WRITING SKILLS
W R I T I N G A C A D E M I C E S S A Y
Three main parts: Introduction, body and conclusion. I
INTRODUCTION *General statement *Thesis statement
II
BODY *Topic *T opic sentence s entence *Supporting details *Concluding sentence
III
Should have at least 3 paragraphs
CONCLUSION *Restatement or summary of the main points: final comment
General Statement: -to introduce the general topic of the essay essay.. -to capture reader’s interest. interest .
Thesis Statement: -to state main idea of the essay (specific topic) -to give a general idea of the contents of the essay -a statement that sets out the writer’s purpose in writing the essay -normally the last sentence in the introductory paragraph.
The body: -consists of one or more paragraphs.
The conclusion: -conclude sentence in a paragraph -summary/review of the main points discussed in the body body..
Example:
General Statement
Thesis Statement
When the first Europeans came to the North American continent, they encountered the completely new cultures of the Native American peoples of North America. Native Americans, who had highly developed cultures in many respects, must have been as curious about the strange European manners and customs as the European were curious about them. As always happened when two or more cultures come into contact, there was a cultural exchange. Native Americans adopted some of the Europeans’ ways, and the Europeans adopted some of their Europeans’ ways. As a result, Native Americans have made many valuable contributions to modern U.S. culture, particularly in the areas of language, art, food and government.
Characteristics Characteristic s of a good Thesis Statement
Most important important sentences in the essay essay..
Introduce the Introduce the topic topic of of the essay as well as express an opinion/ideas opinion/ideas..
The strongest and clearest statement in the essay.
Could be at the beginning of the essay – essay –normally normally at the last line of the introduction.
Must be a complete sentence .
Should contain only ONE central idea and several main points that can each be expanded into a paragraph.
Topic Sentences & Supporting Details
All
paragraphs have a topic sentence, supporting sentences and some paragraphs also have a concluding sentence.
Topic sentence
subject
-states main idea of the paragraph. (complete sentence)
verb
-limits to the topic to one specific area that can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. -usually written at the first sentence in a paragraph. (but not always) -contains both a topic and a controlling idea. For an example:
Controlling idea
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. Topic
Supporting sentences/details -develop the topic sentence -explain/give more information
For an example: Topic
Gold, a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, all, a gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion .
Supporting sentences
For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 25 centuries ago. Another important characteristic of characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. science . The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits.
Sample
Question: Having a good dress sense is important. What do you think? In not less than 350 words, support your answer with reasons, examples and justifications.
Outline
Introduction: We are usually judged by how we dress, so it is important for us to maintain an impressive appearance.
Thesis statement: A good dress sense helps us to express our identity, identity, improve our self esteem and adhere to certain dress codes.
Outline
Paragraph 1
Topic Sentence – Attire and appearance reflect who we are SD 1 – helps to give a good first impression of yourself SD 2 – how we dress shows whether we are neat, sloppy, organised etc SD 3 – people may treat you differently depending on your appearance
Outline
Paragraph 2
Topic Sentence – appropriate dressing gives you mental boost SD 1 – helps to make you feel good about yourself SD 2 – increases your confidence and subconsciously compels you to perform any task better SD 3 – your positive attitude may rub off on others
Outline
Paragraph 3
Topic Sentence – knowing how to dress enables us to determine the right attire for various situations SD 1 –dress according to social norms, eg. wearing light coloured clothes for funeral SD 2 – dress for success eg. having a good appearance in order to impress your job interviewers SD 3 – dress to reflect the nature of an event, eg. dressing casually for an informal event
Outline
Conclusion Our attire determines the social identity and roles we play on our play in our everyday lives. Hence, it is important that we have a good dress sense to convey a positive image.
TASK
Practice 1.docx
SAMPLE
MUET writing scheme.pdf
WRITING ASSIGNMENT ASSIGNMENT
Writing Outline assignment (2).docx
FURTHER PRACTICE 1.
Youngsters should decide on the course to pursue based on job opportunities. What do you think? Give your opinion and support it with reasons. You should write at least 350 words.
2.
Some people think that it is important to use one’s leisure time for self-improvement activities like reading while others believe that one should rest the mind during leisure time. What do you think? Write your answer, giving reasons to support support your opinion. You should write at least 350 words.
