2 Features of Academic Reading

1. - If you're like me, you like to read popular magazines for fun. Maybe sports
magazines, or magazines about celebrities. These kinds of magazines can be helpful when
you're learning English. As part of a broad strategy for building your reading skills with an array
of English language texts. They're full of engaging topics and interesting opinions expressed in
an informal tone.

2. But to be successful on the TOEFL test, you need to read academic texts as part
of your preparation strategy. At any university, you will encounter textbooks and articles on a
wide variety of academic subjects. Including the social sciences, the arts, and physical and life
sciences. Because these are the kinds of texts you'll be using in university courses. They're
also the kinds of texts you'll see on the TOEFL test.

3. So, today we're going to look at three key characteristics of academic texts. First,
academic texts generally use formal language. Stylistically, there are probably very few
contractions or abbreviations. In terms of vocabulary, the author may use specialized, or
infrequently used words. And almost no idioms or slang expressions. Also, the author may use
grammar that is not typical of everyday spoken language. Or, text written for non-academic
purposes. Such as entertainment. Next, the material is presented in a logical and objective
way, that is to say, without personal bias. Based on facts, not feelings. Whereas popular
writing often exaggerates and appeals to emotions. Due to its objectivity, the tone may feel
impersonal, rather than personal. A popular magazine article, on the other hand, may be
written in a way that tries to appeal to your emotions. Maybe it tries to get you to care about
whether a contract between a sports team and a particular player will be renewed, for
example. Or, maybe it tries to make you upset that a certain celebrity wasn't chosen for a role
in an upcoming movie. Textbooks and academic papers generally won't try to appeal to your
emotions.

4. Last, academic texts are conceptually complex. This means the ideas being
presented in an academic text may not be straightforward ones. In other words, they may be
nuanced, or multidimensional. Not simplistic. And the relationship among those ideas may also
be complicated. There may be interconnected parts. These parts may be spread across the
text. So the reader may need to draw connections between individual sentences or across
paragraphs. Additionally, the reader may need to draw inferences, which means, the reader
has to read between the lines. This doesn't necessarily mean academic texts are difficult, it
just means that they are not simplistic in their presentation of material.

5. So, to review. Academic texts use formal language. They present ideas logically
and objectively. And they are conceptually complex. When you practice reading in English,
be sure you are reading quality academic texts. They will help you prepare for test day and
beyond.