#9 How to write an effective essay: The easy essay.

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#8 A well-written paragraph.

In “Parts of a Paragraph - English Academic Writing Introduction”, Mr. Alex provides us with a formula in order to write a well-structured paragraph in English. The main ideas are:

1º TOPIC SENTENCE (What are we writing about? What is our subject?)

• Conceive an interesting topic
• Say something relevant about the topic
• Do not make it overly detailed.
  
  

 2º BODY (Heart of the paragraph)

• Supporting arguments for the topic sentence
• Arguments ordered according to their importance or chronology.
  
  

3º TOPIC SENTENCE

• Restate the topic sentence
• Keep the audience thinking

 

Examples of topic sentences.

1- Many politicians deplore the passing of the old family-sized farm, but I'm not so sure. I saw around Velva a release from what was like slavery to the tyrannical soil, release from the ignorance that darkens the soul and from the loneliness that corrodes it. In this generation my Velva friends have re-joined the general American society that their pioneering fathers left behind when they first made the barren trek in the days of the wheat rush. As I sit here in Washington writing this, I can feel their nearness. (From Eric Sevareid, "Velva, North Dakota")

2- There are two broad theories concerning what triggers a human's inevitable decline to death. The first is the wear-and-tear hypothesis that suggests the body eventually succumbs to the environmental insults of life. The second is the notion that we have an internal clock which is genetically programmed to run down. Supporters of the wear-and-tear theory maintain that the very practice of breathing causes us to age because inhaled oxygen produces toxic by-products. Advocates of the internal clock theory believe that individual cells are told to stop dividing and thus eventually to die by, for example, hormones produced by the brain or by their own genes. (From Debra Blank, "The Eternal Quest" [edited]).

3- We commonly look on the discipline of war as vastly more rigid than any discipline necessary in time of peace, but this is an error. The strictest military discipline imaginable is still looser than that prevailing in the average assembly-line. The soldier, at worst, is still able to exercise the highest conceivable functions of freedom -- that is, he or she is permitted to steal and to kill. No discipline prevailing in peace gives him or her anything remotely resembling this. The soldier is, in war, in the position of a free adult; in peace he or she is almost always in the position of a child. In war all things are excused by success, even violations of discipline. In peace, speaking generally, success is inconceivable except as a function of discipline. (From H.L. Mencken, "Reflections on War" [edited]).

4- Although the interpretation of traffic signals may seem highly standardized, close observation reveals regional variations across this country, distinguishing the East Coast from Central Canada and the West as surely as dominant dialects or political inclinations. In Montreal, a flashing red traffic light instructs drivers to careen even more wildly through intersections heavily populated with pedestrians and oncoming vehicles. In startling contrast, an amber light in Calgary warns drivers to scream to a halt on the off chance that there might be a pedestrian within 500 meters who might consider crossing at some unspecified time within the current day. In my home town in New Brunswick, finally, traffic lights (along with painted lines and posted speed limits) do not apply to tractors, all-terrain vehicles, or pickup trucks, which together account for most vehicles on the road. In fact, were any observant Canadian dropped from an alien space vessel at an unspecified intersection anywhere in this vast land, he or she could almost certainly orient him-or-herself according to the surrounding traffic patterns

Retrieved from: http://arts.uottawa.ca/writingcentre/en/hypergrammar/writing-paragraphs/review-topic-sentences

#7 Exploring Ideas in Literature: Genres.

   Literature of all types can help people to see the world in new and exciting ways. For this reason, we have to take into consideration the diverse genres, or forms, of literature through which we explore new ideas:

  FICTION: refers to stories about made-up events and characters. All good fictions have a stirring plot, a vivid setting, and compelling characters. Fiction usually takes one of three forms:

• Short stories: focus on a single event or incident. For example: “The garden party” by Maeve Binchy.
• Novels: weave together many different events, storylines and characters. For examples: “A farewell to arms” by Ernest Hemingway.
• Novellas: are longer than a short story but shorter than a novel and there is a limited number of characters. For Example: “The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson.

* Key academic vocabulary in fiction: plot – conflict – characters – setting – theme – narrator

    POETRY: refers to a type of literature in which words are chosen and arranged in a precise way to achieve specific effects. Poems are made up of lines which are often arranged into groups called stanzas. The rhythm, the rhymes and the imagery chosen by the poet will affect the overall meaning and sound of the poem.

• Odes. For example: “An ode to happiness” by Naomi Burdett.
• Sonnets. For example: “On his blindness” by Milton.
• Narrative poems. For example: “The tunnel damnation” by James Bagley.
• Lyric poems. For example: “I felt a funeral in my brain” by Emily Dickinson.

* Key academic vocabulary in poetry: form – line – stanza – speaker – rhyme – rhythm – sound – devices – imagery.

    DRAMA: is any work that is written to be performed on stage. Drama is made up of a plot, characters, setting and theme. Characters and conflicts are developed through dialogue and action. A drama is usually divided into scenes grouped into acts.

• Comedies
•  Radio plays
• Historical dramas

* Key academic vocabulary in drama: plot – character – act – scene – stage directions – dialogues.

    NON-FICTION AND INFORMATION TEXTS: is writing that tells about real people, events and places.

• Autobiographies/ Biographies: are true stories of a person´s life.
• Essays: are short works that focuses on a single subject and can be reflective, persuasive, or descriptive.
• News articles: report on recent events.
• Speeches: are oral presentations of the ideas, beliefs or proposals.
• Feature articles: offer in depth coverage of human-interest topics.
• Functional documents: serve a practical purpose.

* Key academic vocabulary in non-fiction and information texts: purpose – text features – argument – persuasion.

    MEDIA: refers to forms of communication that influence your beliefs and actions. All the media messages have a specific purpose.

• TV shows: are usually created to entertain or inform.
• Advertising: is designed to persuade a target audience to buy a product, use a service or agree with an idea.
• Web sites: present information through text, graphics, audio video, animation, and interactive features.
• News media: are designed to entertain and inform viewers.
• Feature films: are created for entertainments and to make money.

* Key academic vocabulary in media: medium – message – purpose – target audience.

  

Strategies for reading literature:

• Ask the right questions to get the most from what you have read.
• Before reading, preview what you think the text will be about and have in clear the purpose for reading.
• During reading, pause occasionally to monitor understanding and make predictions.
• After reading, analyse the basic plot and explore key ideas.
• Make connections between the key ideas and your life.
• Record your thoughts, analysis and opinions as you read or share them with others.

Bibliography: Allen, J et.al. (2011). Literature. U.S.: McDougal Littell