A well-written paragraph - Entry #8

In the following video Parts of a Paragraph - English Adacemic Writing Introduction. May 19, 2009 from the site:  "engVid - Free English Video Lessons"  it is discussed how to structure a written paragraph in English.





The parts of a paragraph are

• Topic Sentence 

     It should include an important topic & your opinion about it

• Body 

     Supporting arguments for your T.S.

     Order of importance or chronology

• Closing Sentence

     Remind the topic to the audiece & keep them 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 rejoined 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 ridigd 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.

Genre: Exploring Ideas in Literature - Entry #7

Exploring literature can help people think about the important questions in life, and there is a variety of genres of literature.

Fiction Stories about made-up events and characters. It should guarantee a thrilling plot, a vivid setting and compelling characters. They might have themes, too. • Short story = often focuses on a single event or invident • Novel = is longer and explores different events, srotylines and characters.  • Novella = longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. It has a limited number of characters.       Academic vocabulary Plot – conflict – character – setting – theme – narrator – point of view

Nonfiction Texts which describe real events, people and places. Informational nonfiction are those sources you consult for information.  • Autobiography/biography=the true story of a person's life. Written in first-person point of view (autobiography) or from third-person point of view (biography) • Essay = focuses on a single subject. It could be reflective, persuasive or descriptive. Might be written in formal style with an academic tone or informal style with a conversational tone. •Speech = oral presentation with the intention of sharing ideas, beliefs or proposals.  • News/feature articles = intent to inform or entertain, should be objective and fair.  • Functional documents = serve the purpose of inform a specific audience (manuals, workplace documents) Academic vocabulary Purpose – text features – argument - persuasion

Poetry Words are chosen and arranged to create certain sounds and meanings in order to produce specific effects. It should be ear-chatching and unforgettable. Poems are made up of lines arranged into groups called stanzas which may or may not follow a recognizable form.  • odes, sonnets, narrative poems, lyric poems, haikus. Academic vocabulary Form – line – stanza – speaker – rhyme – rhythm – sound – devices - imagery

Drama It is written to be performed on stage; characters and conflicts are developed through dialogue and action whereas stage directions are written in italics throughout the play. It should have all the elements of a good fiction but it is usually divided into scenes which are grouped into acts. • comedies, radio plays, historical dramas. Academic vocabulary Plot – character – act – scene – stage directions - dialogue

Media It is also included since it refers to forms of communication involving large numbers of people. Media messages influence people's beliefs and actions and that is why it is important to become media literate and know how to read all types of media messages.  • Feature films = motion pictures that use narrative elements to tell stories with the purpose of entertaining and making money • News media = Designed to inform and entertain viewers presented in many forms such as magazines, newspapers, television, the radio and the Web. • TV shows = programs broadcast on television which are sponsored by advertisers. They could be dramas, sitcoms, talk shows, documentaries and reality shows. • Advertising = is designed to persuade a target audience to but a product, use a service or agree with an idea. • Web sites = Present information through text, graphics, audio, video, animation and interactive features. Most web sites are not checked for credibility. Academic vocabulary Medium – message – purpose – target audience

Communication & miscommunication - Entry #5

    Miscommunication is something that might happen to every one of us, every day. This could lead to confusion, animosity and misunderstanding and happens because communication is a complex phenomenon. 

    For the transmission model, communication is a message that moves directly from one person to another. But this doesn't happen in real life, that is why, the transactional model believes that communication involves receiving feedback and creating meaning together. For this model, one person expresses his/her interpretation of a message and the other person hears his/her own interpretation of that message resulting in a shift in meanings and interpretations. 

    Those interpretations are based on some internal factors such as age, religion, gender, ethnicity, race, experience or background and also on external stimuli or noise. 

     In order to avoid miscommunication, there are some key points that people should bear in mind. 1- Differentiate passive hearing vs active listening. 2- Listen with your eyes, ears and gut. 3- Try to understand and be understood. 4- Be aware of your personal perceptual filters. 

Graphic organizer - What is Academic Writing? - Entry #6

According to this document about Graphic Organizers: The Use of Graphic Organizers to enhnace Thinking Skills in the Learning of Economics I have chosen the Chracteristics Map to make a summary of the arcticle "What Is Academic Writing?"