[教学]Writing tips

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[B]Step 1:Choosing The Topic:[/B]

If you have not been assigned a topic, then the whole world lies before you. Sometimes that seems to make the task of starting even more intimidating. Actually, this means that you are free to choose a topic of interest to you, which will often make your essay a stronger one.

[B]Define Your Purpose:[/B]

The first thing you must do is to think about the purpose of the essay you must write. Is your purpose to persuade people to believe as you do, to explain to people how to complete a particular task, to educate people about some person, place, thing or idea, or something else entirely? Whatever topic you choose must fit that purpose.

[B]Brainstorm Subjects of Interest:[/B]

Once you have determined the purpose of your essay, write down some subjects that interest you. No matter what the purpose of your essay is, an endless number of topics will be suitable.

If you have trouble thinking of subjects, start by looking around you. Is there anything in your surroundings that interests you? Think about your life. What occupies most of your time? That might make for a good topic. Don't evaluate the subjects yet; just write down anything that springs to mind.

[B]Evaluate Each Potential Topic:[/B]

If you can think of at least a few topics that would be appropriate, you must simply consider each one individually. Think about how you feel about that topic. If you must educate, be sure it is a subject about which you are particularly well informed. If you must persuade, be sure it is a subject about which you are at least moderately passionate. Of course, the most important factor in choosing a topic is the number of ideas you have about that topic.

Even if none of the subjects you thought of seem particularly appealing, try just choosing one to work with. It may turn out to be a better topic than you at first thought.

Before you are ready to move on in the essay-writing process, look one more time at the topic you have selected. Think about the type of paper you are expected to produce. Should it be a general overview, or a specific analysis of the topic? If it should be an overview, then you are probably ready to move to the next step. If it should be a specific analysis, make sure your topic is fairly specific. If it is too general, you must choose a narrower subtopic to discuss.

For example, the topic "KENYA" is a general one. If your objective is to write an overview, this topic is suitable. If your objective is to write a specific analysis, this topic is too general. You must narrow it to something like "Politics in Kenya" or "Kenya's Culture."

Once you have determined that your topic will be suitable, you can move on.

[B]Here are a few guidelines to help you through the process:[/B]

1. Pick a topic that you are interested in. You will express yourself with more clarity and insight if you are interested in the topic that you are writing about.

2. You should pick a topic based on the assigned texts that you understood. While writing your essay, the majority of your energy will be focused on explaining and supporting your individual perspective and thesis, so it is important that you understand and feel comfortable talking about the primary (and possibly secondary) material that will form the basis of your essay.

3. Select a topic that is challenging and thought provoking. You want to write about a topic that is interesting to you. Your essay should reflect your own individual and unique perspective on your chosen topic. It should not be a mere restatement of the already existing academic ideas on the topic. So, you should choose a topic that challenges you and allows you room to express yourself in relation to the primary source text, and the secondary sources (if they are applicable to your assignment).

4. Your topic should be specific enough that you can form an opinion about it, but general enough that you can find enough information to support your perspective and write a comprehensive and substantial essay.

Originate from: www.essayinfo.com
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[B]In narrowing down your topic, you should consider the following ideas:[/B]

1. Identify and define the main elements of the topic that you have chosen and look at the different ways that they can be applied to the primary material of your essay.

2. Pay attention to the length that the professor has assigned for the essay. The length can dictate the amount of information that you will be able to fit into your paper. The length will also dictate the number of body parts that you will be able to use to support your thesis. As a general rule, the shorter the essay, the more limited and precise the topic will be. The longer the essay, the more space you will have to explore your topic and its implications and complexity.

3. In narrowing down your topic, pay attention to the specific aspects of the topic that are addressed within the primary text(s) for your essay and within class discussion. This will give you an indication of the specific ways that you can write about your source material. Professors are usually looking for a specific topic that addresses one of the central ideas of the material that you are studying. Choose the specific aspect that you feel runs through as much of the text as possible. This will afford you a topic that can be developed through the course of the primary source(s) to present your reading audience with a clearer view of the text or the ideas that dominate the material.

4. If you have any doubts about how you can find a specific aspect to address within the assigned topics, or if you are unsure as to which aspect you should focus on, do not hesitate to contact your professor for guidance. Often, this can save you a great deal of wasted effort and can help to focus your attention on a specific avenue for researching your topic.

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[B]Introductory Paragraph[/B]

Introductory paragraph consists of general points or attention grabbing details leading to the main idea. For instance, there are several means that effective writers use to "hook" their readers: beginning with an amusing or interesting anecdote, beginning with a question, beginning with a quotation, and beginning with a startling or paradoxical statement. The main idea is often written at the end of this paragraph in a thesis statement, which may also contain three or more reasons (written very succinctly) for supporting this main idea. Each of these reasons should be elaborated on in the body paragraphs that follow. Note: A thesis statement does not always come at the end of the introductory paragraph--some essays have the very first sentence as the thesis statement.

[B]Body Paragraph #1[/B]
Body Paragraph #1 often begins with a transition word or words like "First" or "The first of these reasons" and gives examples and/or details relating to the first supporting reason.

[B]Body Paragraph #2[/B]
Body Paragraph #2 often begins with a transition word or words like "Next" or "Second" or "Another reason" or "The second of these reasons" and gives examples and/or details relating to the second supporting reason.

[B]Body Paragraph #3[/B]
This often begins with a transition word or words like "Finally" or "Last" or "The final reason" and gives examples and/or details relating to the third supporting reason (which is often the strongest of the three supporting reasons).

[B]Concluding Paragraph[/B]
This paragraph may begin with "In conclusion" or "To conclude" (although some markers find these somewhat mundane) or "Clearly" and often restates the thesis statement in different words. It may move from there to a general comment about life, or to a final important point, or to a suggestion about future action that may be needed. Some writers like to end with a relevant quotation, or end with a question, or end with a prediction or warning.

Another concluding technique is to end with some idea or detail from the beginning of the essay (thus bringing this idea full circle). Yet another means of concluding is to end with an allusion to a historical or mythological figure or event.

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Make sure that each sentence flows logically. The traditional way to do this when writing an essay is to use connecting words or phrases, often conjunctions (linking words) such as "although", "because", "so", "moreover", or "therefore". In this way, you build your logic and arguments. These connections come in simple and complex forms.

[B]Simple connections[/B]
also, although, and, as, because, but, despite, first, however, if, next, now, second, then, therefore, third, until

Although we sometimes need words to show the logic and connection between sentences and paragraphs, many connecting words make your style more complex and academic than necessary.

[B]Complex connections[/B]
accordingly, as you are aware, consequently, for this reason, furthermore, hence, in addition, inasmuch as, likewise, more specifically, moreover, nevertheless, nonetheless

Use the connections to make sure your reader can follow the flow of information, ideas and arguments within sentences, from sentence to sentence and between paragraphs. But don't let too many connections creep into your writing and keep to the simple ones recommended.

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Using active verbs is essential if you want to write with a direct authoritative style. Instead of using the impersonal passive verbs and third person viewpoint, you should write with strong, active verbs.

Almost every authority on writing encourages you to use active verbs. Here's some typical advice to authors publishing research papers for The American Society for Testing Materials.

"As most everyone has agreed for some time now, use the third person in a paper not only adds nothing to scientific objectivity, it renders the paper gutless and lifeless ... Scientists of the 19th century such as Darwin and Huxley wrote sensibly and clearly in the first person and turned out some very respectable prose. Let us begin anew ... use active verbs."

[B]Look at these examples:[/B]

[B]Passive:[/B]
An improvement in quality has been made leading to the decision being taken to raise the standard test so a higher mark means the same success rate being accepted. (29 words)

[B]Active:[/B]
As quality improved, the standard test rose, leading to a higher standard mark to gain the same acceptable success rate. (20 words)

Notice the passive example sounds academic but takes extra nine words to say the same information. It is no more objective than the alternative with active verbs. Although we naturally speak with active verbs, even when discussing academic subjects, the traditional academic writing style litters writing with unnecessary passive verbs. Any sentence can be either active or passive. It is your choice as the author.

Whatever the subject of the essay, you can write with active verbs to make your writing style more direct, clear and forceful. If there's one piece of advice on writing style you should follow, it's to use active verbs throughout your essays.