Some tips for teaching essay writing

Kiseleva GalinaSchool#1Nickel

One easy way to write the introduction for an argument essay is to write THREE sentences:

two about the topicone thesis sentence

Situation IntroductionsWrite two sentences to describe the two sides of the present situation. The third sentence - the Thesis sentence - will describe what you are going do in your essay.

Who should take care of our old people?

Sentence 1 In my country, most old people live happily with their children.

Sentence 2 Increasingly however, many families cannot take care of their parents

Sentence 3 (Thesis)

This essay will describe some of the problems involved with taking care of old people, and discuss who should be responsible.

Does Aid to Poor Countries Work?

Sentence(s) 1For the last fifty years, poor countries have been receiving huge sums of money from rich donor countries.

Sentence 2 Some of this money has improved lives, while much of it has disappeared or made no difference.

Sentence 3 (Thesis)

In this essay, I will discuss some arguments for and against foreign aid.

Should dangerous sports be banned?

Sentence 1 Every year, thousands of people are injured or killed in sports such as boxing or motor-racing.

Sentence 2 Because of this, many people are opposed to such sports, and want them to be stopped or controlled.

Sentence 3 (Thesis)

This essay will look at some of the arguments for and against banning dangerous sports.

  

Introductions

In this kind you give two opposite opinions in the first two sentences. The third sentence says what you are going to do.

Does space exploration benefit mankind?

Sentence For

Space, for many people, really is the final frontier. They are excited by the exploration and potential of space.

Sentence Against

However, not everyone agrees that this money is well-spent. Many people feel that we should solve problems here on earth before beginning our journey to space

Sentence 3 (Thesis)

This essay will look at some of the arguments for and against space exploration.

(58 words)

Do Athletes Deserve Their High Salaries?

Sentence(s) 1

Everyday, we read about new record contracts and salaries earned by sportsmen and women. Some people do not agree with these huge payments

Sentence 2 Others believe that our sports heroes deserve every penny.

Sentence 3 (Thesis)

This essay will look at some of the arguments for and against the high salaries of athletes.

Finally, if you are having problem thinking about an introduction, leave some space and write it later - AFTER you write the body or conclusion.

An argumentative essay is built around a specific statement (or main premise) that is debatable within the field in which you are studying. In other words, at the centre of an argumentative essay is a statement with which your readers may disagree. Your essay will need to support that statement in a manner that convinces your readers of its truth.To begin this unit of work on argumentative essays we will learn the difference between debatable and non-debatable statements

Debatable and non-debatable statements

Debatable statements

 

Statements with which other people might or might not agree  

eg. Solar energy is the best way of meeting Australia's energy needs in the 21st century.

Statements with which no-one would normally disagree or argue. These are sometimes called "facts"

Non-debatable statements

eg. Coal and oil are the main sources of energy in Australia in the 20th century

Task 1

Which of the following statements are debatable and which are non-debatable?

Computers and automation increase unemployment

1 debatable

non-debatable

Smoking is harmful to people's health2 debatable

non-debatable

Plants produce oxygen that the world needs to sustain life3 debatable

non-debatable

Task 2

Now write a debatable and a non-debatable statement about each of the following topics:

1 Alcohol

2 Television

3 Public transport

4 The Australian education system

5 The Prime Minister

Debatable statements

Read the following statements, discuss them and try to reach an agreement.

1 The state - and not the children - should take care of the old.

yesno to some extent on the contrary 

because ... above all if ... although ... however ... 

2 People who marry for money deserve all they get.

3 Everybody is basically selfish.

4 Married people lead a happier life than those who aren't.

5 The more people get paid, the harder they work.

6 Beer is healthier than wine.

There are five main steps

How to Write an Argument Essay

Step 1: Read the essay

Read the question. Decide what kind of essay it is - opinion, compare/contrast, problem and solution, cause and effect, or a mixture. The type of question will decide the layout and your ideas.

Step 2: Underline

Underline key vocabulary in the question and write words with the same or related meaning. This will really save you a lot of time later on. It will also help to avoid repetition of words, and will show that you understand the question.

Step 3: Get Ideas

Decide if you are for or against the idea. Usually it is best to give both sides (for and against - one paragraph each) and then to give your opinion in the conclusion. However there are other ways of laying out your essay.

Step 4: Decide Layout

You should decide on a layout. The easiest is 3773. That means four paragraphs: introduction (3 sentences) one side (7 sentences), the other side (7 sentences) and the conclusion (3 sentences). This will give you 20 sentences. An average of about 12 words each, that is 240 words. Perfect!

Step 5: Write

After you have written your plan, write your essay. Check for fragments, run-ons and comma splices.

Keep writing until you can't continue!

Many students lose marks in writing because they don't develop ideas. They have good ideas, but don't write enough about each one

Take a paragraph like:

     Many people think that the Internet will replace books and newspapers because it is cheaper and quicker. As well as that, it is easier to use.

Bad! The writer put two ideas together - "cheaper" and "quicker." He or she didn't explain how the Internet is cheaper and quicker. And is the Internet really "easier to use"? The ideas are good , but the development is weak.

Let's develop the sentences

The Internet is cheaper than newspapers, because you can read many newspapers for free on their websites.

The Internet is quicker to bring news and information out. It can take years for a book to be published and reach the bookstore. The information is often out of date.

For me, the Internet is easier to use, because you can find information more quickly and easily than in a big library or in a big set of encyclopedias. You just use a search engine and the results come instantly.

Now all you need is a topic sentence.

Many people think that the Internet will replace books and newspapers because it is cheaper, quicker and easier to use.The Internet is cheaper than newspapers, because you can read many newspapers for free on their websites. The Internet is quicker to bring news and information out. It can take years for a book to be published and reach the bookstore. The information is often out of date. For me, the Internet is easier to use, because you can find information more quickly and easily than in a big library or in a big set of encyclopedias. You just use a search engine and the results come instantly. 

Finally, lets add some transition words and markers like "First", "Another point is that..," "Furthermore,.." etc. Let's also not repeat "The Internet" every time.

Many people think that the Internet will replace books and newspapers because it is cheaper, quicker and easier to use. First of all, the Internet is cheaper than newspapers, because you can read many newspapers for free on their websites. Secondly, it is also much quicker to bring news and information out. It can take years for a book to be published and reach the bookstore. The information is often out of date. Another important point is that the Internet is easier to use, because you can find information more quickly and easily than in a big library or in a big set of encyclopedias. You just use a search engine and the results come instantly. 

Give the other side's opinion, and then give YOUR opinion

Give the other side

Although many people feel that… It is claimed that… Some people feel that…Some people think that…

One sentence (While, although)

While it is true that… … I believe…Despite the fact that millions of people die every year from lung cancer, many people think it is cool to smoke.Although many people think that…., I feel thatAlthough it is often said that…, in fact the opposite is true

Two sentences

It is undoubtedly true that… …However…It is often argued that… However, it isSome people say that… They claim… However, I feel…Supporters of this viewpoint say that… However, it is

Fragments, Commas Splices, and Run-Ons

Fragments are incomplete sentences. They are missing a verb or a subject or both.

First, the lack of exercise. Furthermore, the huge development of the country, easy life and transportation. Although the number falling. Also the different kinds of entertainment such as videos and television. For example, fast food, sweet things and oily food.

How can you fix them?

Add a subject, or verb, or both. Try adding a phrase.

First, the lack of exercise has led to a big increase in the number of overweight people.

Furthermore, the huge development of the country, an easier life and luxury cars have meant that many people do not have to work hard.

Task 1 Fix the fragments

 Also the different kinds of entertainment such as videos and television. For example, fast food, sweet things and oily food.

possible variants

Different kinds media such as video and television can provide good family entertainment. For example, fast food, sweet things and oily food can all lead to obesity.

Comma Splices

Comma splices are sentences that should be separate, but are joined with a comma

Run-Ons

Run-Ons are sentences that should be separate, but are joined anyway

Task 1Decide if they are runs-on or comma splices

In the past people did not have cars they used to walk. (Run-On) Heart disease is a big problem it kills thousands of people (Run-On) Our modern life is very easy, jobs are easier than they were 50 years ago. (Comma Splice) The streets are full of fast food restaurants, people eat there very often. (Comma Splice)

Task 2Can you fix them?

Conclusion

The conclusion is the end of the essay. It is the last part of the essay and it is the part that the reader may remember most. It should be clear and avoid confusing the reader.

rephrase the questionsummarize the main ideasgive your opinion, if you haven't given it alreadylook to the future (say what will happen if the situation continues or changes)

e.g. Who are the better parents - men or women?I think this is not an either/or question. Both men and women have strengths and skills that are important for children's psychological growth. We need to ensure that both parents play an important role in the family in order to give children a good start in life.

e.g. Who learns quicker - adults or children?

Finally, I feel that we cannot generalize about children or adults being better learners. It depends on the situation and the motivation of the person, and the level of enthusiasm he or she has for learning.

Decide where are introductions or conclusions

• Every year, millions of animals undergo painful suffering or death as a result of scientific research into the effects of drugs, food additives, cosmetics and other chemical products. While most people think animal testing is necessary, others are upset by what they see as needless suffering. This essay looks at some of the positive and negative aspects of animal testing.

• We need to make sure that the millions of animals who are used for testing new products are treated with the minimum of suffering. Although some animal testing may be unavoidable at present, treating our fellow creatures as mercifully as possible will demonstrate our humanity.

n conclusion, our society would be healthier if more people took part in sports of all kinds. We should continue to try to prevent accidents and injuries. However, we should also ensure that sports are challenging, exciting, and, above all, fun.

• Today, many sports are becoming increasingly regulated. Boxing, rugby, soccer, and other games are being targeted by sports bodies and medical organizations in an effort to improve safety standards and to reduce injuries. However, for some people, this is not enough, and they would rather see some dangerous sports banned completely. In this essay, I will examine some arguments against banning dangerous sports.

Links

Writefix This site has a collection of material and links for students studying for the PET, IELTS, TOEFL, and strangely, the ICDL. There are also dictionary and search links.. http://www.writefix.com/

ManyThings.org This is another site from Charles Kelly, and some of the links above are available from here. Aimed directly at students. Like the name says, hundreds of things to do. http://www.manythings.org/

Bill Daly's Writing Argumentative Essays web gave me the idea for this site. With over half a million visitors, this excellent site is aimed at native English speakers who want to improve their essay writing. The layout is a little confusing, but it's worth working through.

You can find many other problem/solution essays at the Abu Dhabi Men's College websitehttp://www.admc.hct.ac.ae/hd1/english/probsoln/index.htm