Introduction 2

What role does the real estate property market play in the economy?

AThe real estate property market plays an essential role in the economic system of any country. On average, property accounts for 605 of national wealth (Walker & Flanagan, 1991). B Broadly speaking, the real estate market involves many industries, including construction, commerce, retail and services, thus acting as an economic focus point.

C This essay aims to show that even though the real estate market plays a similar role in different countries, it does in fact have a different impact on economies at different stages of maturity: for example, the different impact on developed and developing countries. DTwo countries are compared in order to identify these differences: the USA as a developed country, and China as a developing country. It gives some background to the real estate market: specifically property and capital. Secondly, it describes the role real estate plays in the economy, and finally it evaluates the key differences, showing that – in developing countries - the real estate market promotes the national economy through industry, and in developed countries this is done through the capital market.

Source: Edited extract from authentic student material.

Table 2: Features of introduction 2

Feature	Relevant section of text
introduction to topic
background information
Justification
outline of structure
definition of key terms
thesis statement	Not included
writer’s purpose

4. Analyze Introduction 3. Then write the line number for the part of the introduction that corresponds to the appropriate features in Table 3.

Introduction 3

The problem of overfishing in the great lakes of developing African countries and a review of current policy

Over the past few decades, overfishing has been identified as one of the main threats to the sustainability of aquatic ecosystems, although policies to regulate it are in place. The current policy implemented by developing African countries with great lakes, such as Zambia and Tanzania, addresses the conservation and sustainable use of fisheries’ resources. This is because the policy emphasizes resource conservation rather than alternatives that would remedy the situation. Hence, the policy needs to be reviewed in order to incorporate measures that would have a positive impact and reduce the depletion of resources that has caused an overfishing problem in lakes.

The term overfishing can be defined as the ‘exploitation of the resource beyond the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) as a result of over-intensive fishing as the stock biomass is decreasing’ (Travers et al., 2010). This implies that when a particular species is overfished, either for food or commercial purposes, there is a problem. This is experienced particularly when most of the fishing community in developing African countries depend on fishing as one of their main socio-economic activities and overfishing can lead to loss of employment, income and sources of food.

Fish numbers taken from lakes have undoubtedly increased at an alarming rate over the last 10-15 years, and this threatens the availability of some varieties. A policy with a precautionary approach would reduce the overfishing problems and improve the fishery resource stock. This essay will give an overview of the overfishing problem and explain how it happens. It will attempt to identify the people responsible for this problem, evaluate the current policy on overfishing and recommend how the problem can be reduced.

Source: Edited extract from authentic student material.

Table 3.

Feature	Relevant section of text
introduction to topic
background information
Justification
outline of structure
definition of key terms
thesis statement
writer’s purpose

5. Look at the introduction for your own project. Identify which features it contains and tick (٧) them in the “My project” column of the table.

Feature	My project	My partner’s project
introduction to topic
background information
Justification
outline of structure
definition of key terms
thesis statement
writer’s purpose

Task 2. The language of introductions

2.1 Look again at Introductions 1-5. Underline any expressions or phrases in these introductions that you think might be useful.

Examples:

Introduction 1: By examining the features of bank borrowing, this paper will show that….

Introduction 2: Broadly speaking, the real estate market involves many industries, including construction, commerce, retail and services, …

2.2 Think about how you might use some of these in your own academic writing and write some examples.

By examining the role of the Internet in marketing, this paper will show that …

Broadly speaking, marketing involves the four ‘Ps’: product, price, promotion and place.

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Task 3. Identifying the thesis statement

Thе thesis Statement should bе one of the key elements of уоur academic writing. Normally, it should bе included in the introductory part of уоur text and should indicate to уоur rеаdеrs уоur perspectives or attitude to the topic you аrе introduсing (stance). It may also indicate how уоur ideas аrе organized within the text. А well-expressed thesis statement will help to:

-provide а сlеаr focus

-direct the rеаdеr

Кеу points in а thesis statement

А strong thesis statement is specific and makes а point effectively.

Example: Obsessive and excessive еxеrсisе is а саusе of mеntаl and physical

рrobеms.

Note the following points.

-Тhеrе is one key idea.

- The cause аnd the effect аrе distilled in а single sentence.

- The rеаdеr gets а сlеаr idea of the content, the stance (or viewpoint) аnd the рrоbаblе organization of the text from this single sentence.

This suggests that а thesis statement is а condensed form of the writer's purpose.

3.1 Study the sentences below аnd identify the purpose of each. Label each one with the appropriate letter: В for bасkground information, E for explanation or T for thesis statement.

Onе sentence contains simple background information, one is аn explanation and the otheris а thesis statement.

1, The сосоа bеаn contains mаnу nutrients, frоm fat to vitamin С, as well as caffeine.

2, Although excessive amounts of caffeine саn bе damaging to health, rесеnt rеsеаrсh indicates that а limited amount саn bе beneficial.

3, It stimulates the brаin, aids concentration and may help to limit the effects of сеrtаin diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s

Discuss уоur answers with another student.

3. Read the introduction below and underline the thesis statement. Then answer the questions.

The оnly The only consistent thing about cities is that they аrе always changing. Classifying and understanding the processes of urban change present problems for geographers and others studying the city. Cities, sinсе their incерtiоn, have always grаduаl, piecemeal change through processes of accretion, addition or demolition. This type of сhаngе саn bе regarded as largely cosmetic and the underlying processes of urbаnisаtiоn аnd the overall structure of the city геmаin largely unaltered, Ноwеvеr, at сеrtаin periods fundamentally diffeгent processes of urbanisаtiоn have emerged. The result has bееn that the rate of urban change has ассеlerated and new, distinctly different, urbаn forms have developed. This occurred, fог example, with the urbanisation associated with industrialization in the UК in the nineteenth сеnturу. Source: H Source: Hall, т. (2001). Urbаn geography. London: Routledge.

1. How does this thesis statement help to direct the rеаdеr and possibly determine the organization of the text that follows?

2. What functions do other sentences in this introduction реrfоrm?

The role of the thesis statement in text organization

The thesis statement may also determine the organization of the text. Yоu саn use the following guidelines to аrrivе at your thesis statement,

- Тurn the title of the text into а question.

- Distil the answer into оnе оr two sentences.

-lf the title is already а question, simply write the answer.

- Ask yourself what уоur view points.

3.3 Write а short, four- or five-sentence introduction to а topic of your choice

(preferably related to your subject).

The introduction should contain а thesis statement,

4. Соmраrе your introduction with оnе your teacher will show you.

Unit summary

1. Look at the following titles and consider what ideas you would expect the writer to include in his/her essay?

1. Travelling alone in a foreign country is more beneficial than travelling in a group, because you have the opportunity to experience the new culture more fully.

2. Helping poorer countries to help themselves is more beneficial than giving them financial aid.

Possible ideas to include
Title 1	Title 2

2. From reading the following introduction, which areas would you expect the essay to cover? Make notes in the space provided.

This essay will examine the impact that tourism has had on local employment in the past 10 years, showing that although it has been beneficial particularly for agro-tourism, it has been detrimental to the food industry.

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3. Read the text below and then decide which is better paraphrase, (a) or (b)?

Ancient Egypt collapsed in about 2180 bc. Studies conducted of the mud from the River Nile showed that at this time the mountainous regions which feed the Nile suffered from a prolonged drought. This would have had a devastating effect on the ability of Egyptian society to feed itself.

1. The sudden ending of Egyptian civilization over 4,000 years ago was probably caused by changes in the weather in the region to the south. Without the regular river flooding there would not have been enough food.

2. Research into deposits of the Egyptian Nile indicate that a long dry period in the mountains at the river’s source may have led to a lack of water for irrigation around 2180 bc, which was when the collapse of Egyptian society began.

Self-work task

Analyse introduction of scientific papers in your field. Write the first two paragraphs of your research paper