3 OUMH1203 TOPIC 5 TACKLING ESSAYS

3 OUMH1203 TOPIC 5 TACKLING ESSAYS. 
1. Write and develop paragraphs;
2. Answer one-part and multi-part essay questions;
3. Explain the relevance of creative writing;
4. Write bibliographies correctly;
5. Check for plagiarism and screen information effectively; and
6. Interpret visual cues. 

INTRODUCTION
In the earlier topics, we introduced you to essays and essay genres, and explained how to plan for good essays. In this topic, you will be introduced to techniques that will help you handle essay writing better. You will see how a paragraph is developed and learn various techniques that can be used to develop paragraphs. Although the previous topics highlighted the many rules and structures found in different genres of essays, we would like to remind you that
creative writing has a role to play in academic writing too. Essay questions can sometimes comprise more than one part; hence you will need to identify multipart essay questions so that you can answer all the parts in your essay. You will also be taught to cite and acknowledge resources that you have borrowed so as not to commit plagiarism. This topic also gives useful pointers on how to screen
for information needed for your research. You will also be given opportunities to familiarise yourself with the language of charts and graphs. 

5.2 WRITING PARAGRAPHS
You were introduced to paragraph writing in Topic 3. In this section you will be shown in greater detail how a paragraph is formed.
A paragraph can be considered as a group of sentences that is self-contained and focuses on a particular idea or point to develop the topic. It is made up of a topic sentence, supporting sentence/s and a concluding sentence. In other words it is like a mini essay in itself.
The topic sentence is usually a general statement about the topic. Most of the time, it is the first sentence in the introductory paragraph. Next is the supporting sentence or sentences. As the name suggests, the supporting sentence supports the topic sentence. Sometimes, there can be a couple of supporting sentences.
They provide more information about the topic sentence. The concluding sentence summarises the whole idea for the paragraph. However, if the paragraph you are working on is the introductory paragraph of an essay, then the concluding sentence does more than just summarise the paragraph; it also gives you an idea of what is to come in the following paragraphs.

5.1 ACTIVITY 5.1
Do this activity in small groups:
Choose an essay topic, preferably one which is suitable for writing
a narrative essay. Write a first paragraph for the essay. To do this, follow the structure described earlier, i.e. come up with a topicsentence/s, supporting sentence and concluding sentence.

The steps below will guide you in writing the first paragraph:

(a) Begin with a topic sentence. After you have finished writing the
topic sentence, exchange it with the others in your group.
(b) Discuss and comment on each other s topic sentence.
(c) Select the best topic sentence and use this for your essay.
(d) Now, do the same for the supporting details and concluding
sentence.
(e) Put all the adopted sentences together in one paragraph. Now
you have the first paragraph for your essay. 

66  TOPIC 5 TACKLING ESSAYS
Another thing to remember is that when writing ideas in English, the main thought or most important point usually comes first. This is true, even at a sentence level. This is something useful to remember, especially when formulating topic sentences.

For example, if you want to tell someone what you did last night (that is, read a book):

You DON T say:
(a) The book I read last night was very good, OR
(b) I read a very good book last night.

You say:
(c) Last night, I read a very good book.

There is nothing grammatically wrong in sentence (a) or (b). But the order is wrong. Of the three sentences above, (c) is the only one which correctly expresses the importance of what you did last night.

In a nutshell, if your aim is to talk about what you did last night, then Last night, I â becomes the theme or the most important idea. Hence, it comes at the beginning of the topic sentence. The end of the sentence ñ very good book ñ is the other important idea in the sentence.

There are other ways to develop your topic sentence. You can do this by:
(a) Describing the Topic Sentence Further
 (Topic sentence) I received a beautiful red bicycle for my birthday. It has a small square rattan basket at the front and a blinking red tail light to make it visible to others at night.

(b) Providing Reasons
 (Topic sentence) This bank is better than that one. It gives a high interest rate on all your savings regardless of the amount you deposited.

(c) Defining and Giving Examples
 (Topic sentence) Technology has made it possible to put GPS on your
mobile phone. GPS or Global Positioning System is a navigation tool that uses satellite technology to pinpoint your location. For example, you can navigate from point A to point B simply by pressing a few buttons. 

 TOPIC 5 TACKLING ESSAYS  
You can also develop your topic sentence by showing cause and effect
relationships, listing down details, drawing analogies, and comparing and contrasting.

 TACKLING ESSAY QUESTIONS
Part of successful essay writing is to ensure that you write according to what the question wants. Read the question twice to be sure that you understand it correctly. Try to interpret the question by underlining key words found in the question. Some essay questions have more than one question in it. An example of a multi-part essay question is given below. CFC and a few other substances are responsible for ozone depletion. Explain what CFC is and how it depletes the ozone layer. Discuss ways to prevent this

harmful substance from further damaging the ozone layer.

There are three parts to the question above:
(a) Explain what CFC is;
(b) How it depletes the ozone layer; and
(c) Discuss ways to reduce its harmful effects. 

Once you understand the question, ask yourself if you know the subject matter. If your answer is YES, start writing down the facts. However, if your answer is NO, then start researching the topic and read more about it before you start writing.

It is always good to take another close look at all the key terms and try to determine what the essay genre is. Recognising the genre will help you come up with the appropriate essay outline.

It is usually sufficient to answer a straightforward essay question (a one-part question) using the classic five-paragraph essay. This type of essay, as the name suggests, comprises five paragraphs:
(a) Paragraph 1 ñ Introduction.
(b) Paragraph 2 ñ Body (point 1).
(c) Paragraph 3 ñ Body (point 2).
(d) Paragraph 4 ñ Body (point 3).
(e) Paragraph 5 ñ Conclusion.

However, this would not work with a multi-part essay. In the multi-part essay, each main paragraph (body) must answer part of the question. Transition words such as however, while, and, but and others are used to signal a change in direction in the essay so as to accommodate other parts of the answer. There is no specific outline for a multi-part essay question.

5.2  CREATIVE WRITING
In contrast to academic writing, creative writing does not have specific rules, forms or outlines that you need to follow. Creative writing can be fiction, poetry or non-fiction. Genres such as poetry, novels, short stories and even plays fall under creative writing.
Marksberry in her book, Foundation of Creativity, quoted Witty and LaBrant to define creativity as:
... a composition of any type of writing at any time primarily in the service of such needs as:
(a) The need for keeping records of significant experience;
(b) The need for sharing experience with an interested group; and
(c) The need for free individual expression which contributes to mental and physical health. 

So why is creative writing mentioned here? While this module does not attempt to teach creative writing per se, it does try to encourage you to be a little more creative in your academic writing. Being in touch with your creative side will enable you to express yourself better, with more precise words and original sentences. It will also help you to find your own style, voice and tone within all
the rules, forms and outlines of academic writing. But to be able to do this, you need to read extensively into creative writing genres. Reading will help build up your vocabulary, exposing you to fresh approaches to writing sentences and enlightening you with how others string their ideas together. After all this reading, you will be better able to express yourself using your own words, and move away from clich's and idiomatic expressions. When you are able to do this, you will find that your essay sounds more original, your letter creates more impact and your resume just may land you that job you are aiming for.

5.3  BIBLIOGRAPHIES AND PLAGIARISM
In this section, we will discuss the following:
(a) Bibliographies; and
(b) Plagiarism. 

5.4.1 Bibliographies.
According to WordNet of Princeton University, bibliography is a list of writings with time and place of publication (such as the writings of a single author or the works referred to) in preparing a document etc. So when you do research and borrow ideas from books, magazines, newspapers, websites, journals, films and others, you must give credit to the source where your idea came from and include a list of bibliographies in your report in order to avoid accusations of
plagiarism. 

We will discuss plagiarism later. There are two popular ways of writing bibliographies, namely, MLA and APA. The MLA documentation style is recommended by the Modern Language Association and is widely used in fields like humanities, history, literature, rhetoric and communication. The APA documentation style, on the other hand, is recommended by the American Psychological Association and is widely used in social sciences.

Both citation styles include In-text Citations and Works Cited Page. In-text Citation simply means documenting your sources within your paper for immediate view, while Works Cited Page means the last page of your paper that lists all the sources you cited.

5.4 ACTIVITY 5.2 
Read the sub-topic on Creative Writing again, either on your own or in a group. Reflect and discuss in what way this sub-topic is written a little differently from the rest. 


The following describes how you could make in-text citations and bibliography entries based on the MLA style:

In-text Citations 

Citations should be placed directly after a quotation from another source, or a reference to intellectual property owned by others.

Books, Magazines, Newpapers, Journals:

1 author: (Last name, Page)
2 authors: (Last name and Last name, Page)
3 authors: (Last name, Last name and Last name, Page)
4+ authors: (Last name et al)

Encyclopedia any authors: (Encyclopedia Name)

Bibliography Entries:
At the end of your paper, you should include a page with a listing of all the sources you have used and referenced in your work.

Book: Last name, First name. Title. City: Publisher, Year.

Magazine: Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Magazine Date published: page numbers.

Newspaper: Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Newspaper [City] Date Published, Edition, Section: page numbers.

Website: Last name, First name. "Title of Page." Title of Site. Editor. Date and/or version no. Date of access <URL>.

Journal: Last name, First name. "Title of Article." Title of Journal Volume number. Issue number (Year): page numbers.

Figure 5.1: Citation according to MLA style Source: (www.bibme.com) 


The APA style of making in-text citations and bibliography entries is a little different:

In-text Citations
Citations should be placed directly after any quotation from another source, or a reference to intellectual property owned by others.
All Sources:

1 author: (Last name, Year)
2 authors: (Last name and Last name, Year)
3 authors: (Last name, Last name and Last name, Year)
4+ authors: (Last name et al., Year)

Magazine or Newspaper:
No authors: (ÑArticle titleâ, Year)

Note: for direct quotes add page numbers: (Last name, year, p. #)
Bibliography Entries:

At the end of your paper, you should also include a page with a listing of all the sources you used and referenced in your work.

Book: Last name, F. (Year). Title. City: Publisher.

Magazine: Last name, F. (Date published). Title of Article. Title of Magazine, Volume, page numbers.

Newspaper: Last name, F. (Date published). Title of Article. Title of Newspaper, volume, page numbers.

Website: Last name, F. (Date published). Title of Website/Article. Retrieved Date, from URL.

Journal: Last name, F. (Year). Title of Article. Title of Journal, volume(issue), page numbers. 

Figure 5.2: Citation according to APA style
Source: (www.bibme.com) 


While it is good to know how to write your citation manually, in this electronic age there are plenty of websites that can help you build your citation automatically just by entering the IBSN number or title of a book, URL etc.

One of the websites you can visit is www.bibme.com. Another one is
www.easybib.com. You can browse the Internet to find one that suits you.

Samples of bibliographies can be seen at the end of every topic in this module.

5.4.2 Plagiarism.
Plagiarising is considered a serious crime since it is actually stealing someone else's ideas or words and claiming them to be your own. A definition of "plagiarism" taken from www.plagiarism.org quoted the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary; to "plagiarise" means:
(a) To steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own.
(b) To use (another s production) without crediting the source.
(c) To commit literary theft.
(d) To present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source.

This same website www.plagiarism.org goes on to explain what is meant by plagiarism:
(a) Turning in someone else's work as your own;
(b) Copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit;
(c) Failing to put a quotation in quotation marks;
(d) Giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation;
(e) Changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit; and
(f) Copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your work, whether you give credit or not.

Most cases of plagiarism can be avoided, however, by citing sources. Simply acknowledging that certain material has been borrowed, and providing your audience with the information necessary to find that source, is usually enough to prevent plagiarism. 

Students, as new writers and researchers, should take plagiarism seriously and refrain from copying and pasting information from websites and e-documents without proper citation. They should also avoid taking paragraphs or passages from other sources, and inserting them into their own essay or research paper, and claiming all these to be their own. 

 SCREENING FOR USEFUL RESOURCES
One way to quickly screen through piles of resources such as books, journal articles and websites when doing research for an essay or report is to read the abstract or prÈcis. According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary; abstract means a summary of points (as of a writing) usually presented in skeletal form whilst prÈcis, originating from a French word, means a concise summary of essential points, statements or facts. While both words seem to have similar meaning, many take abstract as the summary done by the author and prÈcis as the summary of an abstract rewritten using your own words. 

Another way to quickly screen materials and resources to see its  relevance is by reading the introduction of a book or an essay. When reading the introduction, be on a look out for what is known as Ñstagesâ. The three stages found in an introduction are:

(a) The topic sentence ñ a general statement about the essay.
(b) Supporting details ñ explanation, definition or description of subject matter.
(c) Preview or scope ñ what is to come or what the topic is going to cover.

Utilising these methods will help you save a lot of time screening through materials for your essay or research. 

DESCRIBING VISUAL DATA
Visual data such as charts and graphs are common in essays, especially those in scientific research papers. You need to familiarise yourself with words used in this type of essay and learn how to interpret charts and graphs. In order to do this, you should start reading essays and articles featuring them. The easiest
way to do this is to google Ñinterpreting charts and graphsâ and look through the websites listed, so as to find out more about how charts and graphs are interpreted. Some websites provide activities that you can participate in to practise these skills. 

5.6
5.5 The most common types of graphic aids normally found in academic writing include the following:
(a) Tables;
(b) Line graphs;
(c) Bar charts;
(d) Pictographs; and
(e) Pie charts. 

Instructions:

Read the verbs below. They are often used to describe changes in line graphs. Look up the meanings of the verbs and answer the questions that follow.
(a) Plummet
(b) Increase
(c) Peak
(d) Soar
(e) Rocket
(f) Fluctuate
(g) Level out
(h) Drop
(i) Decrease
(j) Decline
(k) Rise
(l) Fall

Questions:
(a) Which five verbs mean "go up"?
(b) Which three verbs "go up suddenly/a lot"?
(c) Which five verbs mean "go down"?
(d) Which verb means "stay the same"?
(e) Which verb means "go up and down"?

ACTIVITY 5.3
 
- This topic introduces a few tools needed to handle essay writing.
- A paragraph is made up of a topic sentence, supporting sentence/s and a concluding sentence.
- A multi-part essay question may have several questions subsumed within it.
- Creative writing does not always follow the rigid rules, forms or outlines commonly found in academic writing.

The line graph shows the movement in the price of gold in year 2001.
Study it carefully and fill in the blanks in the the text below, using the words provided in the box.

marginally slightly steadily sharply gradually
The price of gold rose _________ (i) during the first quarter from its
turn-of-the-year price (RM255 per ounce) but turned up ___________ (ii)
towards the end of June and continued to climb until the end of
the third quarter, when it fell ___________ (iii).
However, it picked up __________ (iv) again in November and
December and is expected to rise ________ (v) in the New Year.

ACTIVITY 5.4 
- When you borrow ideas from books, magazines, newspapers, websites,
journals and films, you must give credit to the source by citing it in your
bibliography.
- There are two popular ways of writing bibliographies ñ the MLA and the APA style.
- Plagiarising is a serious crime as it refers to stealing someone else s ideas or words and claiming them to be your own.
- Writers need to be careful to avoid plagiarism.
- Visual cues such as charts and graphs are often used in essays, especially in scientific research papers.

Abstract
Bibliography
Concluding sentence
Creative writing
Essay
Paragraph
Plagiarism
PrÈcis
Supporting sentence
Topic sentence
Visual cues 

Cox, K., & Hill, D. (2004). EAP now!: Teacher s book. Alexandria, VA: Prentice Hall.

Cox, K., & Hill, D. (2004). EAP now!: Students  book. Melbourne: Addison Wesley Longman Australia Pty Ltd.

Marksberry, M. L. (1963) Harper s series on teaching: Foundation of creativity. London: Harper & Row.

Abstract ñ Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2009, from 
 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abstract 


Bibliography. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2009, from 
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=bibliography

BibMe: Fast & easy bibliography maker ñ MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian ñ Free. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2009, from http://www.bibme.org/citation-guide 

What is plagiarism?. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2009, from www.plagiarism.org/plag_article_what_is_plagiarism.html