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.