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).