The aim of this paper is to show the possibilities of applying the quick FTIR molecular vibrational spectroscopy with ATR technique and UV-Vis spectroscopy to determine the depositional environment of organic matter in shale with its infrared and ultraviolet spectra. The technique is employed for 20 shale rock samples of the Timah Tasoh (TT) formation (Lower Devonian), which was collected from the Sanai Hill A located at Kampung Guar Jentik, Beseri District, Perlis, Malaysia. Spectroscopic characterization was carried out to explore the hydrocarbon distribution and type of humic substances present in these shales. The FTIR spectra of the shale samples from TT formation are divided into three zones,-OH groups stretching vibration, Alkyne CH bending bands in aliphatic hydrocarbons and the absorption spectrum of aromatic OPCH stretching and aromatic IPCH stretching bands. In this paper, particular attention is devoted to the OPCH bending vibrations between 690 and 900 cm− 1. The absorbance values of aromatic OPCH, in shale of TT formation, is in the range of 0.11-0.19. In terms of the E4/E6 ratio which was treated with methanol and DCM, TT formation shows the dominance of humic acid within the samples. The E4/E6 ratio treated with methanol and DCM in TT Formation ranges from 0.78 to 1.31 and 0.98 to 1.67 respectively. Alkyl naphthalenes have found in all samples of FTIR spectra at 690 cm-1 (w), 775 cm-1 (s), 795 cm-1 (s) and 832 cm-1 (w) bands in OPCH bending vibrations, suggesting their sourcing mainly from terrestrial organic matter. Humic acid presence in TT formation shale supports the FTIR results and indicates that the organic matter in these shales contains plant derived hydrophilic minerals ie terrestrial in origin.