#Reading Skill

Following the writer's

argument
To begin with, read the text (paragraph
below)
What is the main idea?
Boxing the paragraph
To begin with, read the text below; what is
the main idea?
• Mainstream education systems in most English-speaking countries are
broadly similar to each other. Education in general refers to a result and is
produced by instruction, training or study. It is also the process involved to
obtain this result. This essay will explain some of the common features of
typical systems in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States and
give a brief overview of the organisation of education in these countries.
However, it should be borne in mind that variations on these systems are not
just possible but common, due to the fact that in these countries, the
responsibility for organising many aspects of cation is at the state (USA and
Australia) or county (UK) level. Other English-speaking countries, such as
New Zealand, Canada and the Republic of Ireland, have similar systems, but
discussion of those is beyond the scope of this essay.
How do we follow the writer’s argument?

•Linguistic clues:
1) Use of connecting words (or
Connectors/Conjunction)
• Q: What is a connector FOR?
• A: It connects ideas
2)Focusing and evaluative adverbs
1. CONNECTORS/CONNECTION
• Thewlis (2000: 184) categorizes connectors into three:
• Coordinating conjunction: connecting two similar grammatical
structures, such as NP, PP or independent clauses. they are:
and, but, or, nor, yet; e.g.,
• Sentence connectors: showing the logical connection between
sentences. They are: accordingly, consequently, as a result,
therefore, eventually, etc.
• Subordinating conjunction: connecting a dependent clause or
a gerund phrase with the main clause. they are: because, as,
since, for, although, even though, besides, due to, in order to,
as a result of, etc.
Examples:
• Coordinating conjunction: connecting two similar grammatical structures, such as
NP, PP or independent clauses. they are: and, but, or, nor, yet; e.g.,
• Joko grew in Medan, but he now lives in Jakarta.
• The country may see two separate investments worth US$100 million in total from two Japanese
companies, Hino and Sanyo.
• He stole or hid the money.
• Sentence connectors: showing the logical connection between sentences. They
are: accordingly, however, consequently, as a result, therefore, eventually, etc;
e.g.,
• Joko grew in Medan. However, he now lives in Jakarta.
• Subordinating conjunction: connecting a dependent clause or a gerund phrase
with the main clause. they are: because, as, since, for, although, even though,
besides, due to, in order to, as a result of, etc.
• Although Joko grew in Medan, he now lives in Jakarta
CONNECTORS AND THEIR MEANING
Explicit VS Implicit Meanings
• The relationship between sentences may be
signaled with a sentence connector (e.g. For
instance)> EXPLICIT LOGICO-SEMANTICS
• Where it is not, the relationship is implicit and
you need to work out the connection > IMPLICIT
LOGICO-SEMANTICS
• See page 42 (the abstract)
Observe the abstract below:
Try this:
2. Focusing and evaluative adverbs
• What is an adverb?
• Meaning : how something happens
• Form : Adjective + -ly; slowly (He slowly opened the door)
• Many adverbs are used in academic texts to indicate the writer’s
attitude
• Focusing adverbs: specify or focus on event in some way
• Evaluative adverbs: indicate the writer’s opinion on a fact or event.

• See page 44 (section 2.1):

More on evaluative adverbs:
Distinguishing Adjectives from Adverbs
Reading technique: SCANNING and
SKIMMING
Reading technique: SCANNING
• Scanning means looking quickly through a text for specific
information .
• Scan the text on page 43 to find as many connectors as you can.
Next … skill
#Writing Skill
Writing a summary
Hewings and Thaine (2012)
Why summarising?
•Being able to produce summaries of what you have
read is an important skill used in writing many kinds
of academic text, including essays, research
proposals and research reports
•Summarising:
• helps you to focus on the main parts of a text
•allows you to check your understanding of what
you have read.
Summarising Strategies
• Reword a phrase
• Change clause to
adverb
• Use a synonym PARAPHRASING
• Change a verb form
For example:
What about this one?
Nominalisation (p. 16)
• Nominalisation:
• using a noun rather than a related adverb or adjective form
• Consequently, we talk about things or concepts (with nouns) rather
than actions, events and characteristics (with verbs and adjectives).
• For example:
• Before: … students also learn about the processes involved in how
advertising messages are created.
• After: … students also learn about the processes involved in the
creation of advertising messages.
• More on page 29, section 2.1. c.
In-text references (see Hewings & Thaine
2012, p.168)

①Integral
②Non-integral
Integral references
Non-integral references
More on In-text references
Cont.
Cont.
Try to summarise the text below
• “It might seem odd to describe the sharing economy as low tech, given its
dependence on the internet. But innovations such as eBay, Uber and Airbnb,
none of which were foreseen when the internet was launched, are actually
simple and non-technical concepts from an earlier era made possible by the
connectivity of the modern world. People with spare time can pick up people
who need car rides. People with spare rooms can rent them out to people who
need somewhere to stay on holiday. People with expertise can lend it to
people who need it. People with things to sell find people looking to buy
things. These activities were happening before the internet but are becoming
much more lucrative and widespread as the world goes online. Not many
people saw this coming, though it should have been obvious.”
Excerpt From: Matt Ridley. (2020). “How Innovation Works.” iBooks.