Developing Your Writing Skills

Note-taking

Information from many sources such as encyclopedias, textbooks, television, radio and tapes, compact disks, as well as from lectures, talks and discussions, can be tabulated in a note-taking form for future reference. A good note-taker requires an ability to recognizes and extract the main points and to be able to set them down clearly using a minimum number of words while keeping the notes intelligible. Therefore, a strict discipline has to be kept and all inessential details ignored and superfluous words eliminated. The following important points are offered as a guide to a good note-taker.

1. Read or listen to each complete sentence;

2. After each group of sentences, often indicated by a speaker pausing, get down main points or facts;

3. Number and underline all main points;

4. Recognize and write down any relevant details under the main points;

5. Systematically arrange the points or facts in order of importance so that they can be read and understood easily.

6. Make a detailed plan of your own article. Think over the content of each point of the plan and using clustering, compose the most interesting sentences of your story. Edit the article. Submit it to your English tutor.

Study this illustration of note-taking:

Ever since October 1957, when the Russians sent up the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, to the orbit of the Earth, there has been an escalation of interests in space exploration. Only four months later the Americans launched their first satellite, Explorer I, and then the space race began. For many years the Russians and Americans were competing with each other and it has been only recently that they have agreed to co-operate on some space projects.

Notes taken:

1. Russians sent up first artificial satellite in 1957, October;

2. Americans launched first satellite 4 months later;

3. Space race began and went on for many years;

4. Just recently they’ve started co-operating

Now, using these notes, we can write some sentences and reproduce the content of the information:

Russians sent up their first artificial satellite in October1957and Americans could launch their first hand-made satellite only four months later. Since that time the space race began and lasted for many years. Just recently Americans and Russians have agreed to co-operate on some space projects.

Role game. Writing practice in past tenses.

1. Imagine that you are a colonist who needs to make a detailed report to the Royal Committee of Colonies about the progress and development of the Jamestown Colony. Decide on lists of difficulties and hardships that the colonists were facing during the first winter;

2. Make a list of food products and write a request to London for the Jamestown Colony supply.

3. Decide on advantages that the British Crown could have as the result of the colonization of the New World.

Russian Imperial Expansion and Maturation Brainstorming

Decide on giving an opinion backed up by facts.

1. What people populated Alaska at the time of Russian arrival?

2. Did Alaska belong to any powers at the time of Russian exploration?

3. What languages were spoken in Alaska at the time of Russian exploration?

4. What is the capital of Alaska? What was the capital of Alaska in the 18^th century?

5. What languages are spoken in Alaska now?

6. Who was Vitus Bering? Why was he exploring a number of new territories for Russia?