of a work. This approach claims that the reader’s role cannot be separated from the
understanding of the work; a text does not have meaning until the reader reads it and
interprets it. Readers are therefore not passive and distant but are active consumers
of the material presented to them.

The common aspects looked into when using reader response criticism are as follows:

§ Interaction between the reader and the text in creating meaning

§ The impact of readers delivery of sounds and visuals on enhancing and
changing meaning.

Sample reader response critique of Dead Stars

43
 Despite being limited with length, Dead stars manages to evoke various
feelings which ultimately build up the ending. While Alfredo is the center of the
story, as a woman reader it is hard not to feel greatly for Esperanza. Esperanza
can only be seen through the perspective of Alfredo. This does a disservice to her,
as we can only know her through the description of someone who does not lover
her anymore. Still, it is also through Alfredo’s descriptions and his unfaithfulness
that Esperanza gains sympathy from the reader. During all the moments when
Alfredo and Julia are together, the thought of Esperanza looms in the background-
does she know? How will she react? What will happen now? The sympathy only
increases when they get married , for it is clear that Alfredo is detached from her
and is still harboring feelings for Julia. While the end certainly evokes a feeling of
loss at Alfredo’s epiphany, it is the feeling of betrayal for Esperanza that stays.

TASK 2 : TREE MAP

Now that you are familiar with critical approaches in writing a critique paper. Let us
compare them to one another using the graphic organizer below.

CRITICAL APPROACHES IN WRITNG A CRITIQUE

FORMALISM FEMINIST READER RESPONSE

Detail 1 Detail 1 Detail 1

Detail 2 Detail 2 Detail 2

Detail 3 Detail 3 Detail 3

STRUCTURE OF A REACTION PAPER, REVIEW, OR CRITIQUE

44
1. Structure for critiques of academic researches and articles

Introduction (around 5% of the paper)

• Title of the book/article/ work

• Writer’s name
• Thesis statement

Summary (around 10% of the paper)

• Objective or purpose
• Methods used (if applicable)
• Major findings, claims, ideas, or messages

Review/ Critique (in no particular order and around 75% of the paper)

• Appropriateness of methodology to support the arguments (for books

and articles) or appropriateness of mode of presentation (other works)
• Theoretical soundness, coherence of ideas
• Sufficiency and soundness of explanation in relation to other available
information and experts
• Other perspectives in explaining the concepts and ideas
• It is best to ask the following questions during this part:
§ Does the writer explicitly state his/her thesis statement?
§ What are the assumptions (i.e., a scientific/logical/literary
explanation without evidence) mentioned in the work? Are they
explicitly discussed?
§ What are the contributions of the work to the field where it
belongs?
§ What problems and issues are discussed or presented in the
work?
§ What kinds of information (e.g., observation, survey, statistics,
historical accounts) are presented in the work? How are they
used to support the arguments or thesis?
§ Are there other ways of supporting the arguments or thesis
aside from the information used in the work?

Conclusion (around 10% of the paper)

• Overall impression of the work

• Scholarly or literary value of the viewed article, book, or work
• Benefits for the intended audience or field
• Suggestion for the future direction of research

45
2. Other type of structure

Introduction

• Basic details about the material, such as its title, director or artist, name
of exhibition/ event, and the like
• Main assessment of the material (for films and performances)

Plot Summary/ Description

• Gist of the plot

• Simple description of the artwork

Analysis/ Interpretation

• Discussion and analysis of the work ( you may employ the critical
approach here)
• It is best to ask the following questions during this part.
§ What aspects of the work make you think it is a success or
failure?
§ Were there unanswered questions or plot lines? If yes, how did
they affect the story?
§ Does the work remind you of other things you have experienced
through analogies, metaphors, or other figurative devices? How
does this contribute to the meaning?
§ How does the work relate to other ideas or event in the world
and/ or in your other studies?
§ What stood out while you were watching the film or the
performance?

Conclusion/ Evaluation

• Reinforcement of main assessment

• Comparison to a similar work
• Recommendation of the material (if you liked it)

GUIDELINES IN WRITING A REACTION PAPER, REVIEW OR CRITIQUE

1. For articles or journals

a. Read, view, or listen to the work to be reviewed carefully to get the
main topic or the concepts presented
b. Relate the content of the work to what you already know
c. Focus on discussing how the book treats the topic
d. Situate your review
e. Report the type of analysis or mode of presentation the writer used.
f. Examine whether the findings are adequately supported
g. Suggest points for improvement of the reasoning, explanation,
presentation of ideas.

46
 h. Compare the writer’s explanation of the topic to that of another expert
from the same field of study.
i. Point out other conclusions or interpretations that the writer/ creator
missed out
j. Show your agreement with the writer’s or creator’s ideas and present
an explanation for this agreement
2. For artworks and other media
a. When critiquing artworks or posters, make sure to use speculative
verbs such as evoke, create , appear, and suggest to show that your
interpretation of the artist’s work is just that- an interpretation.
b. Presume that the reader has not yet seen the material you are
reviewing, so make sure to describe it to them.
c. For artworks, describe the material in simple terms to help the
audience visualize it.
3. On general note, your reaction paper’s conclusion may focus on
the following ideas
a. Did the work hold your interest?
b. Did the work annoy or excite you?
c. Did the work prompt you to raise questions to the author?
d. Did the work lead you to some realization?
e. Did the work remind you of other materials that you have read,
viewed, or listened to in the past?

Engagement

Now that you are familiar in critical approaches in writing a critique, you are now
ready for the following tasks. Get ready to learn more as you work on the following activities.

TASK 3 : PICTURE ANALYSIS

Look at the picture below. Answer the following questions.

Guernica by Pablo Picasso (1937) DepEd LM EAPP p.45

After observing the painting, try to answer the following questions.

47
 1. What does the painting illustrate?
________________________________________________________________

2. Why did Picasso title his painting, Guernica?

________________________________________________________________

Artworks played in reacting to socio-political events and advancing the artists’ views
and positions. Victor Hugo novel turned stage play and movie, Les Miserables; silversmith
Paul Revere’s engraving, the Boston Massacre, which mainly galvanized the anti-British
Revolution; Francisco Goya’s The Third of May1808, the most famous and extreme depiction
of Napoleon’s execution of Spanish rebels; even Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere which inspired
our own anti-Spanish revolution.

TASK 4 : READING TIME

Use PAUSE, POST and REFLECT technique in reading. Once in a while you
will stop reading and answer the questions posted.

Art

(1) The French artist Georges Braque (1882-1963) once said. “In art there can
be no effect without twisting the truth.” While not all artists would agree with him,
Braque, who with Pablo Picasso originated the cubist style, “saw” things from a
different perspective than the rest of us, and he expressed his vision in his paintings.
All art is an interpretation of what the artist sees. It is filtered through the eyes of the
artist and influenced by his or her own perceptions.

(2) Throughout history, artists have applied their craft to advance religious,
social, and political visual arguments. Portraits of kings and queens present how the
monarchs wanted their people to see them, with symbolic tools of power such as
scepters, crowns and rich vestments. Art in Churches and cathedrals was used as a
means of visual instruction for people who could not read. Much modern art reveals
impressions feelings and emotions without remaining faithful to the actual thing
depicted. While entire books are written about the meaning and function of art, let’s
examine how one particular artist, Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), created a visual
argument.

Pablo Picasso’s Guernica

(3) Pablo Picasso, with fellow artist Georges Braque, invented a style of
painting known as cubism. Cubism is based on the idea that the eye observes things
from continually changing viewpoints, as fragments of a whole. Cubism aims to
represent the essential reality of forms from multiple perspective angles. Thus, cubist
paintings don’t show reality as we see it.

Rather, they depict pieces of people, places, and things in an unstable field of
vision.

48
 (4) Picasso’s painting Guernica represents the essence of cubism. During the
Spanish Civil war, the German air force bombed the town of Guernica, the cultural
center of the Basque region in northern Spain and a Loyalist stronghold. In only a few
minutes on April 26, 1937, hundreds of men, women and children were massacred in
the deadly air strike. Two months later, Picasso expressed his outrage at the attack in
a mural he titled simply, Guernica.
Answer the following questions while reading the selection.

• Explain how and why “art is an interpretation,” not a faithful depiction of reality.
• What is meant by art as a visual argument?
• What are achieved by the cubist style of painting?
• On which shared historical experience does Picasso base his painting,
Guernica?
• Why would Picasso think that “people viewing the painting would be upset by
it?” In what way does cubism allow Picasso to paint “truth rather than reality?”
• Which symbols in the painting would the viewers have readily recognized?

Who is Picasso’s Target Audience?

(5) Knowing the history of the painting can help us understand whom Picasso
was trying to reach. In January 1937, Picasso was commissioned to paint a mural for
the 1937 Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne, an art
exhibition to open in France in May of the same year. Although he had never been a
political person, the atrocity of Guernica in April compelled him to express his anger
and appeal to the world.

(6) Before the mural went to display, some politicians tried to replace it with
less “offensive” piece of art. When the picture was unveiled at the opening of the expo,
it was received poorly. One Critic described it as “the work of madman.” Picasso had
hoped that his work would shock people. He wanted the outside world to care about
what happened at Guernica.

However, Picasso may have misjudged his first audience, In 1937, Europe was
in the brick of world war. Many people were in denial that the war could touch them
and preferred to ignore the possibility that it was imminent. It was this audience who
first viewed Guernica---an audience that didn’t want to see a mural about warm an
audience that was trying to avoid the inevitable. Years later the mural would become
one of the most critically acclaimed works of art of the twentieth century.

What Claims Is Picasso Making in the Image?

(7) Picasso’s painting comprises many images that make up an entire scene.
It depicts simultaneously events that happened over a period of time. The overall claim
is that war itself is horrible. The smaller claims address the injustice of Guernica more
directly. A mother wails in grief over her dead infant a reminder that the bombing of
Guernica was a massacre of innocent. Picasso also chose to paint his mural in black
and white, giving it the aura of a newspaper, especially in the body of the horse. He
could be saying, “This is news” or “This is a current event that you should think about.”

49
 (8) It should be mentioned that Picasso created many version of the images in
the mural, carefully considering their position, placement, and expression, sometimes
drawing eight or nine versions of a single subject. He thoughtfully considered how the
images would convey his message before he painted them in the mural.

What Shared History or Cultural Assumptions Does Picasso Make?

(9) The assumptions in any argument are the principles or beliefs that the
audience takes for granted. These assumptions implicitly connect the claim to the
evidence. By naming his mural Guernica, Picasso knew that people would make an
immediate connection between the chaos on the wall and the events of April 26, 1937.
He also assumed that the people viewing the painting would be upset by it, In addition,
there are symbols in the painting that would have been recognized by the people at
the time such as the figure of the bull in the upper-left-hand corner of the mural, a long-
time symbol for the Spain.

What is Picasso’s Supporting Evidence?

(10) Although Picasso was illustrating a real event, cubism allowed him to paint
“truth” rather than “reality.” If Picasso was trying to depict the horror of Guernica and
by extension, the terror and chaos of war, all the components of his mural serve as
supporting evidence. The wailing figures panicked faces, the darkness contrasted by
jumbled images of light all project the horror of war. Even the horse looks terrified.
Overall, Guernica captures the emotional cacophony of war. Picasso wasn’t just trying
to say, “War is hell.” He was also trying to impress upon his audience that such
atrocities should never happen again. In essence, Picasso was making an appeal for
piece by showing its opposite the carnage of war.

TASK 5 : Post Activity

After reading the article, create a 10 sentences critique paper about Pablo
Picasso’s Guernica. Identify the critical approach (formalism, feminism, reader response)
you use in writing the paper. You can include the guided questions below in your paper.

1. Which images catch your attention, and why?

2. What, do you think, is the main image?
3. Which images are found in the foreground?
4. Why do you think Picasso arranged the images in the way he did?
5. How do these images relate to one another?
6. How would you describe the images?
7. Which of these images are underscored? Which are exaggerated or
idealized?
8. What are gained by his use of black and white?

50
 Assimilation

KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Keep in mind that knowing critical approaches in writing a critique such as formalism,
feminist criticism and reader response criticism will help you not to rely on mere opinions;
rather to use both proofs and logical reasoning to substantiate your comments. When you
review something, you are processing ideas and theories, revisit, extend ideas in a specific
field of study, and present an analytical response. The structure of a reaction paper, review or
critique serves as a procedure to follow for logical organization of your paper to be able to
present a critical evaluation effectively. In addition, the guidelines in writing helps you to
identify what to include and not in your evaluation.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

TASK 6 : CRITIQUE PAPER

Read the selection below. Choose one critical approach from the three approaches we
have previously discussed (formalist/ feminism/ reader response) to critique the given
selection. Consider the consideration provided for each approach, as included in your handout.
Provide a topic outline with 3-5 topics, and a thesis statement. Include the thesis statement at
the end of your introduction.
Write your critique on the answer sheet. Be guided in using the rubric.

51
 ALUNSINA AND TUNGKUNG LANGIT

(A Panay-Visayan Folktale)

One of the stories about the creation of the world, which the old people of Panay,
especially those living near the mountains, do not tire relating, tells that in the beginning
there was no sky or earth; only a bottomless deep and a world of mist. Everything was
shapeless and formless; the earth, the sky and the sea were almost mixed up. In a word,
there was confusion. Then, from the depths of this formless void, there appeared two gods,
Tungkung Langit ("Pillar of the Sky") and Alunsina ("The Unmarried One). Just where these
two deities came from, it was not known. However, it was related that Tungkung Langit had
fallen in love with Alunsina; and after so many years of courtship they got married and had
their abode in the highest realm of ethereal space, where the water was constantly warm
and the breeze was constantly cool. It was in this place where order and regularity first took
place.

Tungkung Langit was an industrious, loving and kind god whose chief concern was
how to impose order over the whole confused set-up of things. He assumed responsibility
for the regular cosmic movement. On the other hand, Alunsina was a lazy, jealous and
selfish goddess whose only work was to sit by the window of their heavenly home and
amuse herself with her pointless thoughts. Sometimes, she would go down the house, sit
down by a pool near the doorsteps, and comb her long jet-black hair all day long. One day,
Tungkung Langit told his wife that he would be away from home for some time to put an
end to the chaotic disturbances in the flow of time and the position of things. However,
despite this purpose, Alunsina sent the breeze to spy on Tungkung Langit. This made the
latter very angry upon knowing about it. Immediately after his return from his trip, he called
this act to her attention, saying that it as ungodly of her to be jealous, there being no other
creature in the world except the two of them. This reproach was resented by Alunsina and
a quarrel between them followed. Tungkung Langit lost his temper. In his rage he divested
his wife of powers and drove her away. He did not know where Alunsina went; she merely
disappeared.

Several days after Alunsina had left, Tungkung Langit felt very lonely. He realized
what he had done. Somehow, it was too late even to be sorry about the whole matter. The
whole place, once vibrant with Alunsina's sweet voice, suddenly became cold and desolate.
In the morning when he woke up, he would find himself alone; and in the afternoon when
he came home, he would feel the same loneliness creeping deep in his heart because there
was no one to meet him at the doorstep or soothe the aching muscles of his arms. For
months, Tungkung Langit was in utter desolation. He could not find Alunsina, try hard as he
would. And so, in desperation, he decided to do something in order to forget his sorrows.
For months and months he thought. His mind seemed pointless; his heart weary and sick.
But he must do something about his lonely world. One day, while he was sailing across the
regions of the clouds, a thought came to him. He would make the sea and the earth, and lo!
The earth and the sea suddenly appeared. However, the somber sight of the lonely sea and
the barren land irritated him. So he came down to earth and planted the ground with trees
and flowers. Then he took his wife's treasured jewels and scattered them in the sky, hoping
that when Alunsina would see them she might be induced to return home. The goddess's
necklace became the stars, her comb the moon and her crown the sun. However, despite
all these Alunsina did not come back.

Up to this time, the old folk say Tungkung Langit lives alone in his palace in the
skies. Sometimes, he would cry out his pent-up emotion and his tears would fall down upon
the earth. The people in Panay today say the rain is Tungkung Langit's tears. Incidentally,
when it thunders hard, the old folk also say that it is Tungkung Langit sobbing, calling for
his beloved Alunsina to come back, entreating her so hard that his voice reverberates across
the fields and the countryside.

52
 Reflection

Tell us what you got so far after finishing this lesson. Write the learning that you gained after
taking this lesson by completing the chart below.

What were your misconceptions about the What new or additional learning have you
topic prior to taking up this lesson? had after taking up this lesson in terms of
skills, content and attitude?
I thought… I learned that…

References

Barrot, Jessie, Ph.D. Sipacio, Philippe John, Communicate Today English for Academic
and Professional Purposes for Senior High School. C & E Publishing, Inc. 839 EDSA, South
Triangle, Quezon City, 2016

Saqueton, Grace M., Uychoco, Marikit Tara A., English for Academic and Professional
Purposes. Rex Book Store, Inc. 856 Nicanor Reyes Sr. St., Sampaloc, Manila, 2016

(DepEd Copy, LM) English for Academic and Professional Purposes p.45

Rex Bookstore: English for Academic and Professional Purposes p.66

Critique Rubric. https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/232287293256848536/

53
 Contextualized Material 7 EAPP – Q1

Lesson
Writing an objective or balanced
7 Review or Critique of a work of art, an
event or a program

Introduction

In the previous learning material, you were introduced to the different critical writing
techniques such as Formalism, Feminism and Reader Response. You also learned the
meaning of review or critique and its structure.
In this lesson, you will learn how to compose a review or critique paper of a work of
art, an event or a program objectively. Objective and Balanced writing is writing that you can
verify through evidence and facts. If you are writing objectively, you must remain as neutral as
possible through the use of facts, statistics, examples and research. We must keep our review
or critique paper unopinionated. This way, your audience will receive unbiased information
and thus perceive your paper as reliable.
After going through this learning material, you are expected to:
• Write an objective or balanced review or critique of a work of art, an event or a
program

TASK 1 FACT OR OPINION

Before determining whether a statement is a fact or opinion, review or discuss first the
definition of each.

FACT – It is objective. It is a true piece of information and is neither influenced by

personal judgment nor feelings.
OPINION – It is subjective. It is an expression of judgment and is influenced by one’s
belief or feelings.

Since fact and opinion are already defined, do the activity below.

Identify whether each statement below is FACT or OPINION. Explain your answer.

____________ 1. Michael Jordan has a career average of 30.4 points per game.
____________ 2. The ugliest sea creature is the manatee.
____________ 3. Prison is one of the worst places on the planet.
____________ 4. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King won eleven Oscars (Academy
Awards).
____________ 5. McDonalds sells more hamburgers than any other restaurant chain in the
world.
____________ 6. The more money someone has the more successful they are.
____________ 7. Vegetarians are healthier than people who eat meat.
____________ 8. Diamonds are the hardest substance on Earth.
____________ 9. Popular music today is not as good as it was in the past.

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____________ 10. Cell phones emit radiation that may or may not cause brain cancer.

Now that you are able to identify between what is fact and opinion. You have to keep
in mind that your review or critique essay should be based on facts, not your opinion. When
writing an objective essay, you should state information unemotionally.

Development

Objective Writing

Objective writing is writing that you can verify through evidence and facts. If you are
writing objectively, you must remain as neutral as possible through the use of facts, statistics,
and research. This type of writing is best used when you as a writer need to present unbiased
information to an audience and then let them determine their own opinion. News reports and
school textbooks often use objective writing.

How to Write Objectively

To keep your writing objective, try to follow these tips:
• Be specific instead of vague or general. Rather than writing: ‘almost everyone voted
for him, write: ‘82% of the company members voted for him.’

• Do not use opinionated, prejudiced or exclusive language. Rather than writing: ‘men
and girls,’ write: ‘men and women.’ Keep both equal, and keep both genders listening
to you.

• Avoid using first person to keep it more professional and les about you. Rather than
writing: ‘I believe…’ Try using a fact or credible source to prove your point like:
‘According to Smith (1999).’

• Try not to over exaggerate your writing. It can help to never use words such as ‘really,’
‘always,’ ‘never,’ or ‘very.’ These words can make your writing appear falsified or weak.
Rather than writing: ‘the race was really close,’ be more informational by writing: ‘the
race was close enough to demand two recounts.’

Meanwhile, a balanced review or critique paper will point out the pros and cons of the
given work of art, event or a program.

TASK 2: LET’S EVALUATE!

Read Heneral Luna Movie Review

http://www.filmpolice reviews.com/heneral-luna/

Amidst pacing problems, Heneral Luna manages to tell a compelling story – allegorical
and timely to present day – supported by a fantastic script, an impassioned score, and inspired
cinematography.

55
 At first glance, one might mistake Heneral Luna as your run-of-the-mill historical
biopic that showcases a hero of yore whose bravery and passion unite his people in the face
of dastardly foreign invaders. Well, this is only partly correct. There are invaders, Heneral Luna
(John Arcilla) is indeed fiercely brave and madly passionate, but there is no unity to be found
amongst country men – only infighting, personal interests, and politicking.

Directed by Jerrold Tarog and with a script co-written by him, Henry Hunt Francia,
and E.A. Rocha; Heneral Luna takes a different approach in telling the story of how we lost
the battle and got occupied by the Americans. Taking cues from Oro, Plata, Mata; the movie
deliberately puts the colonialists in the periphery, making them merely a backdrop whose
presence stirred the pot. The real focus here is the tension, the inner turmoil, that brewed in
the ranks of our so-called Filipino founding fathers. Heneral Luna is a tale of how a dissenting
voice can get swept away and ultimately perish under a wave of egos and personal interest.

Carrying the weight of the story is the above stellar performance of John Arcilla in the title
role of General Antonio Luna. Arcilla plays with the whole spectrum of emotions in his portrayal
of the larger-than-life general. He is able to showcase the fierce, boisterous, and volatile man
the general has been historically known to be, yet he is also able to flip the coin and show the
passionate, sympathetic, and battle-weary softer side of the character. Here’s a man who rides
head first screaming into battle just to rile up his troops’ morale, but at the same time he is a
one who can share warm moments and some banter with his mother. He is an antihero –
the Wolverine of the Filipino insurrection.

One prime example of just how dynamic Arcilla’s portrayal can be is during this one scene
involving a chicken vendor. Delivering virtually the same line of dialogue on two separate
moments, Arcilla is able to convey anger bordering on madness at first and compassion
nuanced with frustration soon after. It is truly his performance that propels Heneral Luna (and,
sadly, his alone).

There isn’t much to be said about the rest of the cast of movie, which is a pity given
that Heneral Luna assembles quite an ensemble. You’ve got names like Joem Bascon, Alex
Medina, Mon Confiado, Nonie Buencamino, Mylene Dizon, and even Ronnie Lazaro; but sadly
none of the other performances stand out. Not that there are any weak performances, it’s just
that none are able to keep up with the gravitas of John Arcilla’s Luna. Mon Confiado’s Emilio
Aguinaldo seems more like a spineless weakling who hides behind his cohorts rather than a
respected political foil; while Ketchup Eusebio’s Capt. Janolino, the leader of Luna’s killers,
feels too forced as a villain scorned by the titular general. The closest character who can keep
up with Luna’s onscreen presence is his equally proud contemporary, Heneral Mascardo
(Lorenz Martinez) – whose refusal to give in to Luna provides a tension-filled back-and-forth
sequence in the middle of the film. Unfortunately, because of some jagged pacing, tension
such as is this is not consistent throughout the movie.

This erratic pacing is felt most during the first act of Heneral Luna – where things play out
very much like an oral history. Used as plot device to serve as the audience’s perspective,
Arron Villaflor portrays journalist, Joven Hernando, who is tasked to interview the general. This
frame narrative leads to various snippets that feature Luna’s patriotism: from an expertly-shot
rowdy meeting with Aguinaldo’s cabinet to earlier battles against the Americans. Oddly, these
scenes just feel lacking in connective tissue. Its pacing is too quick to really tie the storytelling
together and it doesn’t help either that some set pieces looked too clean and glossed over –
lacking the grit and weariness you’d expect from a war movie. Couple this with efforts to add
humor at some odd moments throughout the film, and you’ve got a trifecta that hinders the
movie from fully immersing you.

56
 Heneral Luna more than makes for these flaws though through its artistic components –
such as its beautiful score, well-crafted cinematography, and, most especially, its fantastic
rhythmic script.
Technically marvellous is the only way to describe the movie’s sound design – from
Luna’s table banging overpowering the raucous in a cabinet meeting, to a guitar mini-concert
midway the film, to the overall masterful score. You have to give it to effort put in by Jerrold
Tarog, who not only directed the movie but also provided its music.

All sorts of appealing too is Heneral Luna‘s cinematography. One scene you have to look
out for is the flashback sequence to the general’s youth. This particular scene employs one
long take, seamlessly moving from different sets that pass of as a childhood home, Europe,
and other settings from different timelines. It is a visual spectacle, innovative and masterful in
its execution.
Most notable though among the movie’s artistry is its script. Poetic yet
conversational, Heneral Luna‘s script is filled to the brim with flowery lines of dialogue as if
lifted from a sonata. It’s not everyday that you get to hear lines as beautifully crafted
as “kailangan mong tumalon sa kawalan,” “digmaan ang iyong asawa, ako lamang ay iyong
querida,” and “para kayong mga birhen na naniniwala sa pag-ibig ng puta.” Here is a script so
elegant that it can even make curse words sound so cultured, so tasteful.

Overall, Heneral Luna is not just a film but a wake up call driving the ever reminder that
some things never change. Its message – we Filipinos are our own worse enemies, lacking in
resolve and torn by self-interests. It is a story representative of not just our current and still
chaotic political landscape but of who we are and what we can do but don’t. Though it may
not be perfect in its execution, the film does its duty in leaving us with the question
lingering “Bayan o sarili?”

Heneral Luna opens in theaters September 9.

After Reading Activity

Evaluate the movie review using the following rubric.

VGE GE SE (3) LE (2) N (1)

(5) (4)
CONTENT (35%)
Main idea is clear
Explanation is comprehensive and sufficient
Explanation has depth
Supporting details are directly linked to the main idea
Introduction states the title, director, and main idea of
the reviewed movie.
Paper presents the summary of the reviewed movie
Paper presents different perspectives of the issues
raised
Properly clearly points out the weaknesses of the
movie
Explanation and opinion are supported by evidence
Ideas are presented convincingly
Conclusion states the overall impression of the work
ORGANIZATION (25%)
Paper uses organizational pattern and structure
appropriate for the genre

57
 Cohesive devices are effectively used
Ideas are correctly placed which improves the paper’s
organization
Flow of ideas is smooth and easy to read.
STYLE (20%)
Paper showcases the writer’s voice
Paper uses a variety of sentence structures
Paper eliminates sexist language
Paper uses language appropriate to context
Paper eliminates wordiness
GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS (10%)
Grammar is accurate
Spelling, capitalization, and punctuations are correctly
used.
Word choice is appropriate
Sentences are well structured
DOCUMENTATION AND SOURCES (10%)
Paper uses correct citation and reference format
Sources used are reliable
Sources used are relevant to the topic
TOTAL:

Legend:
VGE – very great extent, GE – to a great extent, SE – to some extent;
LE – to a little extent, N-not at all

Rating:
VGE; 4.01 – 5.00; GE: 3.01-4.00; SE 2.01-3.00; LE: 1.01 – 2.00; N: 1.0

Afterwards, summarize your general evaluation using the table below. Determine if
the writer writes objectively or not.

Criteria Evaluation

Good features of
the review

Bad features of the

review

58
 Revisions needed

Engagement

TASK 3: Time to write!

Read the Poem entitled, Another Name for Maid twice and write a review or critique with
300-500 words using a critical approach (Formalism, Feminism, Reader Response
Criticism).

Another Name for Maid

(They Say Filipina is Another Name for Maid)
Luisa A. Igloria
https://www.sushidog.com/bpss/poems/igloria.htm

Our Overseas Contract Workers are the new heroes of the Philippines –Fidel V. Ramos

In Hong Kong last summer

my office mate and I took
turns, smiling for pictures
in front of “The Court of Final
Appeal,” as a joke, or maybe
in a kind of atonement-because
two women boarding the same
ferry we took that morning said,
in the dialect they were sure
we would recognize, Is it
your day off too?

One of them had a quick, nervous way

of smiling, as if ready to take it back
if we had turned on them with
indignation. The other was clearly
ready to challenge, if the well-
intentioned expression of solidarity
were read otherwise. It was a day
filled with rainclouds, a sky
the color of aluminum, the dull
sheen on the inside of an old
rice cooker.

59
The rubric for evaluating your review/critique paper is as follows:

Content This includes your reaction about the poem; the 50%
critical approach that you used; the informative
and entertainment value of your paper; the
societal importance of your paper.
Organization This includes the appropriate use of transitional 20%
markers; the correct use of paragraphs; the logical
flow of ideas.
Language This includes the use of vocabulary words to 20%
heighten the reader’s experience; the use of wit,
methapor, simile and irony.
Mechanics This includes the correct use of grammar, 10%
spelling, punctuation and sentence sense

TASK 4: Look Around

Think of a social phenomenon or current event that you deeply care about. Research about
it in the newspapers and online news sources. If you cannot think of any topic or current
event, you can choose from one of the following:
• A recent calamity
• A recent disease or virus
• The bagong bayani or the OFW
• Poverty in the Philippines
• The BPO industry and its effects

Write a review or critique about that event. The rubric for evaluating your review/critique
paper is as follows:

Content This includes the relevance of the event and your 50%
reaction; the informative and entertainment value
of your paper; the societal importance of your
paper;
Organization This includes the appropriate use of transitional 20%
markers; the correct use of paragraphs; the logical
flow of ideas.
Language This includes the use of vocabulary words to 20%
heighten the reader’s experience; the use of wit,
methapor, simile and irony.
Mechanics This includes the correct use of grammar, 10%
spelling, punctuation and sentence sense

60
 Assimilation

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Always remember that in composing a review or critique paper, we should not express
our own feelings, opinions and judgments but we should evaluate, calculate, or verify based
on facts. Writing a review or critique paper is similar to composing a song, the reaction paper
involves considerable thought and deliberation, and should not be confused with the
disposable thoughts that litter social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. Instead, a well-
written review or critique paper should sing with the right words and the right insights.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT:

TASK 5: REVIEW OR CRITIQUE ESSAY

Give a short review or critique to one of the ads/pictures below.

Image 1 Image 2

Image 3
Image 4
Images from:
https://steemit.com/philosophy/@usmanalishah/sad-and-bitter-realities-of-life
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nikobogio/12456002893
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/258957047294788382/

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 Reflection

TASK 6: Time to Reflect

Give your idea about the quotation:
“Critique, feedback, reaction to one's work or the way they have presented it, regardless of
intention, is a gift.”
(Mark Brand)

Congratulations! You can now move to the next lesson.

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References:

Books
Saqueton, G. & Uychoco, MT., (2016). English for Academic and Professional Purposes.
Rex Book Store, Inc. (RBSI)
Barrot, J. & Sipacio, PJ., (2016). Communication Today English for Academic and
Professional Purposes for Senior High School. C & E Publishing, Inc.

LRMDS Portal
Marquez, L., (2019). Daily Lesson Log in the topic Writing the Reaction Paper/Review/
Critique
Retrieved from: https://lrmds.deped.gov.ph/detail/15537

Other sources:
https://steemit.com/philosophy/@usmanalishah/sad-and-bitter-realities-of-life
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nikobogio/12456002893
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/258957047294788382/
http://shs.ceu.edu.ph/moodle/pluginfile.php/32/mod_forum/attachment/2841/Writing%20a%2
0Reaction%20Paper.pdf
https://www.rappler.com/technology/social-media/117018-viral-ads-philippines-2015-acer-
aldub-ariel-commercials- bench-billboard
https://www.sushidog.com/bpss/poems/igloria.htm
http://www.filmpolice reviews.com/heneral-luna/
https://study.com/academy/lesson/objective-writing-definition-examples.html
https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-worksheets/fact-and-opinion-worksheet.pdf
https://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-worksheets/fact-and-opinion-worksheet.pdf
https://www.scribd.com/document/373824294/Week-4-6-Writing-the-Reaction-Paper-Review-
Critique

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