Class 5, hand in article, linking words

Today in class you handed in your first graded homework assignment, a “journalistic” article about an economic or political subject. This article was also typed and subject to certain formal criteria, such as double spacing, a certain sized margin and fonts.

Though these aspects are not as important as the content and treatment of the article, they add to its seriousness and also remind you that an article must be in a suitable form for the reader too (for a copy editor or for your instructor).

As usual, I redistributed your papers to your classmates so that they could have one last chance at helping you correct any vocabulary, grammar or structural errors you may have overlooked.

A discussion followed about the difficulties and ease of both writing these articles and correcting your classmates’ papers. The idea is to help you distance yourself from your own writing so that you can wear the “corrector’s cap” too.

Some issues of interest were the following:
- It was hard to choose a subject which was sufficiently interesting and dense. First, it was hard to condense your subject into 300 words. For others it was difficult not to be temped to copy from the source material (the article where you got the information to begin with). Remember, plagiarism is a serious offence, especially to Anglo-saxons (I am, in particular, pitiless).
- Fortunately, some found it easy to choose a subject because it was something that interested you already.
- It is difficult to know what words and expressions are formal or informal in register. Though this information is not necessarily in a dictionary (with the exception of slang), the more you read from the Economist, the Guardian or the New Yorker, for example, the more you will learn the formal style. Whereas, the more you read from the Sun or People magazine, even the Op-Eds from Time, Newsweek or the Village Voice, the more you will learn a more informal style. You will begin to recognize this with practice.
- How can you correct a sentence or paragraph when you don’t really know what the person is trying to say? True. You must make a guess as to what he/she was trying to say and then reformulate. This should also help you remember that your own argumentation must be clear on paper and not just in your head.
- You don’t feel confident enough correcting papers when your own English grammar and vocabulary are weak. You hesitate and are confronted with a feeling of inadequacy. You ask yourself, “Is this wrong or do I just not know this expression?” Again, the more you do, the more you will learn from these mistakes and these minor confrontations (some of which may even stimulate you to look in a dictionary or grammar book to verify!!! Wow, then my job would actually mean something!).

Words of advice:
- “BE EXPLICIT AND DIRECT.” Don’t assume that the audience knows all the background information and can skip the steps in logic.
- First think of being clear, then think of choosing the most beautiful and poetic way of expressing yourself. Remember, anglos are PRAGMATIC.

Then, in class, we looked at and classified several linking words and expressions. Here is a short list with their function. Both Conjunctions (linking parts of a sentence) and Adverbs (linking across sentences) are given.

TIME: After, before, when, as, as son as, until, since, once, finally, then, later, eventually, afterwards, in the end, meanwhile, beforehand, firstly, secondly, lastly
ADDITION: And, as well as, in addition to, besides, also, as well, too, in addition, furthermore, moreover, besides, what’s more
CONTRAST: But, although, while, whereas, even though/if, in spite of/despite, nevertheless, nonetheless, however, yet, even so, still, on the other hand
REASON & RESULT: Because, as, since, so, therefore, consequently, because of this, as a result, that’s why
PURPOSE: (in order) to, so that

CONDITION: If, unless, in case, so/as long as, provided that


Finally, you listened to a short recording of a woman speaking of her arranged marriage. You then were supposed to summarize it or write an article about arranged marriages.
This exercise, though we did not have the time to properly treat it, was designed to replicate you going to a seminar or conference in which the speaker gives a presentation, you take notes and then you are supposed to summarize in a report or an article. It required both listening and writing skills.

HOMEWORK:
There is no formal homework for you to do for the next class period. (Do I hear a huge sigh of relief?) However, keep writing EVERY DAY or at least five times a week in your journals. Try to challenge yourself now by using linking words or different registers in your writing. You may even try to write a summary of something you listen to on the radio or watch on TV or DVD. This journal is for you to improve but also to have fun with! Drawing or adding images, pressed flowers or even souvenirs is fine too.

Please remember to bring it in after the break so that I can take a look at what you do.

Class Four: Topic Sentences and group corrections

A paragraph should be like a lady's skirt: long enough to cover the essentials but short enough to keep it interesting. (English Proverb)

In our last class, we worked again at being astute critics and copy editors of each other's paragraphs. You were asked to correct grammar, vocabulary and phrasing of your partners' papers. In particular, you were supposed to look at:

- tenses. Past tenses are mostly used for relating events such as the Police notes.

- prepositions. Many of you need to remember which preps go with which verbs and nouns. (follow up on this with http://www.englishpage.com/prepositions/prepositions.html)

- logically organized material. Most police reports are, after the scene is set in the first sentence, chronological recounts of the night's events.

- adverbial expressions. These allow some of your opinion to be visible.

We still need much more work in this area because you are all too timid to ask yourselves and your classmates to be rigorous with their style and grammar. Please remember that you are HELPING them to be better, not criticising their intelligence.

ORGANIZING THE PARAGRAPH

Then, we looked at TOPIC SENTENCES, which are the focal point of each paragraph.
A typical paragraph should have 4-10 sentences and the TOPIC sentence is the one which tells you what the entire paragraph is about. All other sentences support this claim or give examples. Remember also, DON'T make a new line at each new sentence.

For the exercise we did in class as well as many other examples, please see: http://eolf.univ-fcomte.fr/index.php?page=constructing-the-paragraph
(please note that I gave you ONE false answer... sorry. It was about George's nose!)

Finally, we tried to (but ran out of time) organize Brainstormed notes about a topic into a coherent outline. Here are the steps to take:

1) Brainstorm any and all ideas you have on the topic (keep the topic relatively concise and precise)

2) Organize your ideas into headings which group your brainstorm ideas and put examples from your brainstorming into supporting arguments. Write TOPIC sentences which head each paragraph.

3) Then write your Introduction and Conclusion once you know where you are going and how you got there.


HOMEWORK: due on the 19th Oct 2009, for a grade.

Write an article for the press about an economic or political subject (approx 200-300 words, no more!). It should be formal, or relatively so depending on your public. You choose the subject, but not about Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize, please.

Give your article a headline, and sign your name.

Also say which newspaper or magazine (or target audience) you are writing for.

You must TYPE and print out the article to hand in. It should have 11 or 12 pt font, double spacing between lines and at least a 2cm margin on all sides. Use the spell check function of your word processing software (if I find spelling errors or typographical errors you will be severely sanctioned).

Use an English only dictionary to verify vocabulary.

With your typed article, also hand in all of your perhaps handwritten notes and scribbles which led to this article. Staple them together.

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Late papers will NOT be accepted after Tuesday 20th Oct, at 15:00 (if you put them under the door of my office, 568, I can get them).

Class Three: Comparing articles, group corrections

This week we looked in detail at three different articles about (relatively) the same subject but from different sources and with different target audiences.
(Image from http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/tabloid.htm)

Here are the three described in more detail.

Hooked on Nicotine

Teenagers, young people, people interested in science

“Like any other teen”, example of teen smoker for you to relate to. “Don’t ever start” Science examples

Science World http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/classmags/scienceworld.htm

Butt Out, Please

Adults, people interested in world politics, intellectuals

Cynicism (rules don’t apply to MPs), talk of torture and terrorists, Humour (the mother of all cigarette bans)

The Economist http://www.economist.com/

18 Certificate

Adults - parents, the “masses” or the working class

Informal/slang language, e.g. “Kids”, inflammatory language

The Sun http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/

Next, you worked in groups of three and read each other’s written homework and tried to correct the grammar mistakes and improve the texts overall. This meant examining the structure and making sure that vocabulary was precise and concise.

You should have been asking yourselves the following questions:

- “Does this sentence add something to the article? Does it move the reader forward? Or is this just empty text (blah blah)?”

- “Is this the most precise word or is this ambiguous and vague?”

- How can this text be improved?

There was some success in this group exercise, though most of you do not have practice being thorough and reading critically. More group correction work is necessary so that you understand the importance of truly analysing texts.

Remember, this is CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM and should only help you to improve. If you feel uninterested or embarrassed (either is possible) you are not taking the exercise seriously enough and are not helping your classmates.

HOMEWORK:

1) Keep writing every day in your journal.

2) Write a FACTUAL police-type report in about 100 words. Give all the specific details about the event such as the precise location, the people involved, the outcome (arrests or not, for example). Use a very neutral tone and give only the necessary information.

Here is an example from the Police Notes section of the North Seattle Herald-Outlook http://northseattleherald-outlook.com/ :

STABBING AT BUS STOP

A man was stabbed at a bus stop on Aug. 14 at 8:17 p.m. A witness said the man was sitting on a bench at the bus stop when a woman and two men, all of whom appeared to be in their late teens or early 20s, approached the man and asked for cigarettes. When the man said he didn't have any cigarettes, the woman slapped him. The men then grabbed the victim and threw him on the ground. They began punching him repeatedly. One of the men then pulled a pair of scissors from his sock and stabbed the victim in the lower back. The trio then fled.

3) Write a short commentary about a current event (political, social or economic) (approx 100-150 words). Include hints of your opinion and use several (3-4) of the adverbial expressions given below.

coincidentally, conveniently, curiously, fortunately, frankly, in retrospect, incredibly, ironically, luckily, mercifully, oddly, on reflection, predictably, remarkably, significantly, typically, unbelievably, unexpectedly, unfortunately.