Argumentative Writing

Persuasive Essay

What is a persuasive/argument essay?

Persuasive writing, also known as the argument essay, utilizes logic and reason to show that one idea is more legitimate than another idea. It attempts to persuade a reader to adopt a certain point of view or to take a particular action. The argument must always use sound reasoning and solid evidence by stating facts, giving logical reasons, using examples, and quoting experts.

When planning a persuasive essay, follow these steps

1.    Choose your position. Which side of the issue or problem are you going to write about, and what solution will you offer? Know the purpose of your essay.

2.    Analyze your audience. Decide if your audience agrees with you, is neutral, or disagrees with your position.

3.    Research your topic. A persuasive essay must provide specific and convincing evidence. Often it is necessary to go beyond your own knowledge and experience. You might need to go to the library or interview people who are experts on your topic.

4.    Structure your essay. Figure out what evidence you will include and in what order you will present the evidence. Remember to consider your purpose, your audience, and you topic.

The following criteria are essential to produce an effective argument

·         Be well informed about your topic. To add to your knowledge of a topic, read thoroughly about it, using legitimate sources. Take notes.

·         Test your thesis. Your thesis, i.e., argument, must have two sides. It must be debatable. If you can write down a thesis statement directly opposing your own, you will ensure that your own argument is debatable.

·         Disprove the opposing argument. Understand the opposite viewpoint of your position and then counter it by providing contrasting evidence or by finding mistakes and inconsistencies in the logic of the opposing argument.

·         Support your position with evidence. Remember that your evidence must appeal to reason.

The following are different ways to support your argument:

Facts - A powerful means of convincing, facts can come from your reading, observation, or personal experience.

Note: Do not confuse facts with truths. A "truth" is an idea believed by many people, but it cannot be proven.

Statistics - These can provide excellent support. Be sure your statistics come from responsible sources. Always cite your sources.

Quotes - Direct quotes from leading experts that support your position are invaluable.

Examples - Examples enhance your meaning and make your ideas concrete. They are the proof.

Here are some ideas of popular persuasive essay topics:

·         Anorexia or model body

·         Encouraged abortions

·         School uniform

·         Drinking age

·         Free public transport

·         Smoking

·         Human cloning

·         Professional sport

These essay topic examples are debatable, it is important to choose the topic that is interesting for you.

 http://essayinfo.com/essays/persuasive_essay.php. Accessed on 6 April 2011

Descriptive Writing

A DESCRIPTIVE ESSAY

Author:

M. Doraiswami

A descriptive essay mirrors the mood of the writer and conjures images that breathe. It is often regarded as the most structured form of writing as it is associated with the ability to transfer emotions to the reader through the use of words. A good essay arouses the reader’s senses and impacts on his mind- evoking the correct response. The writer succeeds if he is able to capture the reader’s attention and retain it till the end. Although one can describe anything under the sun and palm it off as a descriptive essay, the description must relate to something of consequence, in the sense that it must be purposeful.

Anything insignificant would merely amount to a mundane exercise of writing for the sake of putting something down on paper. Writing must always be directed towards the reader and hence the writer must have a good reason for describing something or someone. An introduction or a backdrop provides the correct setting for the rest of the essay. A good descriptive essay should lure the reader and entice him to read without stopping. While details are important, the way they are presented is going to decide whether the readers opt in or out.

Visual skills, words relating to sound, smell and taste predominantly used tend to make the essay real.
Words relating to touch and inner emotions be it disgust or admiration, love or hatred convey to the reader the intensity and range of feeling. A wider spectrum encompassing all the senses has a tremendous impact. Nonchalant use of nouns in a general way waters down the feelings conveyed. Specificity is the order of the day. Active verbs help the reader to visualize the nature of emotions rather than indicating the characters or scenes in an inanimate and passive manner. Vivid use of words and verbs are effective.

The tone of the essay should be gradually built so that there is one strong dominant emotion. If the purpose of the essay is to cause concern or arouse fear, then the trend must be set in the introduction itself. It prepares the reader for stronger and worse emotions to follow. Sometimes it helps to list all the words associated with a particular emotion and then try to use as many as you can without being redundant. Just as the introduction coaxes the reader into entering a particular world, so too must the body of the essay ensure that he does not beat a hasty retreat.  In the conclusion, the reader must be drawn within the purview of emotions making him an integral part.

The descriptive essay can either be objective or subjective by nature. What is going to determine the outcome is the kind of emotion that needs to be evoked. An objective essay is precise and clinical in approach while a subjective essay has a personal touch. Whether it is one or the other, the body of the essay needs to be correctly segmented. While giving details, set the different aspects off in different paragraphs depending on its content. This way the essay reads well, has coherence and is meaningful. Care must be taken to have some sort of logical pattern with important details preceding minor ones, or broader details preceding specific ones. There are many ways to deal with the presentation, so choose the one that is most effective.

Descriptive writing is as easy as it is difficult. Easy because a strong vocabulary is the key to good description and difficult because lack of passion and a disability to use words in proper context can render a good essay pathetically ineffective. So gear yourself up and be prepared to use those gray cells optimally. 

 http://www.indianchild.com/writing/descriptive-essay.htm. Accessed on 6 April 2011 

Narrative Writing

Narrative Essay

As a mode of expository writing, the narrative approach, more than any other, offers writers a chance to think and write about themselves. We all have experiences lodged in our memories, which are worthy of sharing with readers. Yet sometimes they are so fused with other memories that a lot of the time spent in writing narrative is in the prewriting stage.

When you write a narrative essay, you are telling a story. Narrative essays are told from a defined point of view, often the author's, so there is feeling as well as specific and often sensory details provided to get the reader involved in the elements and sequence of the story. The verbs are vivid and precise. The narrative essay makes a point and that point is often defined in the opening sentence, but can also be found as the last sentence in the opening paragraph.

Since a narrative relies on personal experiences, it often is in the form of a story. When the writer uses this technique, he or she must be sure to include all the conventions of storytelling: plot, character, setting, climax, and ending. It is usually filled with details that are carefully selected to explain, support, or embellish the story. All of the details relate to the main point the writer is attempting to make.

To summarize, the narrative essay

·         is told from a particular point of view

·         makes and supports a point

·         is filled with precise detail

·         uses vivid verbs and modifiers

·         uses conflict and sequence as does any story

·         may use dialogue

The purpose of a narrative report is to describe something. Many students write narrative reports thinking that these are college essays or papers. While the information in these reports is basic to other forms of writing, narrative reports lack the "higher order thinking" that essays require. Thus narrative reports do not, as a rule, yield high grades for many college courses. A basic example of a narrative report is a "book report" that outlines a book; it includes the characters, their actions, possibly the plot, and, perhaps, some scenes. That is, it is a description of "what happens in the book." But this leaves out an awful lot.

What is left out is what the book or article is about -- the underlying concepts, assumptions, arguments, or point of view that the book or article expresses. A narrative report leaves aside a discussion that puts the events of the text into the context of what the text is about. Is the text about love? Life in the fast lane? Society? Wealth and power? Poverty? In other words, narrative reports often overlook the authors purpose or point of view expressed through the book or article.

Once an incident is chosen, the writer should keep three principles in mind.

1.    Remember to involve readers in the story. It is much more interesting to actually recreate an incident for readers than to simply tell about it.

2.    Find a generalization, which the story supports. This is the only way the writer's personal experience will take on meaning for readers. This generalization does not have to encompass humanity as a whole; it can concern the writer, men, women, or children of various ages and backgrounds.

3.    Remember that although the main component of a narrative is the story, details must be carefully selected to support, explain, and enhance the story.

Conventions of Narrative Essays

In writing your narrative essay, keep the following conventions in mind.

·         Narratives are generally written in the first person, that is, using I. However, third person (he, she, or it) can also be used.

·         Narratives rely on concrete, sensory details to convey their point. These details should create a unified, forceful effect, a dominant impression. More information on the use of specific details is available on another page.

·         Narratives, as stories, should include these story conventions: a plot, including setting and characters; a climax; and an ending.

Here are some popular essay topic examples for your narrative essay type:

·         First Day at College

·         The Moment of Success

·         A Memorable Journey

·         The Biggest Misunderstanding

·         The Difficult Decision

·         The Trip of Your Dreams

·         The Day You Decided to Change Your Life

The essay topic you choose should be interesting and important to you, because the best essays are written on the topics that really matter to the writer.

 http://essayinfo.com/essays/narrative_essay.php. Accessed on 6 April 2011 

Stay

ESTRELLA – STAY

Sound straight from the twilight
Has me up all night
I can't fall asleep 'cause I keep thinking of you
And I saw a shadow outside my window and it's you.

[Chorus]
All my sorrows flew away
Hush, keep quiet, hear me say
I don't ever want you to go
Please stay
With the moonlight dancing free
And there's no one but you and me
There's no reason to go astray
Please stay.

Making up a story
It's the way you're looking at me
If you think that this is funny, it's just you.
Find More lyrics at www.sweetslyrics.com

Try and think about it,
If you're heart is closed don't lock it,
Keep your keys back in your pocket,
Think this through.

[Chorus]

Please stay with me
Just stay with me
and I will take you to Foreverland
Just stay

More Than Words

MORE THAN WORDS

Saying ‘I Love you’ is not the words
I want to hear from you
It’s not that I want you
Not to say But if you only knew
How easy it would be to show me how you feel
More than words
Is all you have to do to make it real
Then you wouldn’t have to say
That you love me cause I’d already know
What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words to show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn’t make things new
Just by saying I love you
La la ri la la ri la ri la la la , more than words
la la ri la la ri la… uuuuuuuu uuuuuh…
Now that I’ve tried to
Talk to you and make you understand
All you have to do is
Close your eyes and just reach out your hands
And touch me hold me close
Don’t ever let me go
More than words
Is all I ever needed you to show
Then you wouldn’t have to say
That you love me cause I’d already know
What would you do if my heart was torn in two
More than words
To show you feel
That your love for me is real
What would you say if I took those words away
Then you couldn’t make things new
Just by saying I love you
More than words…

Study Smart

Sunday November 9, 2008

Study smart

Teacher Talk
By NITHYA SIDHHU

Good grades and goals can be achieved if one puts in enough time and effort.

MY students have been asking me how they can prepare themselves better for the coming public examinations. This being exam season, it is not surprising that tensions are running high and examination anxiety is at its peak.

Having studied and observed successful students at school, I can say this much. Free will can change anyone’s destiny. Discipline and hard work pay rich dividends. Desire and ambition can shape lives. Attention and focus shifts the axis. So, in order to do well, there are some simple things that a student can, and ought to, practise.

While I can offer you some guidelines, ultimately, it is the individual who decides which direction his life will take. With dedication and focus, even the impossible can be attained and dreams can be realised.

Pay attention

Here’s what a successful student does: He pays attention. Knowing when to pay heed is a crucial characteristic of the successful.

In class, when a teacher is teaching, the most basic thing a child must do is to listen. George Clooney, the famous actor is quoted to have said: “You never really learn much from hearing yourself talk.”

So, stop the chatting and stop the distracting self-absorption. Pay attention and make note of what is being said and taught by the teacher.

By lending his eyes and ears to the task at hand, a child can absorb a lot in class. In other words, do not defer learning. You would do better, if you learn as much as you can during the time a lesson is taught in class. Pick up the useful tips offered and remember them immediately.

Be disciplined and focused on what is important. So, set aside a daily time to review work and stick to it. This includes doing your homework and reading up.

Parents of successful children have usually ingrained this habit in their young ones from a very early age.

“No TV before school work” is a good adage to follow.

The child must learn to prioritise and understand his responsibility as a student. If there are academic tasks given, these must be accomplished first, before he accords himself any other privilege.

He optimises the use of his time. There are pockets of free time in every school day. A successful student does not fritter away this precious time.

He does as much as he can in whatever time he can find. In this way, he has more time to call his own. Weekends, in particular, are put to good use.

He thinks about what he is doing, plans his work and accomplishes daily goals. This is a form of self-motivation that weak students do not exhibit.

The successful student is always mindful of what needs to be done in a certain time frame and is conscious of the effort, resources and materials he will need in order to achieve set targets.

Make a list

A good thing to do is to write out a “To Do” list for every day, including the weekends.

Even our very own famous Chef Wan has said this before — “In order to be big, you have to think big. If you think small, you’re going to be small.”

A good student is not satisfied in doing just what the teacher has asked him to do. He goes beyond that, seeking a multitude of other exercises to sharpen his mind. He procures information not just from his textbook but also from other books, other teachers, TV, magazines, friends and newspapers. By varying his sources of knowledge, he learns more.

He practices the art of balance. His time is, therefore, divided into periods of work and relaxation. After an hour or two of concentrated work, this student will usually do something else to relax his mind.

He is aware that the mind needs rest, and he accomplishes this by engaging in some physical activity or a game.

Some students just sleep or listen to music. Or, take a ride on a bike. Essentially, their bodies and mind are not wound tight. They learn to handle stress.

A good student usually seeks out mentors and guides. Somehow, successful people realise that learning is best done when it is skillfully guided by those who are more knowledgeable or wise. Thus, they spend some time each day in the company of such people.

Unafraid to seek help, they make the most of the mental wealth and the wise ways of others who are superior to them.

In the Beijing Olympics, Mongolia got the chance to celebrate its first-ever Olympic gold medal — a win proffered by traditional wrestler Tuvshinbayar Naidan. He won the gold by beating Kazakhstan’s Askhat Zhitkeyev in the men’s 100-kg class.

When interviewed after his victory, Naidan said:“The first thing I thought of was my parents and my coach.”

See what I mean?

You need mentors to be successful. They are the ones who train, guide, nurture and mould you.

Remembering all this will help make you a successful student. Good luck and happy studying.

mond niel Talk: Ilmu itu luas.

mond niel Talk: Ilmu itu luas.: "Oleh sebab ilmu itu satu huraian yang luas maka seseorang itu harus membaca bagi mendapatkan ilmu. Bahkan akan menjadi pemudah cara baginya ..."

Ilmu itu luas.

Oleh sebab ilmu itu satu huraian yang luas maka seseorang itu harus membaca bagi mendapatkan ilmu. Bahkan akan menjadi pemudah cara baginya untuk menerangkan sesuatu konsep kepada penyoalan yang dikemukakan. Sekian.