Contemporary philippine arts from the regions_PPT_Module_12 [Autosaved] (1).pptx
English Writing Skills
1. English Speaking Club (ESC) Presenter: Nguyễn Đức Minh Khôi
Presentation Day: January 3, 2012
TRAINING:
HOW TO WRITE A
GOOD ESSAY
2. OUTLINE:
Introduction to writing essay
Step by step writing
Make your essay more coherent
Practice writing an essay
Question and answer
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 2
3. Part 1:
INTRODUCTION TO WRITING
ESSAY
Training: How to write a good essay How to write a good essay
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4. Section preview:
The important of writing essay
Structure of an essay
Special concept
Some useful grammar points
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5. The importance of writing essay
• Develop your own skills
• Do your academic writing in your
university/college
• Get Scholarship & apply for job in
the future
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6. Structure of an essay
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7. Special concept
Brainstorming
Thesis statement
Topic sentence
Supporting details
Unity, progression and coherent
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8. Grammar points and useful tips
Do not use grammar structures and
vocabulary you do not know well
Use variety of short and long sentences
Avoid common sentence error
Use appropriate word choice and word form
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12. Part 2:
STEP BY STEP WRITING
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13. The process of writing
Reading and thinking about the question
Brainstorming , thesis and outlining
Writing based on outline:
Introduction Body Conclusion
Reviewing and correcting
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14. Reading and thinking about
the question
What is the topic?
Teachers are responsible for motivating students to learn
-> The responsibility of teachers to their students
What is the task?
Do you agree or disagree with?
Use specific reasons and examples to support !!!
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15. Understanding question (cont’)
Decisions can be made quickly, or they can be made after careful
thought. In your experience, are decisions made quickly better or
worse than decisions made after careful thought? Use specific
details and examples to support your answer.
What is the topic?
What is the task?
Make decision quickly or after careful thought
Your own experience about that topic.
Give examples and details to support.
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16. Brainstorming, thesis
and outlining
Brainstorming:
is quickly generating ideas (examples,
reasons, personal experiences, other details)
in the form of notes, a list, or a diagram.
is writing down as many ideas as possible in a
short amount of time.
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17. Examples of brainstorming
In a list form: In a diagram form
S not motivated,
T can’t help
Self-motivated
People naturally
learn
disagree
Parent Learning no
responsible teacher
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18. Thesis
• state that you agree with a given statement; or
• state that you disagree with a given statement; or
• state which of two positions you hold on a give issue.
Example of thesis:
Although many people believe it is the teacher's
responsibility to motivate students to learn, students will
not learn much unless they are self-motivated
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19. Outlining
is a simple plan of your essay.
Step: of outlining:
Examples
choose ideas from your brainstorming that
will support this position.
choose two to four of your best examples or
reasons and discard the rest.
decide the most effective order for arranging
these ideas, and write your outline
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20. Examples of Brainstorming,
thesis and outline:
Some people like to spend their leisure time doing activities with a lot
of people. Others prefer to spend their leisure in quiet ways by
themselves or with one other person. Which do you prefer? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
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21. Understanding more how to
structure your essay
Click here to see the video
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22. Writing based on outline
Introduction (intro)
tells your readers what the essay is about.
restates the question in your own words and
expresses the main idea (thesis)
Thesis often the last sentence of the
introductory paragraph.
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23. Examples of writing intro
Sample intro:
Society is often divided on major issues involving government
spending. One group believes that we should spend as much money as
possible on space exploration, while another group thinks that we
should spend this money on solving basic social problems on Earth. I
believe there are strong reasons for spending on space technology
because this leads to knowledge that will benefit society on Earth.
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24. Analysis of the sample intro
The first sentence introduces the general topic of the essay: how the
government should spend money
Society is often divided on major issues involving government
spending.
The next sentence restates the question in the writer's own words
One group believes that we should spend as much money as
possible on space exploration, while another group thinks that we
should spend this money on solving basic social problems on Earth.
The last sentence states the writer's opinion. This is the thesis
statement. The rest of the essay must support this idea.
I believe there are strong reasons for spending on space technology
because this leads to knowledge that will benefit society on Earth.
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25. Writing body paragraphs
Body = developmental paragraphs because they
contain ideas that develop the thesis.
Each body paragraph should have a topic sentence
that expresses the main point of the paragraph.
The topic sentence of the paragraph should also
directly support the thesis => supporting point.
The rest of the sentences in the paragraph should
give appropriate examples, reasons, facts, personal
experiences, or other supporting details.
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26. Examples of topic sentences and
supporting details
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27. Example of body paragraphs (cont’)
Spending money on space technology can lead to better ways to produce food and
clothing. Space travel requires special ways to preserve and store food for a long
journey. Scientists also work on ways to grow vegetables and fruits in space so that
astronauts can have fresh food. Scientists must develop new types of clothing made
from new materials. Many of these new methods of food and clothing production
also benefit people on Earth.
Space exploration has led to important developments in communications
technology. One of the first government projects in space technology was for
satellite communications. Today, this technology benefits everyone who uses
satellite television or telephones.
The most important reason for spending money on space technology is that it
promotes international cooperation. When the governments of several different
countries work together on space projects, there is better communication between
countries. The international space station is a good example of international
cooperation that benefits everyone on Earth. Not only does it lead to scientific
progress, but it also promotes international understanding.
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28. Analysis of a body paragraph
Spending money on space technology can lead to better ways to produce food and
clothing. Space travel requires special ways to preserve and store food for a long
journey. Scientists also work on ways to grow vegetables and fruits in space so that
astronauts can have fresh food. Scientists must develop new types of clothing made
from new materials. Many of these new methods of food and clothing production
also benefit people on Earth.
• Is the topic sentence that states the main idea of the paragraph
• Supports the thesis of the essay
Provide specific examples, reasons, or other details that support
the topic sentence
Provide additional details that support the topic sentence
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29. Writing conclusion
is often very short and may contain only one or two sentences.
should leave your readers with a feeling of completion.
We can do one or more of the following:
restate your thesis in different words (paraphrase)
summarize your supporting points
draw a conclusion
make a prediction
make a recommendation
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30. Examples of conclusion and
analysis
In conclusion, several developments in space technology have already helped
society on Earth. If we spend money on space programs, we may discover even
greater knowledge that will improve our life and promote world peace.
Restate the thesis
Make a prediction
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31. Reviewing and correcting
Checking:
Sentence structures
Sentence variety
Word choice
Spelling
Your essay will be more interesting, more
effective if you:
Use variety of short and long sentence
Avoid common sentence errors
Use appropriate word choice and word forms
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32. Example of reviewing
Can you identify the errors in the following paragraph?
The same paragraph without errors:
Children must learning about lifeain a comfortable place. If a child is no safe,
learn about life in comfortable place. If a child is not safe,
the child can't learn nothing. I I want to have children in the future. My duty
anything. wanna have children in the future. My duty is
will be to keep my children and protection from bad experiences. I gonna
for keep my children safetysafe and protect them from bad experiences. I
am going to give my children food, other stuffs. Because my If my children
give my children food, clothes, and clothes, and other things.child is
are comfortable, they learn alot of things about life. life. Therefore, I
comfortable, they will will learn a lot of things about On the contrary, I
disagree with the statement.
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33. Review part II
Topic:
Intro
Body 1
Body 2
Body 3
Conclu-
sion
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34. Answer the following questions
1. How many parts does the question have? What does each
part ask you to do?
2. Does the essay address all parts of the question?
3. How is the essay organized?
4. What does the writer do in the introduction?
5. What is the thesis or main idea of the essay?
6. How does the writer support the thesis?
7. What is the topic sentence of each body paragraph?
8. What specific examples, reasons, and other details does
the writer give? What is their purpose?
9. What does the writer do in the conclusion?
10. Does the essay effectively address the topic and task?
Why or why not?
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35. Part 3:
MAKE YOUR ESSAY MORE
COHERENT
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36. Section preview:
Preview Some key Practice
example points review
• Sample • Unity • Sample
• Analyze • Coherent • Questions
• Transition
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37. Preview example
Read the topic and a paragraph follow:
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
The things we learn from our friends are more important than what we
learn from family.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
Sample paragraph
While my friends have taught me to enjoy my life, my family has taught me
to be strong. My friends have taught me how to feel independent. They have
encouraged me to be myself, to have a lot of fun, and to find happiness in
life. On the other hand, my mother has taught me to be independent in a
very different way. When I was a child, she gave me advice such as "Fight
your own battles." She said that so I would be strong because she could not
always protect me. Sometimes this was very difficult for me when I wanted
my mother to help me, even though I knew her advice was important.
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38. Analyze the example:
This paragraph is easy to read and understand. What
makes it so? Check all of the statements that are true:
All of the sentence in the paragraph are simple.
The topic sentence is stated clearly at the beginning.
The sentences are written in a logical order.
All of the ideas in the paragraph support the topic
sentence.
The writer uses appropriate transitions to connect ideas.
Comments:
The paragraph is well organized and coherent. When a piece
of writing is coherent, it is easy for reader to understand.
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39. Some key points
Unity:
A well-organized essay has an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
Each body paragraph contains one major point that is developed with examples,
reasons, and other supporting details.
Each body paragraph supports the thesis of the essay.
When all of the ideas and information in the essay support the thesis, the essay is
said to have unity.
Coherent:
• The body paragraphs should be arranged in the order that will best support the
thesis.
• Sometimes the body paragraphs are best arranged from the most important
point to the least important point.
• Sometimes it is more effective to put the most important point last, just before
the conclusion.
• Sometimes the points are previewed in the introduction.
• When the body paragraphs are arranged effectively and logically, the essay is said
to have coherence.
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 39
41. Practice example
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
The things we learn from our friends are more important than what we
learn from family.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
When I think about the lessons I have learned in my life, I find many
similarities in what I learned from my friends and from my family. There are
also differences. Both kinds of lessons have been very important to me.
However, when I consider them carefully, I know that the lessons from my
family are more important.
While my friends have taught me to enjoy my life, my family has taught me
to be strong. My friends have taught me how to feel independent. They have
encouraged me to be myself, to have a lot of fun, and to find happiness in
life. On the other hand, my mother has taught me to be independent in a
very different way. When I was a child, she gave me advice such as "Fight
your own battles." She said that so I would be strong because she could not
always protect me. Sometimes this was very difficult for me when I wanted
my mother to help me, even though I knew her advice was important.
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 41
42. Practice example (cont’)
Furthermore, my family has taught me compassion and forgiveness. My
younger brother taught me these qualities. I will never forget that once I was
cruel to him because I was angry. My brother was afraid of the dark, but I
turned off the lights to scare him. He was only six years old, and he was
afraid and cried. But later he asked to read a book to him until he fell asleep.
It was his way to forgive me. I can never forget how my little brother taught
me how to forgive.
I believe that our family teaches us the most important things because the
lessons from family last longer. My family has taught me to be independent
and strong, and this will help me during my whole life. Moreover, they have
taught me how to forgive, which is necessary for getting along with other
people. In short, the lessons from my family were not always enjoyable, yet
the are deeper in my heart.
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 42
43. Questions review
Answer the following questions about the example above:
1. What does the question ask you to do?
2. What does the writer do in the introduction?
3. What is the thesis or main idea of the essay?
4. How is the essay organized?
5. What is the topic sentence of each body paragraph?
6. Does the essay have unity? Why or why not?
7. What transitions help give the essay coherence?
8. Does the essay effectively address the topic and task? Why or why
not?
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 43
44. Part 4:
PRACTICE WRITING AN ESSAY
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45. Topic for writing
Some people learn by reading about things. Others learn by doing
things. Which of these methods of learning is better for you? Use
specific reasons and examples to support your choice. (limited words:
400 words)
Step by step doing the following tasks:
Read the question carefully and answer:
What is the topic?
What is the tasks?
In 5 minutes, quickly brainstorm about the topic
and write down on your draft.
Now, decide which point of view do you prefer
and why? Write down the thesis statement.
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46. Writing practice continue
Choose appropriate details, examples, reasons you have
listed in brainstorming step to support the thesis, write
down the outline of your writing.
Now, review your notes, you are ready to write your own
essay.
Based on the thesis statement, in 5 minutes write down the
introductory paragraph.
Next, you will have 15 minutes to write your body paragraphs
depend on your outline. Remember to conclude your topic
sentences.
At present, you nearly completed your essay, you will write
your conclusion paragraph in 5 min. Summary what you have
written before and … (make prediction, give comments…)
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47. Completing your essay
Read again your essay, and check the following
things:
Your grammar uses and vocabulary
Are your sentences fragmented?
Are your body and conclusion paragraphs support
for the thesis statement?
Do you give concrete examples and details to
support?
In all, is your essay unity and coherent?
Do any corrections if possible?
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48. Sample response:
There are a lot of different was for people to learn new things. People can learn
by reading, or they can learn by doing things. For some people, learning is
better either one way or the other. I prefer to learn by doing things because
when I do something myself it becomes more real than when I read about it.
I learned how to ride a bicycle and drive a car by experience. I rode a bicycle
when I was six years old. Because I could not read about it, I had to get on the
bicycle and use my feet and hands. I could also learn from my mistake when I
fell off my bicycle. Similarly, I learned to drive a car by doing it. Although I had to
study a driving manual and take a test on a computer, I could not learn driving
well until I practiced driving in a car.
Learning mathematics is another example of learning by doing things. When I
was in sixth grade, my teacher made me students measure our classroom. We
measured the length and width of the room. Therefore, we learned how to
calculate the area of our classroom or any other room. This experience made
mathematics become real for me.
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 48
49. Sample response continue
Finally, I learned how to use a computer by doing it. I tried to read the computer
manual, but this was difficult for me because the book was very complex. I
learned more when I sat at the keyboard and tried using several keys. Of
course, my teacher explained some things about the computer. However, I
could learn best when I experienced it.
It is true that I have to learn some things by reading, such as history and
literature. Reading gives me important knowledge. However, for most skills
that I need for my life, such as driving a car and using a computer, I must
experience using them in order to learn the skills well. Therefore, I prefer to
learn through action.
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 49
51. Homework:
Choose one of five topics to write an essay:
1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? All high school
students should be required to have three years of studying a foreign
language. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?
The automobile is destroying our quality of life.
Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
3. Some people like to be the leader of a group. Others like to be a
member of a group in which another person is the leader. Which do you
prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
4. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Employers should
be required to provide smoking areas for their employees who smoke
cigarettes. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
5. Some students prefer to study at a large university that has several
thousand students. Other students prefer studying at a small school that
has only a few hundred students. Which of these two types of schools do
you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 51
52. Part 5:
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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53. Appendix: Evaluating the essay
Your essay may be evaluated based on:
Organization
Thesis and support
Unity and coherence
Grammar and vocabulary
Description of Score Levels:
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55. Reference
Writing section - Delta's Key to the Next
Generation TOEFL® Test Advanced Skill
Practice for the iBT.
Writing section – Mastering for the TOEFL ®
iBT Advanced – Compact Test.
Writing section – The official guide to
TOEFL® iBT Test, Second Edition – ETS.
http://toeflessays.com
http://english-test.net
Training: How to write a good essay Slide 55
56. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
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Hinweis der Redaktion
1. Learn to control yourselfThe first advantage of essay writing is that it helps you cope with your own emotions and understand patterns of life. The difficulties you face while writing an essay harden you, help you understand that life is far from being easy and smooth and that sometimes you need to pluck up all your courage in order to overcome obstacles and become a winner in the battle named "life."2. A proven way to become organizedSecondly, writing essays is a proven way to become a self-disciplined person. You learn to decipher the major from the minor and accomplish the tasks according to the plan. Apart from that, you learn the basic principles of time management, so as to be able to accomplish the tasks you set for yourself at the right time. The skill of time management is vital to live effective life and keep things under control. Therefore, the deadline pressure should be of great help to attain the useful skills for the future. 3. The best way to develop your skills and abilities.The initial purpose of essay writing is to develop your skills and abilities. Writing an essay also helps developing creative, analytical, scientific and all sorts of thinking. You must have heard it from your teacher million times and thought it is a rubbish just to make you write an essay. But this time your teacher tells the truth.You see, writing an essay involves coming across a great deal of information that needs to be 1. contemplated, 2. understood, 3. analysed, 4. interpreted, and 5. evaluated. You also have to use the feedback, understand the relationships between evidence and concepts and come out with your own conclusion. Consequently, the process of writing an essay involves great will power, mind work and efforts on your part. Every single time you get down to writing an essay, you develop certain head muscles that are conductive to the development of creative, analytical, and scientific thinking. By the way, in your attempt to learn the subject by heart you come to understand the initial meaning of essays, for the verb Essayer, which is of French origin, means "to try" and an essai (also French) is an attempt. So, an essay is something you write trying to figure something out. Do your best to achieve the set purpose.4. The step to further educationWriting an essay at school is the first proven step to further education, for you develop writing skills, acquire the research thinking communication and skills that are necessary for good academic writing at college or university. And writing an essay at college will be a good basis for your professional career. Moreover, proficiency in writing essays is not only important to pass the test, it is an essential first-tool-basic for research paper writing for all levels of schooling, and a simplified mainstay basic in writing reports within the professional world. Bear in mind that mastering this form is a first step to success.Now it is clear why essay writing is a chosen vehicle for measuring a student's writing proficiency: it helps to develop basic writing and research skills, promotes the evolution of intellectual facilities, and develops personal skills you will need in the future.