The Writing Process BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
2. Developing Plans from Titles
Most written work begins with a title, and students must be quite clear what question the title is asking before starting to plan the essay and read around the topic. This unit deals with analysing titles and making basic plans. 1. When preparing to write an essay, it is essential to identify the main requirements of the title. You must be clear about what areas your teacher wants you to cover. This will then determine the organisation of the essay. For example: Academic qualifications are of little practical benefit in the real world – Discuss. Here the key word is discuss. Discussing involves examining the benefits and drawbacks of something. Underline the key words in the following titles and consider what they are asking you to do. a Define Information Technology IT and outline its main applications in medicine. b Compare and contrast the appeal process in the legal systems of Britain and the USA. c Evaluate the effect of mergers in the motor industry in the last ten years. d Trace the development of primary education in Britain. Illustrate some of the issues currently facing this sector. Note that most of the titles above have two terms in the title. You must decide how much importance to give to each section of the essay e.g. title a might demand 10 for the definition and 90 for the outline. 2. The following terms are also commonly used in essay titles. Match the terms to the definitions on the right. Analyse Give a clear and simple account Describe Make a proposal and support it Examine Deal with a complex subject by giving the main points State Divide into sections and discuss each critically Suggest Give a detailed account Summarise Look at the various parts and their relationships3. Almost all essays, reports and articles have the same basic pattern of organisation:
Introduction Main body Conclusion The structure of the main body depends on what the title is asking you to do. In the case of a discuss type essay, the main body is often divided into two parts, one looking at the advantages of the topic and the other looking at the disadvantages. A plan for the first example might look like this: 1.10 Planning a Text 2.5 Discussion cross reference Academic qualifications are of little practical benefit in the real world – Discuss. Introduction variety of different qualifications different methods of assessment Benefits international standards for professions, e.g. doctors students have chance to study latest theories qualifications lead to better salaries and promotion Drawbacks many successful people don’t have qualifications many qualified people don’t have jobs Conclusion qualifications are useful but not guarantees of success4. Write a plan for one of the titles in 1.
title introduction main body conclusion5. Teachers often complain that students write essays that do not answer the question set.
Consider the following titles and decide which sections should be included in each essay. a Describe the growth of the European Union since 1975 and suggest its likely form by 2010. A short account of European history 1900–2000 An analysis of candidates for membership before 2010 A discussion of the current economic situation in Europe An outline of the enlargement of the EU between 1975 and now b Summarise the arguments in favour of privatisation and evaluate its record in Britain. A case study of electricity privatisation An analysis of less successful privatisations A study of major privatisations in the UK A discussion of the benefits achieved by privatisation c To what extent is tuberculosis TB a disease of poverty? A definition of TBParts
» BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» The Writing Process BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Almost all essays, reports and articles have the same basic pattern of organisation:
» Underline the key terms in the following titles and decide what you are being asked to do.
» The previous sentences can be evaluated as follows:
» Compare the two extracts below:
» Register. Compare the tone, or register, of the following:
» In the following text, three key points are in italic. Decide on their order of importance.
» Underline four key points in the following text.
» What are the main reasons for note-making? Add to the ideas below.
» Effective note-making is part of a sequence. What comes before and after?
» Techniques. Find synonyms for the words in italic.
» Change the word class of the words in italic, and then re-write the sentences.
» Change the word order of the following sentences.
» Combine all these techniques to paraphrase the paragraph as fully as possible.
» Use the same techniques to paraphrase the following text.
» Complete the following notes of the key points.
» Read the example, from a study of women’s experience of prison.
» The essay writer uses a mixture of direct quotes and summaries of arguments.
» Decide which of the three frameworks in 2 would be most suitable for the following titles.
» topic 2. restatement BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Using the second set of notes, write the next paragraph of the essay.
» topic 2. detail BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» detail 4. detail BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Using the next set of notes, write the third paragraph.
» topic 2. 4. BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» The structure of the main body depends on the length of the essay and the subject of study.
» Shorter essays in exams, for example tend to have simpler structures:
» Write the introduction about 100 words, using your answers from 9 and the notes provided below.
» Not every academic essay has a conclusion.
» The following may be found in conclusions. Decide on the most suitable order for them A–E.
» Study the notes for the essay below and write a conclusion in about 100 words.
» Elements of Writing BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Complete the following sentences with a suitable verb or conjunction.
» Use conjunctions to complete the following paragraph.
» Study the flowchart and complete the paragraph that describes it.
» The form as Note the variety of forms possible:
» Moreless, the mostthe least followed by adjective, the mostthe fewest related to number
» Complete the following description of the table in 3 above one word per gap:
» Study the table and complete the text below one word per gap.
» Study the table below and complete the paragraph comparing life
» Complete the following paragraph comparing cigarette smoking in Europe.
» Write another paragraph comparing alcohol intake in Europe.
» Select several terms from your own subject area and write extensive definitions for them.
» There are two basic outlines for a discussion essay:
» Find a suitable example for each sentence.
» Provide examples in the following paragraph where they appear necessary.
» Decide if you agree with the following:
» There are two ways of making a generalisation:
» Read the following text and underline the generalisations.
» Study the table. BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Study the table below and complete the generalisations.
» Read this text about dreams and write five generalisations using the data.
» Discussing statistical data is a necessary part of much academic writing:
» Percentages are commonly used for expressing rates of change:
» Study the following expressions, which are also used to simplify statistics.
» Re-write the following sentences to present the data in a simpler way.
» a Summary of a writer’s ideas.
» Organising the bibliographyreferences BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Russell, T. 1995 ‘A future for coffee?’ Journal of Applied Marketing 6 pp. 14–1
» Re-write the following paragraphs in better style.
» Student admissions by subject2002
» Find synonyms for the words and phrases in italic. The language of change
» Complete the following description of the chart below.
» Accuracy in Writing BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» All academic subjects employ abbreviations to save time.
» Adverbs are used in academic texts in a variety of ways.
» Adverbs linked to verbs and adjectives usually fall into three groups.
» Adverbs used individually need to be employed with care.
» Insert a suitable adverb from the table into the gaps in the sentences.
» The following adverbs are used to describe changes in the rate of something:
» Unless they are uncountable, all nouns need an article when used in the singular.
» In general, the is used with:
» A cautious style is necessary in some areas of academic writing:
» Caution is needed to avoid making statements that are too simplistic:
» Rewrite the following sentences in a more cautious way.
» Finish the sentences in a suitable way.
» Study the list below and find the meaning in each case.
» Use a suitable modal of obligation to complete the following.
» Most nationalities have a regular pattern of nouns and adjectives.
» Some nationalities are less regular.
» Write similar sentences to those above about two of the following:
» The definite article is used with a few countries:
» Another group of uncountable nouns is used for materials:
» Complete the gaps in the following paragraph with muchmanylittlefew.
» An adverb is often inserted in a passive form:
» Prefixes. Common prefixes. Find the meanings of each prefix.
» Suggest possible meanings for the words in italic.
» Meaning suffixes. Give the word class and suggest possible meanings for:
» Study each sentence and find the meaning of the words in italic.
» The following verbs are generally used with these prepositions:
» Complete the following with suitable verbs and prepositions.
» Choose suitable verbs and prepositions from 1 and 3 to complete the following text.
» Semi-colons ;. Colons :. BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Punctuate the text. BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Referring verbs are used to summarise another writer’s ideas.
» Most of these verbs are followed by a noun clause beginning with that.
» Write a sentence referring to what the following writers said more than one verb may be suitable.
» In defining clauses both that and which can be used with things.
» Insert a suitable relative pronoun in the text below. Write X if the pronoun is optional.
» Complete the following sentences by selecting the most suitable tenses.
» Simple or continuous? Select either simple or continuous in each case:
» Study the use of the following:
» Compare the use of the following phrases.
» Choose the best alternative in each case.
» Writing Models BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Write a reply to Mr Bramble making the following points:
» CV stands for curriculum vitae also known as a resumé.
» Background to Writing BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Developing Plans from Titles
» Evaluating a Text BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Understanding Purpose and Register
» Selecting Key Points Note-Making
» Paraphrasing Summary Writing BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Combining Sources Planning a Text
» Organising Paragraphs BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Introductions BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Conclusions BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Re-reading and Re-writing Proof-Reading
» Comparisons Definitions BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Discussion BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Numbers References and Quotations Academic Style
» Synonyms Visual Information BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Articles Caution Conjunctions BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Formality in Verbs Modal Verbs
» Passives Prefixes and Suffixes
» Prepositions BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
» Prepositions after Verbs Punctuation
» Referring Verbs Relative Pronouns
» SingularPlural BUKU | SAIDNA ZULFIQAR BIN TAHIR (VIKAR)
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