Is it an academic essay? Does it have any features of academic writing? If so, which ones? (see below)
Bring your answers to these questions to the next class.
Next week, we will discuss the answers to these questions, and write two timed essays.
Next week’s timed essays will be under test conditions: strict time limit, no dictionaries, no electronic or internet devices. Just pencil and paper and your awesome human brain!
Today’s class
Review of key features of academic writing (see also the annotated handout “Majority Rule Equals Tyranny”; download it here: Majority Rule Equals Tyranny_annotated
Introduce the topic (plus any necessary background information). If necessary, state your position about the topic.
Define your terms. E.g.
in an essay about the Electoral College, you will need to define what that is.
in an essay about the division of labour, you will need to define what you mean by that.
in an essay about homework or uniforms, you will need to define “homework” or “uniform”.
By the way, a definition does not have to be the dictionary definition. In an exam situation, you cannot use a dictionary obviously. You must make it clear what your understanding of the term is, that is all.
Use objective facts to support your essay.
“objective” means other people can check if they are true or not.
“facts” means names, dates, numbers, places.
Conclusion – summarize your arguments and, if you are trying to persuade the reader, give a final appeal.
bring it to the last class, next Friday, July 24th.
I shall not be returning to KPU until next semester, so if you are absent next week or you forget your essay, please email it to me by Sunday July 26th.
Today’s class
Look again at the first paragraph of the essay “Friends.com” in the textbook.
Where is the thesis statement?
What is the purpose of the last sentence in the first paragraph?
Look at your outline
Do you have a thesis statement that clearly states your position?
Do you have a clear “scope” sentence in the first paragraph that gives the reader a map of your essay?
Read a classmate’s outline and comment on it.
After showing your outline to the instructor, start writing your essay.
Don’t forget:
you need evidence for any claims you make in your essay.
You need a list of references if you quote outside sources to support your claims.
Take care, everyone. See you next week.
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We have 2 more classes this semester. To pass this course, you MUST attend the last class, January 23rd, and do the timed essay.
Homework
None. Next week will be the last class and you will write your third essay, a timed essay, under test conditions in class. Anyone absent on Jan. 23rd, and any student who has not written three final essays this semester must attend the makeup class on Friday Jan. 30th.
Today’s class
Textbook p. 152, Practice 16, proofreading.
Exchange timed essays with classmates and read.
Write a title for your essay. It should be not too broad (“Japan”, “Life”, “Sports”) and not too detailed (“A discussion of whether or not the drinking age in Japan should be lowered from 20 to 18”), but should tell the reader what to expect. E.g. “Drinking age in Japan should be lowered”. This tells the topic (drinking age in Japan) and the author’s opinion (should be lowered). The reader now knows this essay will be arguing for lowering the drinking age in Japan.
Most Western countries use the adversarial system in law. This concept is extended to the British parliamentary system, and most people believe it is a good way to learn the truth. Hence, freedom of speech is important because it is only by hearing different (including opposing) points of view that people can develop their own, accurate opinion.
Exchange your “for and against” arguments (last week’s homework) and read your classmates’.
Choose a topic from the list on page 154 “Your Turn” and write a 30-minute timed essay.
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Re-write your compare-contrast essay (essay #3), print it out and bring it to class next Friday.
Print out and email me any other essays you have not yet handed in. Next Friday is the last day for handing papers in.
Today’s class:
Individual feedback on your essay #3 (compare-contrast)
correcting sentences.
English prefers verb phrases to noun phrases. E.g.:
This would give you impressiveness.
This would impress you.
Students independence might grow.
Students might grow more independent.
You can start using twitter more easily than Facebook.
Twitter can be used more easily than Facebook.
The restaurants’ tastes are not so good.
The restaurants’ food does not taste so good.
Additives tend to do harm to your health.
Additives tend to harm your health.
You can sometimes see the sign to tell people to stay away from TV and take a rest their eyes at the beginning of amines and drama.
At the beginning of cartoons and dramas on television, you can sometimes see a warning telling people to not sit too close to their TV set and to rest their eyes regularly.
Furthermore, chewing well makes your brain developed
Chewing well develops your brain.
Eating too much phosphate may make calcium of your born melt.
Eating too much phosphate may melt the calcium of your bones.
English wants to have the subject of the sentence as close to the beginning of the sentence as possible; in first position, or, if not, in second.
However, between kyudo and archery there are many differences.
However, there are many differences between kyudo and archery.
In that to release an arrow from a bow it seems like archery.
It seems like archery in that it releases an arrow from a bow.
Until you sleep after getting up, you have to speak English.
You have to speak English from the time to get up until the time you go to sleep.
So I couldn’t speak English, I often couldn’t understand what was said.
I often couldn’t understand what was said because I couldn’t speak English.
You worried about living with host family I think it is natural.
(I think) It is natural that you worry about living with a host family.
When you put on glasses, you don’t take some time.
You don’t take any time when you put on glasses.
Which is better shopping at store or on the Internet?
Is shopping better at the store or on the Intenet?
When there was a medical emergency, in the countryside finding a doctor is very difficult.
Finding a doctor is very difficult when there is a medical emergency in the countryside (OR Finding a doctor in the countryside is very difficult when there is a medical emergency).
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Next week: we will write the final timed essay in class. This will be essay #3. All students must complete 3 essays to pass this course. Students absent on this day will automatically fail the course. We will also read each other’s timed essays and my selection of student essays #2, and do some final free writing.
Homework:
To those students whom it may concern:
finish writing the following essays (which were due a looong time ago, by the way) and bring them to the next (final) class. I will not accept essays after next Friday, Jan. 24th. I am not coming to KPU again after this date. Nor will I accept emailed essays after this date.
your timed essay
essay #1 (persuasive essay)
essay #2 (response essay)
bring to next class all your free writings for this semester
Today’s class:
Timed essay revision
p. 148 Practice 12
p. 149 practice 13
p. 149 Your Turn – edit your own timed essay, checking for irrelevant information and adding any important ideas.
p. 150 A – read, and do practice 14
p. 151 practice 15, and Your Turn – edit your essay for runons.
p. 152 Practice 16 – find the mistakes and make the corrections directly on your textbook.
p. 152 Your Turn – do the same for the 6 items listed on that page.
p. 152 practice 17 and Your Turn – add a title to your timed essay.
Hand in your completed and corrected time essay.
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website for Sheffner's sophomore Academic Writing class at Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan. Since 2012.
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