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Filiere: English Studies

Semester 3
Module: 16
Composition
Instructor: Dr Rachid Agliz
Lecture 1
I- What is Academic writing?
Academic writing is the kind of writing used in high school and college classes.
Academic writing is different from creative writing, which is the kind of writing you
do when you write stories. It is also different from personal writing, which is the kind of
writing you do when you write letters or e-mails to your friends and family. Creative
writing and personal writing are informal, so you may use slang, abbreviations, and
incomplete sentences. However, academic writing is formal, so you should not use
slang or contractions. Also, you should take care to write complete sentences and to
organize them in a certain way.
Academic writing in English is probably different from academic writing in your
native language. The words and grammar and also the way of organizing ideas are
probably different from what you are used to. In fact, the English way of writing may
seem clumsy, repetitive, and even impolite to you. Just remember that it is neither
better nor worse than other ways; it is just different.

II-The Paragraph Structure

A paragraph has three parts: a topic sentence, several supporting sentences, and
a concluding sentence.
1- The topic sentence tells what topic the paragraph is going to discuss.
2- The supporting sentences give details about the topic.
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3- The concluding sentence summarizes the main points or restates the topic
sentence in different words.
A paragraph is like a sandwich. The topic sentence and concluding sentences are the
two pieces of "bread" enclosing the "meat"- the supporting sentences.

-The model paragraph that follows describes a typical wedding in Hawaii. The
people who live in the island state of Hawaii are from many different ethnic groups.
In Hawaii, Hawaiians, Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos, Portuguese, and haoles1 share
their customs freely with one another. As you read the model, notice the three parts
of the paragraph.

1The mix of cultures in Hawaii makes weddings there very special occasions.
2Certainly, Hawaiian clothing, music, and other Hawaiian customs play a big role.
3For example, the bride often wears a long white holoku (wedding dress), and
the groom wears a long-sleeved white shirt and pants with a red sash around
his waist. 4 Both the bride and the groom wear /eis.2 5The bride's lei is traditionally
made of white flowers such as pikake (jasmine), and the groom's is made of reen maile leaves.
6Another Hawaiian custom is the blowing of a conch sheiP
three times to begin the ceremony. 7Hawaiian music is played both during
the ceremony and during the /uau4 afterward. 80ther customs included in the
festivities depend on the ethnic backgrounds of the couple. 9For instance, there
may be noisy firecrackers, a Chinese way of keeping bad spirits away. 10There
may be a display of Japanese origami,5 or there may be a pandango, a Filipino
custom. 11 During a pandango, the wedding guests tape money together and
wrap it around the couple during their first dance together as husband and wife.
12 AII in all, a Hawaiian wedding is truly a magical, multicultural event.

-If we examine this model carefully, we notice that there are several supporting statements
and one topic sentence placed at the beginning of the paragraph and one concluding sentence
at the end. The paragraph is well organized in terms of unity and coherence.

- Questions on the Model

1 . Look at the title. What is the topic of the paragraph?
2. Look at the first sentence. What does it say about the topic?
3 . Now look at the last sentence. What idea from the first sentence is repeated
here?

The topic Sentence

The topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph. It has two parts: a
topic and a controlling idea. The topic names the subject of the paragraph. In our
model, the topic is Hawaiian weddings. The controlling idea tells what the paragraph
will say about the topic. It is called the controlling idea because it controls or limits
the topic to a very specific point or points. In our model, the controlling idea is that
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weddings in Hawaii are special because of the mix of cultures.

Position of the Topic Sentence

The topic sentence is usually the first sentence in a paragraph. Experienced writers sometimes
put topic sentences at the end, but the best place is usually right at the beginning. A topic
sentence at the beginning of a paragraph gives readers an idea of what they will read. This
helps them understand the paragraph more easily.
Not Too General, Not Too Specific A topic sentence is neither too general nor
too specific.
Examples: Marriage is an event in a person's life.
This is too general because there is no specific controlling idea. The reader has no
idea what the paragraph will say about marriage except that it happens.
The average age for people in the United States to marry in the year 2000
was 25 for a woman and 27 for a man.
This is much too specific. It gives details that should come later in the paragraph.
Good topic Sentences:
The average age for people in the United States to marry has changed in the last
past 100 years.
This is a good topic sentence because it gives the reader a hint that the paragraph
will discuss changes in the ages when people marry. A good topic sentence tells
something about the contents of the paragraph but none of the details.

Exercise1:

Read the following paragraphs. Then choose the best topic sentence for each
one from the list. Write that sentence on the line.

1.
---------------
· Trail climbing is the easiest.
Climbers just walk along trails to the top of a mountain. The trails are not
very steep, and the mountains are small. The second type, rock climbing,
takes place on steeper slopes and bigger mountains. Climbers generally
have to use special equipment such as climbing shoes, ropes, and metal
nails called pitons. The third type is ice climbing. Ice climbing takes place
only on very high mountains and requires a lot of special equipment.
Equipment used in ice climbing includes ice axes and crampons, which
are spikes attached to a c limber's boots for walking on ice and hard snow.
Indeed, the sport of mountain climbing can range from an easy uphill
walk to a difficult climb up a frozen waterfall.

a. Mountain climbing requires special skills and equipment.

b. The sport of mountain climbing is practiced worldwide.
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c. There are three main types of mountain climbing.

2.
_______________.For example,Kansas City,inthe
very center of the United States, is known for its beef, and Kansas City
barbecue is everyone's favorite way to enjoy it. In Boston, people love
baked beans. In the Southwest, chili, a stew made of meat, beans, tomatoes,
and hot peppers, is the regional dish. Wisconsin, a state with many dairy
farms, is famous for its cheese. Go to Maryland and Virginia for crab
cakes1 and to the Northeast for clam chowder2 and maple syrup.3 Indeed,
many U . S . cities and regions have a special food for everyone to enjoy.

a. There is a variety of food in the United States.

b. Food in the United States varies from sweet desserts to spicy stews.
c. Different regions of the United States have their own traditional foods.
d. Food in the United States is quite delicious.

3.
--------------·Before the2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean, water buffalo stampeded' in
Thailand, and dogs in Sri Lanka refused to go out for their regular walks. An unusual number
of pets ran away from their homes in the days before the 1 989 San Francisco
earthquake. Japanese researchers have analyzed fishermen's stories about
the abnormal behavior of fish in the days or hours before earthquakes in
that country. These are just a few examples of strange animal behavior
just before earthquakes occur.

a. Dogs, elephants, water buffalo, and fish can predict earthquakes.

b. Earthquake prediction is an important science.
c. Animals may be able to sense earthquakes before they happen

Exercise 2:

Work with a partner, with a small group, or by yourself. Read each paragraph
and determine the topic and the controlling idea. Then write an appropriate
topic sentence on the line.

1--------------·First of all, teachers must know

their subjects very well. At a minimum, they should take several college
courses and pass a written test in every subject that they teach. Also, they
should take refresher classes2 every few years to keep their knowledge
up-to-date. Third, teachers should take education classes in college to learn
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how to teach. Fourth, they should have spent at least one year practice teaching. Practice-
teaching is teaching real children in a real classroom
under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Only after a person has
met these requirements should he or she receive a teaching license.

2--------------·Even small towns in the United States have at least one pizzeria and one
Chinese restaurant. Every midsize town has at least one taqueria, where you can get a
delicious Mexican taco or burrito. French food has always been popular, and hot dogs and
hamburgers, German in origin, are found everywhere. More recently, Middle
Eastern shish kebab, Japanese sushi, and English fish and chips are
increasingly available in the United States.

3--------------·Some people skip breakfast because they think it will help them lose weight.
Another reason people give is that they simply don't like breakfast. For others, the reason is
cultural . People in some cultures consume only two meals each day instead of three, and
breakfast isn't traditionally one of them. The most common reason people
give is lack of time. They like to stay in bed until the last minute, and then
they have to rush to get to work or to school on time.

Supporting Sentences
-Equally important is that Supporting sentences explain the topic by giving more information
about it.
Supporting point sentences list the main points of the paragraph.
-Certainly, Hawaiian clothing, music, and other Hawaiian customs play
a big role.
-Other customs included in the festivities depend on the ethnic backgrounds
of the couple.
-Some people skip breakfast because they think it will help them lose weight.
-Third, they should have spent at least one year practice-teaching.

Concluding Sentences
A concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph and reminds the reader of the main
idea.

Exercise: Choose the best concluding sentence for this paragraph

Animals living in modern zoos enjoy several advantages over animals in the wild. The first
advantage is that zoo animals are separated from their natural predators.1 They are protected,
so they live without risk of being attacked. Another advantage is that someone feeds them
regularly, so they do not have to hunt for food. Also, they do not suffer times when food is
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hard to find. A third advantage of living in zoos is that veterinarians give animals regular
checkups, and sick animals get prompt medical attention.

1-In conclusion, because all their needs are taken care of, most zoo animals
are healthy and contented.
2. In conclusion, living in a zoo has many advantages for animals, but it also
has some disadvantages.
3. In conclusion, zoos keep animals safe from predators.