- •Planning a Text
- •1. In the case of essays written in exams, it is best to begin planning by analysing the title and then writing down any ideas that seem relevant.
- •2. Having assembled your ideas, it is then necessary to find a suitable framework for the essay.
- •3. Complete the plan for the title in (1) using ideas from (1).
- •4. Decide which of the three frameworks in (2) would be most suitable for the following titles.
- •5. Study the title below and the ideas collected for the essay. Add to the list if possible. Then choose a suitable framework and complete the plan below.
- •6. Choose one of the titles below and note at least six ideas that might be used in the essay. Then select a suitable framework and write a plan.
- •7. In the case of longer essays, written as coursework, planning will normally be a two-stage process:
- •Organising Paragraphs
- •1. Read the following paragraph.
- •2. A paragraph is a collection of sentences that deal with one subject.
- •3. Read and analyse the following paragraph.
- •Organising the Main Body
- •3. Shorter essays (in exams, for example) tend to have simpler structures:
- •4. Inside the main body, ideas need to be presented in the most logical fashion, linked together to form a coherent argument.
- •5. It is useful to mark the beginning of new paragraphs or the introduction of new subjects with special phrases.
- •6. Complete with suitable phrases the following extract from an essay on ‘British weather’.
- •Introductions
- •8. There is no such thing as a standard introduction, and much depends on the nature of the research and the length of the essay.
- •9. Prepare to write an introduction to an essay with the title ‘Higher education should be available to everyone – Discuss’ by answering the questions below.
- •10. Write the introduction (about 100 words), using your answers from (9) and the notes provided below.
- •11. Write an introduction to an essay on one of the following subjects, or choose a subject from your own discipline.
- •Conclusions
- •1. Not every academic essay has a conclusion.
- •2. Compare the following conclusions to two essays on ‘Public transport in a modern economy’. Complete the table to show the main differences between them.
- •3. The following may be found in conclusions. Decide on the most suitable order for them (a–e).
- •4. Below are notes for the main body of an essay. Read the notes and complete the conclusion, using your own ideas if necessary.
- •Implications –
- •5. Study the notes for the essay below and write a conclusion in about 100 words.
- •1. After finishing the first draft of an essay you should, if you have time, wait for a while and then re-read the essay, asking the following questions.
- •2. Read this short essay written by a Japanese student to the title ‘Compare the university system in your country with the British system’. Answer the questions above by making notes below.
- •3. A careful re-reading of the essay would suggest the following points.
- •4. Use the notes below to re-write the introductory paragraph.
- •5. Read this extract from the main body of an essay on ‘Education is the most important factor in national development – Discuss’. Study the notes below and then re-write the extract.
- •Proof-Reading
- •1. Before handing in any piece of written work for marking, it is important to check it carefully for errors that may distort your meaning or even make your work difficult to understand.
- •2. When proof-reading, it is a good idea to exchange texts with another student, since you may become over-familiar with your own work.
- •3. Proof-reading a longer text is more difficult.
4. Use the notes below to re-write the introductory paragraph.
university education important in both UK & Japan (over 30% 18-year-olds)
main points for comparison:
a) admissions
b) length of courses: 1st and higher degrees
c) teaching methods
d) assessment
e) financial support
essay will examine each point and analyse differences between countries
In both Britain and Japan, university education is undertaken by a significant number (about 30%) of all young people after leaving school. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5. Read this extract from the main body of an essay on ‘Education is the most important factor in national development – Discuss’. Study the notes below and then re-write the extract.
The need for education is crucial in any field. a) It is something that no one can deny. b) The development in technology has provided us with many devices and machines that facilitate our lives. Nowadays, factories produce more in less time and that helps the economies of countries. The different scientific discoveries have improved the quality of life as well. The development in the medical field is an example; vaccines and antibiotics have saved many lives. Take Japan, a country with few natural riches, where most of the land is mountains, but it is now one of the strongest countries economically. c) The natural poverty of Japan has, in fact, been overcome by education and it has become one of the most important countries in a short period of time.
a) This sentence repeats the idea in the first, but doesn’t add anything new.
b) Not clear how this section relates to the subject. No clear link is established between education and technology.
c) The case for linking Japanese development and education is not established – the claim is too strong. Other factors need to be considered.
Proof-Reading
The vital final part of the writing process, proof-reading can prevent confusion and misunderstanding of your work. Although most word-processing programmes check your spelling, they will not detect other common types of mistakes.
1. Before handing in any piece of written work for marking, it is important to check it carefully for errors that may distort your meaning or even make your work difficult to understand.
The following examples each contain one common type of error. Underline the error and match it to the list of error types in the box.
i) factual; ii) word ending; iii) punctuation; iv) tense; v) vocabulary; vi) spelling; vii) singular/plural; viii) style; ix) missing word; x) unnecessary word
a) The natural poorness of Japan has been overcome …
b) In 1980 in the United States there are 140,000 people who …
c) Actually, hardly any of these has succeeded …
d) … to choose the most suitable area in which they can success.
e) Chinese history reflects in real social and cultural changes.
f) The highest rate of imprisonment was regestred in the USA …
g) Malaria is on the increase in countries such as Africa …
h) I am very interested in German economy …
i) … the french system is quite different.
j) You don’t always know which method is best.