FLG 143: ACADEMIC WRITING

WORKBOOK EXERCISES

1.0 FEATURES OF ACADEMIC WRITING

1. Analyze the two passages below and discuss which passage used formal language and
which one used informal language. Also give examples of formal and informal language
used in the said passages.

Passage A Passage B

Two NSW detectives latched onto a nice
little earner in Manly where the Police
Integrity Commission heard the
enterprising pair managed to filch more
than $120,000 from drug dealers in just
two months (Sydney Morning Herald,
13/10/01, p50).
It was alleged at the Police Integrity
Commission that two Manly
detectives extorted more than
$120,000 from drug dealers over a
two month period.

____________________________________ _______________________________

_____________________________________ _______________________________

_____________________________________ _______________________________

_____________________________________ _______________________________

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 2. The following sentences are mixed formal and informal. Write F (formal) or I (informal) in
the brackets after each sentence.

a. The project will be completed next year. [ ]

b. I showed that his arguments didn’t hold water. [ ]
c. I wonder why he put up with those terrible conditions for so long. [ ]
d. Five more tests will be necessary before the experiment can
be concluded. [ ]
e. It is possible to consider the results from a different viewpoint. [ ]
f. It has been proved that the arguments so far are without foundation. [ ]
g. She’ll have to do another test before she can stop the experiment. [ ]
h. It is not clear why such terrible conditions were tolerated
for so long. [ ]
i. There are a number of reasons why a questionnaire should
be revised. [ ]
j. We’ll finish the job next year. [ ]

3. Rewrite the following statements by changing some parts to formal language.

a. To take a look at the problem of declining numbers of visitors to our country, we settle on
doing a really big survey.
b. We made a questionnaire and handed it out to 500 people.
c. We did this because as of now, we don’t have any hard data on why tourist numbers are on
the way out.
d. There’s not much information available either on what might bring them back to our place.
e. The return rate for the questionnaire was really bad at only 13% but this figure should
provide a firm enough basis for talking about why tourist numbers are going down.

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4. Change the following definite sentences to tentative sentences.
a. It also appears in the development of institutions.
b. The ideal of economic development is associated with different policy goals.
c. Greater clarity should be brought to the meaning of economic development.
d. It will take some time before the industry can truly rely on biofuels.
e. E-learning is an effective way of obtaining education.

5. Read the following advertisement and re-write it to make it more formal in terms of language
use.

If you end your sentences with lah, you’ll love this kopi
lah.

Introducing new NESCAFE menu Kopi O! It has the

same ‘kick’ and rich aroma of a classic Kopi O without
the need for a filter. Try lah. Sure good one.

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Rewritten version

____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

6. Rewrite the following sentences to make them simpler, shorter, and easier to understand.

a. The mechanical apparatus of this vending facility is temporarily dysfunctional.

b. The proprietor of this business establishment is at present elsewhere, enjoying a midday meal.
c. The store at which you have arrived is not conducting business today.
d. It is strictly forbidden that any visitor in this retail store lift or manipulate the items on display.
e. The surface of this wall is at present covered with a newly applied coloring matter not at the
desired stage of dryness.
f. When subjected to precipitation, the surface of this street becomes difficult to navigate.
g. Nearby is a person in work clothes attempting to get a job done.
h. Along this side of the street, motorists are not permitted to leave their vehicles in a stationary
position.
i. It is requested that any employee departing this store room ascertain that all illumination is
extinguished.
j. It is not judicious to evaluate the contents of a volume or the character of a human being by
outward appearances alone

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7. CLARITY AND BREVITY IN LANGUAGE USE
Rewrite the following sentences to make them simpler, shorter, and easier to understand.

a. The mechanical apparatus of this vending facility is temporarily dysfunctional.

b. The proprietor of this business establishment is at present elsewhere, enjoying a midday meal.
c. The store at which you have arrived is not conducting business today.
d. It is strictly forbidden that any visitor in this retail store lift or manipulate the items on display.
e. The surface of this wall is at present covered with a newly applied coloring matter not at the
desired stage of dryness.
f. When subjected to precipitation, the surface of this street becomes difficult to navigate.
g. Nearby is a person in work clothes attempting to get a job done.
h. Along this side of the street, motorists are not permitted to leave their vehicles in a stationary
position.
i. It is requested that any employee departing this store room ascertain that all illumination is
extinguished.
j. It is not judicious to evaluate the contents of a volume or the character of a human being by
outward appearances alone.

8. USING FORMAL LANGUAGE

Rewrite the following sentences to make the language more formal.

1. We can’t afford to just wait and see until planet earth has been destroyed ultimately by global
warming.
2. The company doesn’t maintain an efficient transaction system.
3. Most business negotiations take place in groups, however, and it’s best if you learn about these
problems now.
4. Use all the incidents you’ve chartered to develop an account of the company’s strengths and
weaknesses.
5. In Dec 2009, Caferoma’s share of the European quality ground coffee market has declined by
almost 25%.
6. City Plaza was recently bought by dynamic hotel group, Price Inc. who’ve allocated millions of
US dollars to make the hotel more competitive.

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7. In an accident, a bike helmet absorbs the shock and cushions the head. From “Bike Helmets:
Unused Lifesavers” Consumer Reports (Jan 1990)
8. After 15 years of experience with marketing and branding, I feel more confident in doing my
job.
9. 19 staff persons manage the system which handles over 30,000 packages a day.
10. The individual or group will be responsible for a 30- to 40-minute presentation of the case to
the class.
11. To register for the course, students must bring their IDs, their IC number, the registration form,
etc.
12. About 3 years ago, the company began to lose sales and market share, and in the last 2 years,
it has made a loss.

9. Read the two articles that follow and answer the questions:

ARTICLE 1

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE

International educational exchange has become a feature of education worldwide in the 21 st

century. “The most visible indicator of educational globalization is the increasingly diverse ethnic
and linguistic composition of the student population on Western university campuses” (Singh and
Doherty, 2004, p.9). This trend can be seen in the U.S., the U.K., New Zealand, and Australia where
international students have long predominated in some graduate fields such as engineering. In
Australia, recent figures (http://dest.gov.au.highered/statistics/students/06/ tables.htm.) show
over 20% of the university sector as made up of international students primarily from Asia.
According to Currie and Vidovich (2009):
Since 1990, the number of international students has doubled with the vast majority of the
2.5 million students in 2006 going to four countries: U.S. (22%), U.K. (12%), Germany (10%) and
France (10%) (p. 449).

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ARTICLE 2

Revamping a fast food menu can be difficult and expensive. Kit took Dunkin

Donuts 4 years to figure out how to make its doughnuts without transfat- which

doctors say is one of the unhealthiest types of fat- without altering the taste.

And efforts to curb unhealthy eating aren’t always fruitful. Most restaurants

won’t share specifics about how their salad and veggie omelets compete when

they’re up against burgers and crepes. But the healthy stuff appears to be only a

small proportion of revenue at most chains.

1. Identify the type of writing used in article 1 and article 2. Is it academic or non-academic
writing?
2. Give your reasons. Cite examples from each text to support your point.
3. Rewrite the article that used non-academic style to make it academic in terms of features.

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1.0 AVOIDING PLAGIARISM

1.1 EXERCISES ON PARAPHRASING

I. Circle the option which expresses the same meaning as the sentence in bold.

1. Politicians should remember that voters expect promises to be carried out.

a. It should be remembered that people look forward to politicians’ pledges.
b. Let politicians not forget that their supports expect them to keep their word.
c. Politicians know that the people want them to keep their promises.

2. Wait at least half an hour after a meal before exercising.

a. You should only exercise 30 minutes after eating.
b. Eat for 30 minutes after doing exercise.
c. Make sure meals are consumed half an hour after exercising.

3. The students were worried about passing the difficult examination.

a. Getting through the hard test bothered the students.
b. Not failing the hard examination was a constant concern for the students.
c. Obtaining a passing grade on the challenging assessment was what the students hoped
for.

4. The survey revealed that most of the respondents made little use of English.
a. A high percentage of the participants in the survey claimed to use much English.
b. There was little reduction in the usage of English among those who were surveyed.
c. The majority of the subjects in the survey did not use much English.

5. The judge gave the verdict without fear or favor.

a. The judgement was enforced equally and fairly.
b. The decision made by the judge was unbiased.
c. Just decision was handed out to the judge.

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II. Paraphrase the following sentences. Use the words in the brackets to help you.
1. The country’s meat industry was hardly able to meet local demand. (barely, domestic)
The nation’s ___________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

2. The traffic jam this year is considered minimal compared to previous years.
(congestion reduction)
In comparison _________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

3. “What can I do to get your attention?” (wonder)

I ____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

4. Some people are selling off their kidneys to pay their bills. (make ends meet)
To __________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

5. I am happy that I’m still working while a lot of people I started out with are no longer
working. (contemporaries, employed)
I am glad _____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

6. You may be expelled if you fail to observe the school’s strict rules. (result)
Failure _______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

7. Decisions about the expenses for the conference will be left to the chairman. (up)
It will ________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

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 8. His patients were completely surprised when the surgeon decided to resign from
government service.
The surgeon’s _______________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

III. On a separate piece of paper, write a paraphrase of each of the following passages. Try
not to look back at the original passage.

1. “The Antarctic is the vast source of cold on our planet, just as the sun is the source of our heat
and it exerts tremendous control on our climate”, [Jacques] Costeau told the camera. “The cold
ocean water around Antarctica flows north to mix with warmer water from the tropics and its
upswellings help to cool both the surface water and our atmosphere.” From “Captain
Cousteau” Audubon (May 1990) :17.
2. Of the more than 1000 bicycling deaths each year, three fourths are caused by head injuries.
Half of those killed are school-age children. One study concluded that wearing a bike helmet
can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent. In an accident, a bike helmet absorbs the shock
and cushions the head. From “Bike Helmets: Unused Lifesavers” Consumer Reports (May
1990): 348.
3. Matisse is the best painter ever at putting the viewer at the scene. He’s the most realistic of all
modern artists, if you admit the feel of the breeze as necessary to a landscape and the smell of
oranges as essential to a still life. “The Casbah Gate” depicts the well-known gateway Bab el
Aassa, which pierces the southern wall of the city near the sultan’s palace. With scrubby coats of
ivory, aqua, blue, and rose delicately fenced by the liveliest gray outline in art history, Matisse
gets the essence of a Tangier afternoon including the subtle presence of the guard who sits and
surveys those who pass through the gate. From Peter Plagens “Bright Lights” Newsweek (26
March 1990): 50.
4. While the Sears Tower is arguably the greatest achievement in skyscraper engineering so far, it
is unlikely that architects and engineers have abandoned the quest for the world’s tallest
building. The question is: Just how high can a building go? Structural engineer William
LeMessurier has designed a skyscraper nearly one-half mile high, twice as tall as the Sears

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 Tower. And architect Robert Sobel claims that existing technology could produce a 500-story
building. From Ron Bachman, “Reaching for the Sky” Dial (May 1990): 15.

1.2 EXERCISES ON SUMMARIZING

1. Read the following paragraphs and write a one-sentence to two-sentence summary on each
paragraph.

1. In our society, growing old is regarded as a calamity, largely though not entirely because of
economic insecurity which it involves. In a society like that of the native Australians, old age,
is on the contrary, a privilege. The government of an Australian tribe is really a
gerontocracy, with the authority vested in the old men. Status and privilege, as well as the
economic services of the rest of the tribe, are assured to individuals as they grow old. It is
obvious that the whole attitude of the individual to the future would be modified as a result.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

2. During a conversation, you may say, “Yes, that’s very interesting,” but our eyes move
around the room and you slump back in your chair-showing that you are not really
interested in what the speaker said. Sometimes, the actual words of conversation
contradict other forms of communication. Your tone of voice may say something quite
different from the words. Your words say, “I had a very nice time this evening,” your voice
says, ‘It was really very dull’, and your movements say, ‘I’m very eager to get out of here.’
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________

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3. He was born in 1642, premature and weak. His mother was already widowed and so
preoccupied with running the family farm that she could not pay attention to the boy. The
elementary education Newton received in local schools of a small English town could hardly
have given much of a start and in his youth Newton showed no promise.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

4. When an instructor walks into class the first day of the semester, she knows without
thinking what the students will expect of her and what she will expect of them. These things
are known even though they have not seen each other before. The students know that the
instructor will stand in front of class behind a lectern, that she will probably call roll, assign
reading, and dismiss them early the first day. The instructor knows that unless she is
teaching a required class, students will be shopping around. They will be trying to decide
whether to take this class, and their decision will be based on course content, the viewpoint
and personality of the instructor, the amount and type of work required, and how the
instructor grades.
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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 II. Read the following article and write a summary of about 120 words on making friends and
romance with online dating.

Trends of Making Friends and Romance with Online Dating

By Rebecca Walker

Online dating websites create the opportunity for people to meet potential partners and friends online.
Although many people go out specifically looking to find romance, the general trend is that most people
upload a profile to a social networking website and meet partners online in much the same way that you
would offline.
Online social networking sites are also great to meet potential partners because of the relative
anonymity that you can maintain from the outset. The same goes with meeting friends as well; you can
talk to them without having to share your telephone number, address, and other personal information
which is obviously necessary for a relationship offline. Therefore, choosing not to email them back or
even not to respond in the first place is perfectly acceptable etiquette and you will not have to worry
about any consequences that could prevail.
On the other hand, when you do meet someone that you like, the anonymity offered by the Internet is
potentially less favourable- you have no way to verify they are who they say they are. That is why when
you meet someone you met online for the first time, it is best to suggest a meeting in a busy place and
to consider suggesting that you both bring friends along with you. Not only will this be safer, it will also
be less uncomfortable since you will both have people there that you know.
Many people who are nervous offline find meeting people online much easier and that can be true of
meeting friends as well. Despite that, you should keep in mind that should you wish for your online
relationship to flourish offline, you need to remain true to who you are and the way of acting and
conducting yourself that you are comfortable with. Although you may be tempted to tell white lies in
order to entice the person to like you more, it is very important that you stay true to yourself.
When you go on a dating website at first, you may have problems trying to find people to talk with at
first since you have just started out. One great way to do this is to search the site to find people that you
think you have the potential to bond with. If your offline friends participate as well, you could start
talking with their friends and friends of their friends, and so on. Over time, you can be sure to meet
great new people from all around the world.

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com

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STRUCTURING AN ESSAY

2.0 WRITING THESIS STATEMENTS

1. Complete the following thesis statements by adding a third supporting point that will parallel the
two already provided.

1. Because I never took college preparatory courses in high school, I entered college deficient in

mathematics, study skills, and ______________________________.

2. A good salesperson needs to like people, to be aggressive, and

______________________________________.

3. Rather than blame myself for failing the course, I blamed the instructor, my adviser, and even

____________________________________________.

4. Anyone who buys an old house planning to fix it up should be prepared to put in a lot of time,

hard work, and _____________________________.

5. My mother, my best friend, and my ____________________________ are three people who are

very important in my life right now.

6. Getting married too young was a mistake because we hadn’t finished our education, we weren’t

ready for children, and _______________________________________.

7. Some restaurant patrons seem to leave their honesty, their cleanliness, and their

______________________________ at home.

8. During my first semester at college, I had to learn how to manage my time, my diet, and

_________________________________.

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2. Write a thesis for each group of supporting statements. This activity will give you practice in
writing an effective essay thesis- one that is neither too broad nor too narrow. It will also give you
practice in understanding the logical relationship between a thesis and its supporting details.

1. Thesis: ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

a. My first car was a rebellious-looking one which matched the way I felt and acted as a

teenager.

b. My next car reflected my more mature and practical adult self.

c. My latest car seems to tell me that I’m aging; it shows my growing concern with comfort and

safety.

2. Thesis: ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

a. All the course credits that are accumulated can be transferred to a four-year school.

b. Going to a two-year college can save a great deal of money in tuition and other fees.

c. If the college is nearby, there are also significant savings in everyday living expense.

3. Thesis: ________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

a. First, I tried simply avoiding the snacks aisle of the supermarket.

b. Then, I started limiting myself to only five units of any given snack.

c. Finally, in desperation, I began keeping the cellophane bags of snacks in a padlocked

cupboard.

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4. Thesis: ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
a. The holiday can be very frightening for little children.
b. Children can be struck by cars while wearing vision-obstructing masks and dark costumes.
c. There are always incidents involving deadly treats; fruits, cookies, and candies that contain
razor blades or even poison.

5. Thesis: ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
a. First of all, I was a typical “type A” personality: anxious, impatient, and hard-driving.
b. I also had a family history of relatives with heart trouble.
c. My unhealthy lifestyle, though, was probably the major factor.

2. Here is a list of ten (10) general subjects. Limit five of the subjects; then write thesis
statements about each of the limited subjects.

GENERAL SUBJECT LIMITED SUBJECT

1. Pets ________________________________
2. Teenagers ________________________________
3. Television ________________________________
4. Work ________________________________
5. College ________________________________
6. Doctors ________________________________
7. Vacations ________________________________
8. Cooking ________________________________
9. Money ________________________________
10. Shopping ________________________________

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Thesis statements for five of the limited subjects

a. ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

b. ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

c. ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

d. ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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 e. ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

3.0 PROVIDING SUPPORTS

1. Give three supports for each of the following topic sentences:

A. The dinner was a disaster.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

B. Albukhary International University provides supporting services for its students.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

C. Different people spend weekends in different ways.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

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 D. My classmate is my best friend.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

E. My country is a popular tourists’ destination.

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

ADDING DETAILS TO COMPLETE AN ESSAY

2. In the following essay, specific details are needed to back up the ideas in the supporting
paragraphs. Using the spaces provided, add three convincing details for each main idea.

Introduction
LIFE WITHOUT TELEVISION

When my family’s only television set went to the repair shop the other day,
my parents, my sisters, and I thought we would have a terrible week. How
could we get through the long evenings in such a quiet house? What would
it be like without all the shows to keep us company? We soon realized
though that living without television for a while was a stroke of good
fortune. It became easy for each of us to enjoy some activities alone, to
complete some postponed chores, and to spend rewarding time with each
other and friends.

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 First of all, with no television to compete for our time, we found plenty of
hours for personal interests.

First, we
First
______________________________________________________________
supporting
paragraph ______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________.

In addition, we

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________.

We also

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________.

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 Second, we did chores that had been hanging over our heads for too long. For

instance,

___________________________________________________________________
Second
___________________________________________________________________
supporting
___________________________________________________________________
paragraph
__________________________________________________________________.

We also had the chance to do

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________.

And each of us also did some

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________ that was long overdue.

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 Finally and probably most important, we spent time with each other. Instead

of just being in the same room together while we stared at a screen, we

actually
Third
_______________________________________________________________
supporting
_______________________________________________________________
paragraph
_______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________.

Moreover, for the first time in years, my family

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________.

And because we didn’t have to worry about missing this or that show, we

had some

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________.

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 Once our television set returned, we were not prepared to put it in the

storeroom. But we had a sense of how it can take over our lives if we are not

careful. We are now more selective. We turn on the set for our favorite
Conclusion
shows, certain sports events, and the news but we don’t leave it running all

night. As a result, we find we can enjoy television and still have time for

other activities and interests.

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4.0 USE OF TRANSITION DEVICES
1. In the spaces provided, add appropriate transitions to tie together the sentences and ideas in
the following essay. Draw from the words given in the boxes above the paragraph. Use each
word ONCE only.

On the contrary Then As a result After second

A __________________ category of people I would gladly do away with is the ones who talk in

movie theaters. These people are not content to sit back, relax, and enjoy the film they have

paid to see. __________________, they feel compelled to comment loudly on everything from

the hero’s hairstyle to the appropriateness of the background music. ____________________,

no one hears a word of any dialog except theirs. ___________________ they have been in the

theater for a while, their interest in the movie may fade. ________________, they will start

discussing other things, and the people around them will be treated to an instant replay of the

latest family scandal or soap opera episode. These stories may be entertaining, but they don’t

belong in a movie theater.

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 and, but, or, though

1. Disappointments are unwelcome _____________ regular visitor’s in everyone’s life. We can

feel depressed about them, ______________ we can try to escape from them. The best thing,
______________________ is to accept a disappointment; try to use it somehow; step over the
unwelcome visitor, ____________ then get on with life.

so though but and

2. Some people dream of starring roles, their names in lights, and their pictures on the cover of

People magazine. I’m not one of them, _______________. A famous person gives up private

life, feels pressured all the time, ____________ is never completely safe. ___________ let

someone else have that cover story. I’d rather lead an ordinary, __________ calm, life than a

stress-filled one.

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WRITING AN ESSAY OUTLINE
Choose ONE (1) of the topics suggested and write a well-organized outline.
 Spend five or ten minutes at the beginning generating ideas for the chosen topic.
 Spend another five minutes organizing your ideas.
 Spend the remaining time writing.
 Make sure your outline has
- a clear thesis statement
- the thesis statement has adequate supports
- the ideas are connected by transitions
- there is a concluding sentence

TOPICS: Studying overseas

Technology and society
Friendship

5.0 CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY

1. Decide which sentence in each item is a cause and which is an effect. Write C for cause or E for
effect next to each sentence.

1. ___________ There are fewer hours of daylight.

___________ In winter, the sun is lower in the sky.

2. ___________ Some breeds of dogs have a stronger desire to perform a service than other
breeds.
___________ They are more suitable as search-and-rescue animals.

3. ___________ Seals and other aquatic mammals can see when they are hunting for food in
the dark ocean depths at night.
___________ They have very large eyes.

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4. ___________Metals have many free-moving electrons.
___________ Metals are good conductors of heat.

5. ___________My company began offering employees flexible working hours.

___________Productivity has increased.
___________Absenteeism has declined.

6. ___________ Radiation could escape into the atmosphere.

___________The Chernobyl nuclear power plant had no confinement shell.

7. ___________Operators had disregarded safety rules.

___________The nuclear reactor at Chernobyl underwent a meltdown.

8. ___________During a phenomenon known as El Nino, a mass of warm water flows eastward

across the Pacific Ocean toward South America.
___________ The temperature of the water off the coast of peru rises as much as 10 0F.

9. ___________Weather around the world changes.

___________ During an El Nino, the jet stream blows in a different pattern.
10. ___________ In some areas of the world, heavy rains fall.
___________ Devastating floods and mudslides happen.

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2. In an outline form, provide brief causes or effects for at least four of the seven statements
below. Make sure that you have three separate and distinct items for each statement. Do not
provide two rewordings that say essentially the same thing. Also, indicate whether the items
you have listed are causes or effects.

Many youngsters are terrified of school.

Causes:

a. Afraid of not being liked by other students

b. Afraid of failing tests
c. Intimidated by teachers

1. Having more mothers in the workforce has changed the way many kids grow up.
2. Society would benefit if nonviolent criminals were punished in ways other than jail time.
3. It is easy to fall into an unhealthy diet in our society.
4. Growing up in my family has influenced my life in significant ways.
5. A bad or good teacher can have long-lasting impact on a student.
6. The average workweek should be no more than thirty hours.
7. My relationship with (name a relative or friend) has changed over time.

3. Choose one of the topics suggested and write a well-organized outline.

 Spend 5 or 10 minutes at the beginning organizing your ideas.
 Spend another 5 minutes checking your work.
 Spend the remaining time writing.
 Make sure that your outline has
- a clear thesis statement
- the thesis statement has adequate supports
- the ideas are connected by transitions
- there is a concluding sentence

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 TOPICS: Causes of stress

Effects of cell phones on society

Benefits of daily exercise

6.0 ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY EXERCISE

I. Which of the following statements are debatable and which are non-debatable? If the
statement is debatable, put a tick in the box next to the word “debatable”. If the statement is
non-debatable, put a tick in the gap next to the word “non-debatable”.

1. Computers and automation increase unemployment.

_________ debatable
_________ non-debatable

2. Smoking is harmful to people’s health.

_________ debatable
_________ non-debatable

3. Plants produce oxygen that the world needs to sustain life.

_________ debatable
_________ non-debatable

4. Australia has some of the most venomous snakes in the world.

_________ debatable
_________ non-debatable

5. A good education is necessary for a successful and happy life.

_________ debatable
_________ non-debatable

29
Directions: In each item, you will see a statement and then a question related to that statement.
Write two answers to each question. Your first will answer ‘yes’ to the question and briefly explain
why. The other will answer ‘no’ to the question and also state why. The first item is done for you as an
example.

1. Smoking has been proved to be bad for health. Should it therefore be made illegal?
“Yes”: Because smoking has been shown to have so many negative effects on health, the sale of
tobacco should be made illegal.
“No”: Although smoking has been linked to various health problems, adults should have the
right to make their own decision about whether or not to smoke. Smoking should not be made
illegal.

2. Animals feel pain when they are killed for food. Is eating animals therefore immoral?
“Yes” ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

“No” ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

30
3. Professional boxing often leads to serious injury. Should it be outlawed?
“Yes” ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

“No” ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

4. Many students are greatly distracted by computer games. Should cyber cafes be banned/
prohibited?
“Yes” ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

“No” ________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

31
II. Give two or three supporting arguments for each thesis statement.

1. Violence in video games, movies, and television programs should be censored.

a. ________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________
c. ________________________________________________________________

2. Despite the fact that education’s primary responsibility is to train minds, not bodies, I
believe that schools should require students to practice a sport at least one hour each day.
a. ________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________
c. ________________________________________________________________

3. Although some people think that curfew laws will help control teenage gangs, they are
wrong for several reasons.
a. ________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________
c. ________________________________________________________________

4. Doctors or family members should never be allowed to “pull the plug.”

a. ________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________
c. ________________________________________________________________

5. The advertising industry performs many public services.

a. ________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________
c. ________________________________________________________________

32
III. Writing Assignment
Write an essay outline in which you argue for or against any one of the comments below.
Support and defend your arguments by drawing on your reasoning ability and general
experience.

1. Junk food is available in school cafeterias and school vending machines, and the cafeteria
menus do not encourage the best of eating habits. But good education should include good
examples as well as classwork. Schools should practice what they preach about a healthy
diet and stop providing junk food.
2. Many of today’s young people are mainly concerned with prestigious careers, making
money, and owning things. It seems we no longer teach the benefits of spending time and
money to help the community, the country, or the world. Our country can strengthen these
human valuesb and improve the world by requiring young people to spend a year working
in some type of community service.

33
7.0 CITATIONS AND REFERENCING

1. APA: TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Directions: Circle the letter of the correct answer.

1. APA requires a title page.

a. True
b. False

2. In APA documentation, how should the following parenthetical reference appear?

a. (Barrett, 1991, p. 17)
b. (Barrett, p. 17, 1991)
c. (Barrett 17)
d. (Barrett p. 17)

3. In APA, how is the Reference list generally arranged?

a. Alphabetically, by the title of the work
b. Alphabetically, by author’s first name
c. Alphabetically, by author’s last name
d. By publication year

4. If you use one paragraph or quote from a book, you should cite the entire book (including page
number) in the Reference list.
a. True
b. False

5. When you access information online, your citation must always include the date when you
accessed the information.
a. True
b. False

34
6. When citing a journal article from an online database in APA style, which of the following
formats is correct?
a. Lucas, S. (2005). “A defense of the feminist-vegetarian connection.” Hypatia 20(1),
150-178. Retrieved March 31, 2005 from USM Cook Library.
b. Schneiderman, R.A. (1997). Librarians can make sense of the Net. San Antonio
Business Journal, 11, 58, 60.doi:1037/1037-6932.36.119.

7. When citing a book chapter entitled “The effect of television on small children” from the book
Television and juvenile psychological development, which of the following formats is correct?
a. Rubenstein, J.P. (1967). The effect of television violence on small children. In B.F. Kane (Ed.),
Television and juvenile psychological development (pp. 112-134). New York;
NY: American Psychological Society.
b. Kane, B. F. (Ed.). (1967). Television and juvenile psychological development.
New York: American Psychological Society.

8. Which of the following journal articles is documented correctly in APA style?

a. Poortman, Ann-Rigt. “How Work Affects Divorce: The Mediating Role of Financial and Time
Pressures.” Journal of Family Issues. 26.2(2005):168-180.
b. Poortman, Ann-Rigt. How work affects divorce: the mediating role of financial and time
pressures. Journal of Family Issues, v.26,no.2,February 2005, p.168-180.
c. Poortman, A. (2005). How work affects divorce: The mediating role of financial and time
pressures. Journal of Family Issues 26(2), 168-180.

35
2. REFERENCING EXERCISES

Is a reference needed?

Decide if a reference to a source is needed in the following situations.

Situation Yes No
1. When quoting directly from a published source.
2. When using statistics or other data that is freely available from a
publicly accessible website.
3. When summarizing the cause of undisputed past events and where
there is agreement by most commentators on cause and effect.
4. When paraphrasing a definition found on a website and when no
writer, editor, or author’s name is shown.
5. When summarizing or paraphrasing the ideas of a key commentator
or author, but taken from a secondary source, e.g. general reference
book.
Situation Yes No
6. When summarizing in a concluding paragraph of your assignment
what you discussed and referenced earlier in your text.
7. When including in your assignment photographs or graphics that are
freely available on the Internet and where no named photographer or
originator is shown.
8. When emphasizing an idea you have read that you feel makes an
important conclusion to the points made in your assignment.
9. When summarizing undisputed and commonplace facts about the
world.
10. When using aphorisms, such as “Pennywise, pound foolish.”

3. I didn’t reference the source because ……

Below are six statements that might be made by students for not referencing a particular
source in an assignment. They all start with “I didn’t reference the source because…”

36
 However, imagine you were a tutor what would you say in response to these statements? Six
likely tutor responses are shown. Match the likely response to the statement and write your
answer in the right hand column below.

Statements Response Number

a. I didn’t reference the source in the text of the assignment
because I put the source in the bibliography.
b. I didn’t reference the source because I found this theory on a
Wiki Internet site; anyone can contribute to these and no
particular author is named.
c. I didn’t reference the source because the statistics were taken
from a government website which is there for the whole world
to see and use.
d. I didn’t reference the source because it just gave me ideas to
use in my assignment; I changed most of words in the article to
my own.
e. I didn’t reference the source of the definition because it was
from a tutor handout; everyone in class was given a copy.
f. I didn’t reference the source because no author or writer’s
name was shown on the website.

Responses

Match each sentence shown above with the appropriate tutor response from the list below.

37
 1. If no named author or writer is shown, you should cite and reference the name of the
originator of the source which can be a name of an organization, or other source.
2. Readers need to match in-text citations with the full details of sources in a list of references.
This enables readers to find and use the source for themselves, if required.
3. The source of data like this must be fully referenced. Readers may for example want to
learn or examine the methodology for the research and data collection.
4. It is advisable, wherever possible, to use primary sources in an assignment rather than
secondary sources. A primary source would be the originator of the theory. Secondary
sources may not always be reliable. However, if you do use a secondary source, it needs to
be properly referenced.
5. Any source that has played a significant contribution to your assignment must be fully
referenced. By doing this, you acknowledge the part another person has played in the
development of your own ideas.
6. This came from work produced by someone else and not by you. It also contributes to the
reader’s understanding of terms you have used in your assignment and so needs to be
properly referenced.

4. In-text citation

Directions: Each sentence has an error regarding proper citation. Rewrite the sentence to make it
correct and write your answer on the blank provided.

38
 1. According to Smith (2011, p. 16) he states that the Internet is a useful research tool.
____________________________________________________________________
2. Smith (2011, p.16) he states that the Internet is a useful research tool.
____________________________________________________________________

3. Smith states that the Internet is a useful research tool. (p 16)

____________________________________________________________________
4. Smith (2011, p.16) says that the Internet is a useful research tool.
____________________________________________________________________
5. Smith (2011, p. 16) state that the Internet is a useful research tool.
____________________________________________________________________
6. Smith, A. (2011, p.16) states that the Internet is a useful research tool.

____________________________________________________________________

7. ‘The Internet is a useful research tool.’ Smith (2011, p. 16)

____________________________________________________________________

8. Smith (January 1, 2011, p. 16) claims that the Internet is a useful research tool.
____________________________________________________________________

(Adapted from http:www.elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL)

5. APA CITATIONS

Directions: Given below are made up pieces of information for illustrative purposes. Arrange the said
information to show the correct style for APA citations.

39
 1. Title page of journal article retrieved from PsycARTICLES

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1995, Vol. 68 (2), 127-137/doi: 10.1037/0022-
3514.68.1.127

Peripheral Ingroup Membership Status and Public Negativity Toward Outgroups

Jeffrey G. Noel Daniel L. Wann Nyla Branscombe

University of Virginia

A. Citation as it should appear in reference section

B. Citations as they should appear in the body of the text

1. First citation when given at the end of a sentence in parenthesis

2. First citation when given in actual text

3. Second citation in a later paragraph, given in parenthesis at the end of a sentence

40
4. Second citation within the same paragraph when given in actual text

5. Second citation in a later paragraph when given in actual text

6. Title page of journal article retrieved from http://www.apa.org/journals/apl/:\

Journal of applied Psychology, 1994, Vol. 79, No. 3, 260-271

Lost but not forgotten details: Repeated eyewitness recall leads to reminiscence but
not hyperamnesia

John W. Turtle & John C. Yuille

University of Idaho

A. Citations as it should appear in reference section

B. Citations as they should appear in the body of the text

41
 1. First citation when given at the end of a sentence in a parenthesis

2. First citation when given in actual text

3. Second citation in a later paragraph given in parenthesis at the end of a sentence

4. Second citation within the same paragraph when given in actual text

5. Second citation in later paragraph when given in actual text

__________________________________________________________________

Reference:

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological

Association (6th ed.). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.

7. WRITING THE REFERENCE SECTION

Rearrange the following sources of information so that the format will subscribe to the APA system.

42
  J.Q. Chen wrote an article entitled Multiple Intelligences in 2003 and it was published in
Encyclopedia of Education. The publication city is New York and the publisher is
Macmillan. The article is found on pages 1198-1201.

 M. Oware, in 2009, wrote an article entitled Contradictory messages in the song of

female rappers, 1992-2000. This article was published in Journal Of Black Studies,
Volume 39 (5), pages 786-802. This article was accessed through doi:
10.1177/0021934707302454

 J.H. Austin wrote a book entitled Zen and the brain: Toward an understanding of
meditation and consciousness. This book was published in 1998 by MIT Press in
Cambridge, Massachussetts

 In 2002, R.K. Hermann wrote an essay entitled Linking theory to evidence in

international relations and published this essay in a book entitled Handbook of
international relations edited by W. Carlsnaes, T. Risse, & B.A. Simmons (pp. 119-136).
This book was published in London, England by Sage.

 P. Wilkinson (2009) wrote a short article entitled Social network sites criticized on
bullying and published it in CNN. A student retrieved the said article on Ja nuary 23,
2010 from http://edition.cnn.com/2009/TECH/11/18/cyber.bullying/index.html

 W.A. Henry wrote in 1990man article entitled beyond the melting pot. It was published
in Time magazine, Volume 135 (40, pages 28-31.

 In 2009, M. Calarco and P. Atterton wrote a book entitled essential readings in

continental thought. This book was published by Continuum in New York, NY.

8. FINDING SOURCES

43
Imagine you are writing a short research paper related to global warming. Use the library and
electronic resources to locate at least two books and two journal articles that you would use for the
research paper. Use the tables below to note the information you need to write reference list.

Book 1 Book 2

Name of author (s)

Title of book

Year of publication

City of publication

Name of publisher

Journal article 1 Journal article 2

Name of author (s)

Title of article

Title of journal

Year of publication

Volume, issue, and pages

DOI number

URL of database

Retrieval date

44