English Skills for Academic Studies - Hong Kong … Study...collaborate with peers in a major team...

English Skills for Academic Studies

Study Guide for

AD Scheme in Health Studies

Semester 2, 2008-09

Written and compiled by Ms Amy Chui, Ms Wience Lai, Ms Jessica To, Ms Esther Tong and Mr Pong Tsang (2007) Modified and edited by Ms Yvonne Tang (2008) © Hong Kong Community College, 2008

CC2001d English Skills for Academic Studies Semester 2, 2008-09 Study Guide

1

TTTaaabbbllleee ooofff CCCooonnnttteeennntttsss I. Syllabus 2

II. Teaching Plan 5

III. Learning Outcome Matrix 14

IV. Assessment Details 15

V. Study Guide – By Session 26

VI. Supplementary Worksheets

Worksheet 1. Essay Analysis

Worksheet 2. My English Learning Self-evaluation Sheet

Worksheet 3. Fragments, Run-on sentences, Unparallel structures

Worksheet 4. Misplaced Modifiers

Worksheet 5. Dangling Modifiers

Worksheet 6. Designing a Questionnaire

Worksheet 7. Interviewing Skills

Worksheet 8. One-sentence Summaries

Worksheet 9. Verbs & Subject-verb Agreement

Worksheet 10. Pronouns & ESL Pointers

Worksheet 11. Behaviour in Group Discussions

Worksheet 12. More Useful Expressions for Successful Discussions

Worksheet 13. Self-evaluation Sheet for Project Task B

54 56 58 60 61 63 65 68 69 71 73 75 78

VII. Annotated Student Samples

Skill 1: Writing a Reflection

Good Reflection

Poor Reflection

80

Skill 2: Writing an Essay Outline

Good Essay Outline

Poor Essay Outline

82

Skill 3: Writing a Research Essay

Good Research Essay

Poor Research Essay

86

Skill 4: Writing one-sentence summaries (with identification of sources)

Good Sample

Poor Sample

96


2

I. Syllabus

CC2001 English Skills for Academic Studies

Level 2 Credits 3 Nature Non-Science Medium of Instruction English Teaching Pattern 42 hours of Seminar Prerequisites Nil

60% Coursework Assessment 40% Examination

Aims

The subject prepares students for successful academic study in an English medium post-secondary learning environment. The main focus of this subject is to develop students’ confidence and competence in using English within academic contexts relevant to their area of study.

Learning Outcomes

On successfully completing this subject, students will be able to: Listening Skills

� take effective notes on key points and ideas in spoken academic contexts Reading Skills

� apply learned strategies to improve reading for different purposes (e.g. reading for general understanding, reading for details, etc.)

Writing Skills

� write a well-structured paragraph that includes a topic sentence and supporting details � paraphrase, summarize, and quote from a source � write an academic essay using the process approach which enables students to

o generate and select writing topics o plan, organise, and structure an academic essay o edit and revise their work for unity, coherence, support, and sentence skills

� demonstrate improved control of vocabulary and grammar through appropriate and accurate usage in writing

Speaking Skills

� contribute and justify their comments and respond critically to others’ ideas in a small group discussion

� demonstrate improved control of pronunciation through an increased awareness of common pronunciation errors in Hong Kong


3

Research Skills

� conduct library and other research and integrate ideas from other sources to support their positions

� document information from multiple sources using an established documentation style (e.g. MLA, APA, etc.)

Study Skills

� reflect on learning processes and critically evaluate performance in academic English tasks � contribute positively to class learning and group activities

Indicative Contents

� Note-taking and listening skills � Reading strategies � Process writing � Academic essays � Referencing � Documenting � Discussion/ presentation skills � Study skills

Teaching/Learning Approach

Students will be required to participate actively in the learning process. During seminars, students will take part in a wide range of interesting and challenging language learning activities such as role-plays, discussions, individual and group activities, which reflect students’ needs in their field of studies. In particular, students will be required to plan and collaborate with peers in a major team project/assignment which will give them an opportunity to experience learning from peers as well. In language laboratory sessions, audio-visual materials will be used to improve students’ listening and speaking skills, and WebCT will be used as a tool to promote extended learning after class. Students are also encouraged to engage in constant reflection on learning processes and to evaluate their own as well as their peers’ performance in the learning tasks. Through extensive interactive practices, the course helps students gain mastery of the academic language skills needed for effective academic communication.

Assessment Approach

Students are required to complete the following four assessment tasks which are combined to address all the learning outcomes of the course:

1. Two individual written tasks 2. One individual/ group oral task 3. One group project/ assignment

They will demonstrate achievement of course learning outcomes by completing a combination of the following tasks relevant to their discipline of study:

i) Paragraph Writing: This task aims at assessing students’ ability in developing a topic through paragraphing. They need to write a paragraph that includes a topic sentence and supporting details.


4

ii) Summary Writing: This task requires students to synthesize information/ideas from an academic article.

iii) Group Project/Assignment: The group project/assignment gives students an opportunity to plan and collaborate with their fellow classmates in small groups and apply the learned strategies and skills in researching, writing, reading, speaking, and/or listening.

iv) Seminar Discussion: This task assesses students’ listening and speaking skills. They have to apply the learned strategies to note down key points and opinions of their peers, state their position, and respond critically to peers’ ideas in a group discussion.

v) Academic Essay: This writing task assesses students’ research, referencing, documenting, and process writing skills.

Reflection: This task gives students opportunities to reflect on their learning processes and critically evaluate their group communication skills.

In addition, to encourage a spirit of enquiry and sharing and to help students explore the creativity and enjoyment of the process of learning and researching knowledge, part of students’ grade will be based on their class participation throughout the course of the semester.

Indicative Readings

Recommended Textbook Langan, John. English Skills for Academic Studies. McGraw-Hill. (latest ed.). An abridged edition of:

Langan, John. College Writing Skills with Readings. McGraw-Hill. (latest ed.). ---. Reading and Study Skills. McGraw-Hill. (latest ed.). References Langan, John. English Brushup. McGraw-Hill. (latest ed.). Madden, Carolyn G. and Rohlck, Theresa N. Discussion and Interaction in the Academic

Community. University of Michigan Press. (latest ed.). Oshima, Alice. and Hogue, Ann. Writing Academic English. Addison Wesley Longman. (latest ed.). Spencer, Carolyn M. and Arbon, Beverly. Foundations of Writing: Developing Research and

Academic Writing Skills. NTC. (latest ed.). Steer, Jocelyn. M. and Schmid, Dawn. The Advanced Grammar Book (Workbook), Heinle & Heinle. (latest ed.). Wallace, Michael J. Study Skills in English. Cambridge University Press. (latest ed.).


14

III. Learning Outcome Matrix

Expected Learning Outcomes Teaching Week

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)

1

- Course introduction

- Essay structure

- Self-reflection

� �

2

- Writing process

- Pre-writing strategies

- Writing effective thesis statements

and topic sentences

- Sentence skills

�

3

- Research skills: Research at a

local library and designing a

questionnaire

- Interviewing skills

� � �

4

- Outlining an essay

- Supporting the thesis

- Sentence skills

�

5

- Recognising main ideas

- Researching skills: Researching on

the Internet

� �

6

- Writing one-sentence summaries

- Paraphrasing ideas

- Research essay consultation

� � �

7

- Summarising an article

- MLA referencing � � �

8

- Building coherence

- Grammar revision �

9

- Revising and editing skills

- Listening and note-taking skills � �

10

- Seminar/ discussion skills

- Grammar revision

- Revising and editing skills

� � �

11

- Seminar/ discussion skills � � 12

- Oral assessment task

- Revising and editing skills/

Reflection on learning processes,

group skills or project skills

� � �

13

- Oral assessment task � � 14

- Course review � � � � � �


15

IV. Assessment Details

Assignment 1 – Reflection on Learning Experience (10%; Individual)

In this task, you need to reflect on your experience of using English to learn different

academic subjects in college. As the medium of instruction for most HKCC subjects is English, learning academic subjects in the tertiary level may be quite different from that in the secondary level. This assignment enables you to reflect comprehensively on this new and challenging experience.

I. Expected Learning Outcomes: The objectives of this task are to assess how well you are able to: � reflect and critique on your learning processes; � write a well-structured paragraph that includes a topic sentence and supporting details; � demonstrate improved control of vocabulary and grammar through appropriate and

accurate usage in writing.

II. Guidelines: 1. In this task, you are required to write a 300-word reflection to: � Review your experience of using English to learn different academic subjects in college,

such as English for Business Communication, Introduction to Information Technology and other G.E. subjects and how that differs from secondary school;

� Review problems you have encountered and/or identify progress you have made; � Suggest what you plan to do this semester to overcome the identified problems and/or to

further improve your English. 2. Your assignment should be word-processed / typewritten throughout, in double-line

spacing. Double-sided printing is welcomed. 3. On top of the first page, please list the following:

(a) The name of the assignment, i.e. “Assignment 1: Reflection on the Learning Experience of English Language in Semester One”;

(b) The course code and title, e.g. “CC2001 English Skills for Academic Studies”; (c) Your class group number; (d) Your full name and student number; (e) The date of submission of your assignment.

4. You must be honest! 5. Please be reminded that late submission will induce a penalty – 20% of your marks will

be deducted. Moreover, your work will not be accepted if you hand it in late by more than 7 calendar days.


16

III. Grading Aspects:

Criteria Descriptions

Originality &

Creativity (20%)

- All ideas are original. - All ideas are creative, interesting, and

inspirational.

Relevance (10%) - Relevant and appropriate ideas on English learning in different aspects, e.g. experience of using English to learn different academic subjects and how it differs from secondary school, problems encountered/ progress made, suggestions on how to overcome the identified problems/ to further improve your English, etc.

I. Content (60%)

Depth of

Thoughts (30%)

- Plenty of insightful and valuable thoughts on learning strategies used in semester one.

- Plenty of insightful and valuable thoughts on future learning.

- Clear, well-presented and meaningful ideas.

II. English

Language Writing

Skills (40%)

- All ideas are organized logically. - A variety of appropriate transitional devices are used to

connect sentences. - Sentences are varied in length and structure. - Very few errors are found in complex sentences. - Grammar, spelling and punctuation are consistently used

accurately.

IV. Due Date of Reflection:

In the lecture/ tutorial (as specified by your lecturer) of Week 4.


17

Assignment 2 -Group Project (70%)

This assessment task is designed to assess your ability in using English effectively in academic contexts you will encounter in your studies in AD Scheme in Health Studies. You will be completing a series of activities including discussions, research, writing tasks, and a

seminar discussion task in which you collaborate with your group members: � Task A (Project Preparation and Research Essay): to write a 5-paragraph academic

essay of 1,000-1200 words in which you will critically analyse issues regarding beauty and health-related industries and present your critical opinion/attitude on it, AND

� Task B (Seminar): to lead a discussion about your research topic.

Topic:

• Each group of students will select one of the following topics (there should be no duplication of topics among groups). Within your selected topic, you should (a) identify problems or issues regarding the health or beauty-related industry and/or (b) make recommendations or solutions for this phenomenon or situation.

1. Plastic Surgery 2. Food-labelling 3. Chinese Medicine

4. Alternative Medicines 5. Sperm Bank 6. Hair-dyes

7. Chemical Poisoning 8. Medical Voucher 9. Flexi-hour Work Plan

10. Artificial Additives/ flavouring/ Preservatives

Project Overview

Week Task to be Completed What You Need to Do

2-7 Lecture/Tutorial as specified by your lecturer

A. Project Preparation

Steps 1-3* [Group]

*5 bonus marks will be given to the students who can complete the three project preparation steps on time.

� Form a group of 3-4 (Week 2). � Submit respectively:

i) Topic and thesis statement [Step 1] (Week 3),

ii) Essay outline [Step 2] (Week 6) � After completing the above two project

preparation steps, you may need to attend a follow-up meeting with your lecturer [Step 3], if required. (Week 6/7)

7-10 � Review lecturer’s feedback. � Draft the essay. � Revise the essay. � Prepare the required attachments.

11 Lecture/Tutorial as specified by your lecturer

B. Research Essay (30%)

[Group]

You will be assessed on your writing skills and research skills as a group*. *Individual contribution to

the group project will be

considered.

� Submit the Research Essay with i) a copy of the source articles, ii) a table recording the percentage

allocation of team member contribution,

iii) a table recording the division of work,

iv) the completed “Declaration of Original Work” signed by all group members, and

v) your group’s “Project Preparation Checklist”


18

Week Task to be Completed What You Need to Do

12 & 13 Lecture C. Oral Presentation/

Seminar (30%) [Individual

+ Group]

You will be assessed on your performance in an academic discussion as an individual (70%) and as a group (30%).

� Present your project idea to the class.

� Lead a discussion about your research topic.

Project Task 2A – Research Essay

In this task, you are required to collaborate with your group members to write a 5-paragraph

research essay of 1000-1200 words (for a group of 4 members). You will have to work in groups to brainstorm ideas, gather information, organize the essay content, review other members’ writing, and revise your part with reference to the feedback given by your peers.

*For groups with fewer than 4 members, the total length of the essay will be set in pro rata.

For example, a group with 3 members should write an essay of about 750-900 words.

I. Expected Learning Outcomes:

Research Skills

• Conduct library and other research (e.g. interview, questionnaire) and integrate ideas from other sources to support their positions

• Document information from multiple sources using an established documentation style (refer to MLA citation style on pp.213-228)

Writing Skills

• Plan, organize, and structure an academic essay

• Write a research essay using the process approach

• Write well-structured paragraphs that include a topic sentence and supporting details

• Paraphrase, summarize, and quote from different types of sources (e.g. newspaper, interview)

• Edit and revise the essay for unity, coherence, support, and sentence skills

• Demonstrate appropriate usage of vocabulary and grammar Study Skills

• Contribute positively to group work

II. Project Preparation:

Your active participation in the writing process can substantially improve the final quality of your research essay. Before submitting your research essay, you are required to complete THREE project preparation steps: i) select a topic and write a thesis statement, and ii) write an essay outline. Besides, you may need to attend a follow-up meeting with your lecturer (if

required). Your group will receive 5 bonus marks on your research essay if ALL project preparation steps are completed by the deadlines stated in the suggested work plan below. You will be required to submit the checklist with each project preparation step and with the final research essay.


19

Week Project Preparation

Steps (5 bonus

marks)

What You Need to Do

3 (Lecture/ Tutorial as specified by your lecturer)

1. Topic and Thesis

Statement

� Choose an issue you are interested in and would like to discuss, and submit the topic and thesis statement for the group project.

6 (Lecture/ Tutorial as specified by your lecturer)

2. Essay Outline

� Submit an extended essay outline*. *Use the template (word file) given by your

lecturer on SMILE to write the essay outline.

*Refer to the samples in the Study Guide. Your

group will receive feedback from your lecturer in

the tutorial of Week 6/7.

6-7 3. Follow-up (if

required)

� Attend a follow-up meeting with your lecturer and take appropriate action recommended by your lecturer.

III. Structure of Essay Outline:

Introduction Thesis Statement: In one sentence, state the single central idea with

a plan of development–tell readers the essay’s topic, presents the

writer’s attitude/opinion, and previews the main points that support that attitude/opinion.

Body Paragraphs 1-3 (Main Ideas 1-3)

Topic Sentence: State your main idea in one sentence.

Specific Supporting Evidence:

(a) Complete Sentences. Specific evidence/ details used to support the main idea. (b) Complete Sentences. Specific evidence/ details used to support the main idea. (c) Complete Sentences. Specific evidence/ details used to support the main idea.

Conclusion Summary (Optional): Summarise the essay by briefly restating the thesis and the main supporting points

General Closing Remarks: Present the final thought about the topic.

Important Reminders:

• Your participation in the Essay Outline step will only be recognised if an extended

outline is prepared (See the samples in the Study Guide).

• You must complete the Essay Outline before the deadline to receive feedback from

your lecturer. Late submissions will not be accepted.

IV. Topic of Research Essay:

The topic of your group’s Research Essay should be the same as that in the Essay Outline, unless your lecturer recommends you to narrow down/ change the topic. Prior approval from

the lecturer is required for changing the topic of your research essay.


20

V. Guidelines:

• Each member should write about 300 words. If a student has no contributions in writing the essay, s/he will have zero mark for the essay. Work out the percentage of contribution of each member. Then, complete and sign Table 1 below:

Table 1 – Percentage Allocation of Team Member Contribution in Research Essay

Names a. b. c. d. TOTAL

Percentage allocation: (must add up to 100%)

= 100%

Signature:

• At least 5 sources of references (of which 3 should be printed sources) should be cited in the essay to show that research skills have been used. Attach a copy of the source articles to the essay.

Note: At least 5 sources have to be sources in English. If you use any additional

sources in Chinese, you have to attach a copy of the original Chinese source and

translate the quoted parts into English.

• You may use an interview/ a questionnaire as one of the 5 sources to support your arguments in your essay. If you do so, you need to attach copies of your interview or questionnaire with your essay.

• Write down the total number of words at the end of your essay.

• Summarize or paraphrase the quoted materials as far as possible. Direct quotation should not exceed 10% of the total length of your essay. The MLA citation style should be correctly used to document sources in the essay.

• You must write your own work. Disciplinary action will be taken if a student is found plagiarizing other writers’ ideas/ words. Prior to your submission of the project,

all members of your group MUST fill in the “Declaration of Original Work” (See Appendix II) indicating that the project you have completed is your own original work. This form must be attached to your research essay for final submission.

• Your essay outline and research essay must be double-spaced, and word-processed/type-written on single-sided A-4 paper.

• A cover page is needed for the research essay. Please follow the Sample Cover Page shown below.

Sample Cover Page

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Hong Kong Community College

CC 2001 English Skills for Academic Studies

Project Title: Health System in Hong Kong

Group: 2XX

Student ID Members Signature

xxxxxxxx Hay Mung Moon xx

xxxxxxxx Lam Chi Chi Karina xx

xxxxxxxx Pang Yi Man Keo xx

xxxxxxxx Yip Ching Yee Oliva xx


21

VI. Grading Aspects of Research Essay:

1. Content (25%)

- Title: informative and able to indicate the aim of the essay - The introduction provides an effective entry to the thesis of the essay using one of the methods introduced in the textbook. - Adequate and specific evidence and sound reasons are provided to support the topic sentences which develop the thesis. - At least 5 sources of reference are given to demonstrate research skills have been used.

2. Unity (25%)

- The thesis statement introduces the topic of the essay and advances the group’s opinion, attitude, idea or point about the topic. - The thesis contains a plan of development. - All ideas in the essay develop and support the thesis. - Each paragraph has a topic sentence, and supporting details are relevant to the topic sentence. - The format of documentation is correct within the paper and at the end of the paper.

3. Coherence (25%)

- The essay is organized systematically. - The paragraphs are well-structured: main ideas are stated at the beginning of the supporting paragraphs. - A variety of transitional devices are appropriately used to connect sentences and ideas (e.g. using keywords, pronouns, connecting words, transitional phrases/ sentences).

4. Language & Mechanics (25%)

- Grammar, spelling, punctuation, writing style, mechanics are used appropriately and accurately. - Vocabulary is varied, specific, and appropriate. - Sentences are well-formed, varied in length and structure. - At least 5 sources are given in the “Works Cited” list. - The MLA citation style is correctly used to document sources.

VII. Due Date of Research Essay: In the lecture/ tutorial (as specified by your lecturer) of Week 11.

Submit the research essay, together with: i. A copy of the source articles (e.g. newspaper articles, online articles),

ii. A table recording the percentage allocation of team member contribution (Table 1 below), iii. A table recording the division of work (Table 2 below), iv. The completed “Declaration of Original Work” (Appendix II) signed by all group

members, and v. Your group’s project preparation checklist (Appendix I).

Table 2 – Peer Review: Division of Work

Writer’s Name Paragraphs *Number the paragraphs in the essay

Reviewer’s Name

a.

b.

c.

d.


22

Appendix I

CC2001 - Group ____________________

Project Member List:

1.

3.

2.

4.

Checklist for the Project Preparation Steps

Steps to be Completed Deadline Completed with Satisfaction?

Yes � �� Lecturer’s Signature

1. Topic & Thesis

Statement

Week 3

Lecture/ Tutorial as specified by your lecturer

2. Essay Outline

Week 6

Lecture/ Tutorial as specified by your lecturer

Follow-up Required? Yes � No � Step to be Completed Deadline Completed with Satisfaction?

Yes � �� Lecturer’s Signature

3. Follow-up (if required) 6/7

Tutorial or Appointment scheduled with your lecturer

ALL Steps Completed as Required? Yes � (5 Bonus Marks)

No �


23

Appendix II

THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY Hong Kong Community College

CC2001 English Skills for Academic Studies

Semester 2, 2008-09

DECLARATION OF ORIGINAL WORK

This form must be completed, signed, dated and attached to the group project in hard copy to the subject lecturer for record.

Student Name Student Number

a.

b.

c.

d.

Assignment Title: _______________________________________________________________ Submission Date: _______________________________________________________________ Name of Subject Lecturer: _______________________________________________________________

Declaration:

We declare that the attached assignment is entirely our own work. All sources have been properly acknowledged and the assignment contains no plagiarism. We have been taught how to avoid plagiarism and understand that any plagiarism found in our assignment can lead to penalties such as mark deduction, disqualification or even expulsion from the College. Student’s Signature(s): a. b. c d. _________________________________________________________________________ Signing Date: _________________________________________________________________________


24

Project Task 2B – Oral Presentation/ Seminar (30%; Group + Individual)

In this task, you and your project group members are required to lead an academic discussion

of about 20 minutes on your essay topic in the lecture of Week 12/13. You will be assessed on your performance as an individual (70%) and as a group (30%).

I. Expected Learning Outcomes:

Listening Skills

� Take effective notes on key points and ideas suggested by group members/classmates in the seminar session.

Speaking Skills

� Contribute and justify your comments and respond critically to others’ ideas in the seminar session.

� Demonstrate competent speaking skills appropriate for an academic presentation and discussion.

II. Topic

The topic should be the same as that of your research essay.

III. Guidelines:

Preparation

� Re-read your essay. � Prepare a 5-minute presentation of your research essay to introduce the thesis and

supporting points of your paper. � You are expected to converse and interact in English, so you may prepare notes in point

form only. � Scripts are strictly prohibited. A fail grade will be given to those who read aloud from a

script. Assessment Day

(1) Opening (5 minutes)

(i) Your group will have 1 minute to present the background information and the topic. To facilitate the discussion, you need to show the thesis statement and plan of development on the screen/ white board.

(ii) Each group member will have 1 minute to present to the class his/her viewpoints and supporting details for the topic.

(iii) Every student in the class is required to prepare comments and/ or questions.

(2) Discussion (12 minutes)

(i) All group members are required to participate actively in the discussion by taking turns: a. To invite class members to give comments and ask questions, and b. To respond to comments given by class members and/or answer questions.

(ii) Your group is required to coordinate the level of participation of both group members and class members: a. Avoid dominance by certain group member(s) and/or class members(s), and b. Avoid dead air.

(iii) 1 bonus mark (maximum 5) will be given to a class member who participates in the discussion to express his/her opinion which makes a meaning contribution to the discussion..


25

(3) Closing (3 minutes)

(i) One member of your group has 3 minutes to give a summary of what have been discussed as a report to the whole class and to the lecturer. This member’s performance will affect the group marks only.

Note: You may use the white board/ visualiser in the classroom to help you illustrate your

points in the presentation/discussion/closing.

IV. Grading Aspects:

(i). Individual Performance (70%)

1. Interest and Clarity of Ideas

(20%)

- Clear viewpoint - Adequate examples and details to illustrate

understanding of the topic - Logical organization of ideas

2. Level of Participation &

Interaction with Others (both

verbal & non-verbal

communication) (20%)

- Active listening and appropriate responses to comments/ questions

- Clear clarification of opinions and reasoning - Active involvement of others in the discussion - Positive verbal and non-verbal communication

3. Fluency of

Speech/Expressions (10%)

- Smooth and natural expression of ideas - Appropriate pace of speech

4. Accuracy of Speech (10%) - Correct grammar - Clear articulation and pronunciation - Appropriate intonation and stress

5. Appropriateness & Variety of

Language Used for Discussion

(10%)

- Appropriate techniques for transition of ideas - Variety of expressions and questions for

facilitating a discussion

(ii). Group Performance (30%)

1. Group/Class Interaction

(20%)

- Active involvement of all group members and class members in discussion

- Logical flow of arguments

2. Overall Effectiveness of the

Discussion (10%)

i) Opening

- Take turns to present main ideas and supporting points clearly within the responsible group

ii) Discussion

- Maintain the discussion on a focused topic and task

- Pose appropriate questions to generate further discussion

- Ensure effective involvement of class members in discussion

iii) Closure

- Give an effective and meaningful conclusion of main points discussed

iv) Time management

- Complete the opening, discussion and closure within 20 minutes


26

V. Study Guide - By Session

Week 1 – Lecture

A. Expected Learning Outcomes of the Lesson

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: � Get to know about your lecturer and the course requirements; � Identify the parts of an essay and explain the importance of supporting a point in

writing; � Identify the three approaches of writing (first-person, second-person, and third-person)

B. Suggested Learning Activities for Lecture 1

� Teaching Plan for CC2001 � Discussion:

o “What is academic English?” o “What tasks are essential to success in your College studies?”

� Essay Analysis (Worksheet 1): Activity 2, 3 and 4, Unit 3, Ch 1, pp.114-118

C. Supplementary Learning Activities � Complete the My English Learning Self-evaluation Sheet (Worksheet 2) � Read Unit 3, Chapter 8 Introduction to Essay Development, pp.291-298.

D. Useful Resources � Online Exercises on Textbook Companion Website (CWSR)

<http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html> o A. Ch 7, Writing On- and Offline, Activity 2 - Identifying Approach

<http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/chapter7/writing_on-_and_offline.html>

o B. Ch 1, Writing On- and Offline, Activities 1-6 - Online Reflective Writing <http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/chapter1/writing_on-_and_offline.html>


27

Week 2 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Use various prewriting techniques to discover a thesis for their research essay and

develop supporting points for the thesis � Analyse the structure of thesis statements and topic sentences � Identify the common mistakes in writing thesis statements � Write effective thesis statements and topic sentences


� Writing a Reflection (Assignment Sheet) � Project Overview & Project Preparation (Assignment Sheet) � Prewriting Exercise 1: Techniques for Discovering the Thesis (Freewriting &

Questioning): Freewrite and/or ask a series of questions about the topic your group has chosen for the project.

� Prewriting Exercise 2: Techniques for Generating Supporting Details (Making a List & Clustering): Make a list of everything and/or use clustering to organise the keywords about your topic.

� Textbook Exercises: o Understanding Thesis Statements: Activity 1, pp.158-159 (Complete at least 1

question.) o Evaluating Thesis Statements: Activity 10-13, pp.173-175 (Complete at least 1

question in each activity.) o Writing a Thesis Statement: Activity 15, pp.176-177 (Complete at least 1

question.)

C. Supplementary Learning Activities

� Textbook Exercises: o Prewriting Techniques: Activity 10, pp.147-150 o Understanding Thesis Statements: Activity 1, pp.158-159 (Complete the rest

of the questions.) o Writing a Good Thesis: Activity 2, p.160 o Evaluating Thesis Statements: Activity 3, p.163; Activity 10-13, pp.173-175

(Complete the rest of the questions.) o Writing a Thesis Statement: Activity 15, pp.176-177 (Complete the rest of the

questions.) � Project Preparation Step 1: Write a Thesis Statement for the Research Essay


28

D. Useful Resources � Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (CWSR) http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o i. CWSR, Ch 2, Quizzes: Writing On- and Offline (Activity 1-3, Freewriting/

questioning/ making a list) o ii. CWSR, Ch 3, Quizzes: Writing On- and Offline (Activity 1: Begin with a

strong thesis; Activity 3, Polishing thesis sentences) o iii. CWSR, Ch 3, Interactive Exercises (Exercise A, Step 1 - Begin with a

Point, or Thesis)


29

Week 3 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Identify different types of sources they may use to support their positions in the

research essay � Locate library materials using the library catalogue; � Design questionnaires that help collect ideas to support their positions in the research

essay.


� Project Preparation Step 1: Topic and Thesis Statement (Submit the topic and thesis statement.*)

� Reading: o Library Catalogue User Guide (Supplementary Notes) o Supplementary Materials on Designing Questionnaires

� Practice on Writing Questions (Supplementary Notes) * Lecture/ Tutorial as specified by your lecturer


� Textbook Exercises (Using the Library): o Unit 2, Ch 3, Activity 2, pp.93-94 o Unit 2, Ch 3, Activity 7, pp.102-103

� Supplementary Exercise: Designing a Questionnaire (Worksheet 6)

D. Useful Resources

� Library Virtual Orientation <http://www.lib.polyu.edu.hk/intro/eng/00-welcome.htm> � Online Tutorial: View lesson 1 and 2 of “Searching the Library Catalogue Effectively”

at http://www.lib.polyu.edu.hk/collser/libguides/catalogue/index.htm � Online Information Literacy Programme: Complete the online information literacy

programme at http://www.lib.polyu.edu.hk/collser/libguides/literacy/introduce.htm


30

Week 2/3 Tutorial (Classroom) &

Week 4/5 Tutorial (Classroom)


By the end of these lessons, students will be able to: � Identify and correct most common types of fragments, run-on sentences, and

unparallel structures; � Identify and correct misplaced modifiers; � Identify and correct dangling modifiers.

B. Suggested Learning Activities for Tutorial 2/3 & Tutorial 4/5

� Revision Exercise: Fragments, Run-Ons, & Parallelism (Worksheet 3) � Revision Exercise: Misplaced Modifiers

(Worksheet 4) � Revision Exercise: Dangling Modifiers

(Worksheet 5)


� Textbook Exercises on Parallelism, Fragments, and Run-ons o Unit 3, Ch 6, Activity 1, p.231, 251-253 o Unit 4, Ch 1, Activities on pp.303-316 o Unit 4, Ch 2, Activities on pp.317-329

� Textbook Exercises in Misplaced Modifiers (Unit 4, Ch 3) o Activity 1, pp.331-332 o Review Test 1, pp.332-333 o Review Test 2, p.333

� Textbook Exercises in Dangling Modifiers (Unit 4, Ch 4) o Activity 1, pp.336-337 o Review Test 1, pp.337-338 o Review Test 2, pp.338-339


31

D. Useful Resources

� Online Language Practices on Fragment, Run-ons and parallelism at Coursebook Companion Website http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html

o Ch 5 - Interactive Exercises: Faulty Parallelism o Ch 24 - Interactive Exercises: Fragment o Ch 25 - Interactive Exercises: i) Comma Splices, ii) Run-ons

� Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (CWSR) http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o CWSR, Ch 32, Quizzes: Misplaced Modifiers

� Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (CWSR) http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o i. CWSR, Ch 33, Quizzes: Dangling Modifiers o ii. CWSR, Ch 33, Interactive Exercises: Dangling Modifiers


32

Week 2/3 Tutorial (Language Lab.)


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Understand how to make use of the online resources at the textbook companion

websites (Online Learning Centre for CWSR and RSS) � Write effective interview questions � Conduct successful interviews to collect information for their research essay

B. Suggested Learning Activities for Tutorial 2/3

� Discussion: Brainstorm a list of open-ended questions in a group. � Supplementary Exercise: Interviewing Skills (Worksheet 7)


� Reading: Supplementary Notes

D. Useful Resources � Online Diagnostic Exercises at Companion Website (CWSR) http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html


33

CC2001 Textbook (Abridged) vs. Online Resources @ Companion Websites

Textbook: English Skills for Academic Studies, 2009

An abridged version of: � Reading and Study Skills (RSS), Eighth Edition (Extracts) (ISBN: 978-0-07-298277-0) � College Writing Skills with Readings (CWSR), Seventh Edition (Extracts) (ISBN: 978-007-126652-9)

Coursebook Websites

• College Writing Skills with Readings <http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html>

• Reading and Study Skills

<http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072982772/student_view0/index.html>

CC2001 Textbook Website for CWSR Website for RSS

Unit 1 – Reading and Summarizing Main Ideas

Chapter 1: Recognizing Main Ideas in Paragraphs and Short Selections

RSS – Part 4, Skill 5; Part 7, Main Idea

Chapter 2: Knowing How to Summarize

RSS – Part 4, Skill 7; Part 7, Summarising

Chapter 3: Paraphrasing and Writing a Summary

CWSR – Ch 18

Unit 2 – Research Skills

Chapter 1: Taking Notes RSS – Part 2, Taking Classroom notes

Chapter 2: Researching for Relevant Information

CWSR – Ch 22

Chapter 3: Using the Library and the Internet

CWSR – Ch 21 RSS – Part 7, Using Research Skills

Unit 3 – Writing Academic Essays

Chapter 1: An Introduction to Writing

CWSR – Ch 1

Chapter 2: The Writing Process CWSR – Ch 2

Chapter 3: The First and Second Steps in Essay Writing

CWSR – Ch 3

Chapter 4: The Third Step in Essay Writing

CWSR – Ch 4

RSS – Part 4, Skill 4

Chapter 5, Using Other Sources to Support Your Thesis

CWSR – Ch 22

Chapter 6: The Fourth Step in Essay Writing

CWSR – Ch 5

Chapter 7: Four Bases for Revising Essays

CWSR – Ch 6

Chapter 8: Introduction to Essay Development

CWSR – Ch 7

Unit 4 – Sentence Skills

Chapter 1: Fragments CWSR – Ch 24

Chapter 2: Run-Ons CWSR – Ch 25

Chapter 3: Misplaced Modifiers CWSR – Ch 32

Chapter 4: Dangling Modifiers CWSR – Ch 33

Unit 5 – Grammar Revision

Chapter 1: Verbs CWSR – Ch 28

Chapter 2: Subject-verb agreement CWSR – Ch 27

Chapter 3: Pronoun Agreement and Reference

CWSR – Ch 29

Chapter 4: ESL Pointers CWSR – Ch 45

Chapter 5: Editing Tests CWSR – Ch 44


34

Week 4 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Outline an essay. � Use adequate and specific details to support their thesis.


� Assignment 1 (Reflection): Submit the assignment in the lecture/ tutorial as specified by your lecturer

� Outlining Practice: Activity 11 - Unit 3, Ch 2, pp.150-151 (Complete at least 1 question.)

� Exercise in Generating Details to Support the Thesis: Activity 4 – Unit 3, Ch 3, pp.164-165 (Complete at least 1 question.)

� Exercise in Using Specific Details: Activity 5 – Unit 3, Ch 3, pp. 167 (Complete at least 1 question.)

� Exercise in Using Adequate Details: Activity 6 – Unit 3, Ch 3, pp. 168-169


� Project Preparation Step 2: Write the essay outline. � Textbook Exercises:

o Outlining Practice: Unit 3, Ch 2, Activity 12, “Losing Touch”, pp.151-154 o Identifying the Parts of an Essay (Topic, Thesis Statement and Supporting

Sentence) � Unit 3, Ch 3, Activity 8, pp.170-171 � Unit 3, Ch 3, Activity 9, pp.171-172

o Providing Specific Evidence: Unit 3, Ch 3, Activity 18, pp.179-180 o Identifying Adequate Supporting Evidence: Unit 3, Ch 3, Activity 19, pp.181-

182 o Adding Details to Complete an Essay, Activity 20, pp.182-184


hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o i) Ch 2, Interactive Exercises : Outlining Exercises AND Outlining Tutor o ii) Ch 3, Interactive Exercises: Exercises B-D


35

Week 5 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Identify the two basic parts of a paragraph. � Locate main ideas in paragraphs and short selections. � Understand the format of the mid-term test


� Textbook Exercises: o Understanding Paragraph Structure - Unit 1, Ch 1, Activity 2, p. 4 o Finding Main Ideas in Paragraphs/ Short Selections - Unit 1, Ch 1, Activity 1,

pp.6-7 � Notes about Mid-term Test (Details and Sample Questions)


� Textbook Exercises: o Unit 1, Ch 1, Activity 2, pp.7-9 o Unit 1, Ch 1, Review Test, pp.10-11 o Unit 1, Ch 1, Mastery Test, pp.11-13

D. Useful Resources � Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (RSS) at http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0072982772/student_view0/ o i) RSS, Part 4, Skill 5, Journal Prompt at http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0072982772/student_view0/part4/skill5/journal_prompts.html o ii) RSS, Part 7, Quizzes � Main Idea Quiz at http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0072982772/student_view0/part7/main_idea_quiz.html


36

Week 4/5 – Tutorial (Language Lab.)


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � research topics using the Internet � evaluate Internet sources

B. Suggested Learning Activities for Tutorial 4/5 � Reading Practice: Read the webpage about “How to Search the Internet” at

http://www.lib.polyu.edu.hk/internet/guide.htm#General and answer the following questions:

1. What search tools can you use to locate your source materials? 2. If you’d like to perform advanced search of non-Chinese materials, which type of

search engines is the best?

3. How can you evaluate the results of your search?


� Textbook Exercises on Evaluating Internet Sources o Activity 6, pp.101-102

� Textbook Exercises on Using Research Skills o Mastery Test, pp.104-105

D. Useful Resources � Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (RSS) at http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0072982772/student_view0/ � Online Supplementary Information about Research Skills Exercises at Companion

Website (CWSR) <http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html>

o i. CWSR, Guide to Electronic Research o ii. CWSR, Using the Internet

� Online Revision Exercises at Companion Website (CWSR) <http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html>

o iii. CWSR, Ch 21, Interactive Exercises: Web Hunt o iv. CWSR, Ch 21, Interactive Exercises: Evaluating Sources


37

Week 6 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Write one-sentence summaries and one paragraph summaries; � Understand what plagiarism is; � Paraphrase the source


� Reading Practice o A Caution about Plagiarism (Unit 2, Ch 2, pp.86-87)

� Practice in Summarising o Unit 1, Ch 2, Activity 1, pp.15-18 (Complete at least 1 question.) o Unit 1, Ch 2, Activity 2, pp.18-20 (Complete at least 1 question.)

� Practice in Paraphrasing o Unit 2, Ch 2, Activity 1, pp.87-89 (Complete at least 1 question)


� Textbook Exercises (Summarising), Unit 1, Ch 2 o Activity 1, pp.15-18 (Complete the rest of the questions.) o Activity 2, pp.18-20 (Complete the rest of the questions.) o Activity 3, pp.21-23, Appendix 2 “Defence Mechanisms” o Activity 4-7, pp.23-26 o Review Test, pp.26-29 o Mastery Test, pp.29-33


hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o i) CWSR, Ch 22, Avoiding Plagiarism, Complete the “Avoiding Plagiarism

Tutorial” (quizzes/ exercises in paraphrasing and summarizing) at http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072873469/student_view0/index.html


38

Week 7 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Describe how to summarise an article; � Document information from multiple sources using MLA format.


� Reading: o How to Summarise an Article (Unit 1, Ch 3, pp.35-36) o A Model Summary of an Article (Unit 1, Ch 3, p.37) o Reading (Documentation of Sources): Unit 3, Ch 5, pp.214-218

� Documentation Practice: Activity 1 – Unit 3, Ch 5, p.218


o Model Paper, Unit 3, Ch 5, pp.219-227 o Sample Paper at Companion Website (CWSR): http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/chapter22/sample_paper_in_mla_style.html (Ch 22, More Resources)

D. Useful Resources

� Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (CWSR) http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html

i) CWSR, Ch 18, Interactive Exercises: (a) Summarising, (b) Summarising and Paraphrasing

� Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (RSS) <http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0072982772/student_view0/> o RSS, Part 7 � Summarising Quiz at http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0072982772/student_view0/part7/summarizing_quiz.html


39

Week 6/7 – Tutorial (Classroom/ Language Lab.)


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Identify main ideas from paragraphs and short selections; � Paraphrase and summarise the source; � Get feedback on the essay outline.

B. Suggested Learning Activities for Tutorial 6/7 � Project Preparation Step 2: Essay Outline (Submit an essay outline in the tutorial of

Week 6) � Project Preparation Step 3: Follow-up as required (Research Essay Consultation in

Week 6/7) � Revision Exercises in Recognising Main Ideas from Paragraphs/ Short Selections

(Exercises not done in Lecture 5) o Unit 1, Ch 1

� Revision Exercises in Summarising and Paraphrasing (Exercises not done in Lecture 6) o Unit 1, Ch 2 o Unit 1, Ch 3

� Supplementary Exercise: One-sentence Summaries (Worksheet 8)


� Revision Exercises in Recognising Main Ideas from Paragraphs/ Short Selections (refer to Section C in Study Guide for Lecture 5, p.V-26)

o Unit 1, Ch 1 � Revision Exercises in Summarising and Paraphrasing (refer to Section C in Study

Guide for Lecture 6, p.V-28) o Unit 1, Ch 2 o Unit 1, Ch 3

D. Useful Resources

� Recognising Main Ideas from Paragraphs/ Short Selections

o Refer to Section D in Study Guide for Lecture 5, p.V-26 � Summarising and Paraphrasing

o Refer to Section D in Study Guide for Lecture 6, p.V-28


40

Week 8 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Organise and connect specific evidence in the body paragraphs of an essay. � Use different methods of introduction to introduce the subject of an essay to the

readers in an interesting way. � Use different methods of conclusion to end an essay. � Write an appropriate title for an essay.


� Project Task 2A Research Essay (Assignment Sheet) � Textbook Exercises (Unit 3, Ch 4):

o Common Methods of Organisation, Activity 1, pp.186-188 o Using Transition Words, Activity 2, pp.189-192 o Using Transitional Sentences, Activity 3, pp.192-193 o Using Other Connecting Words (Repeated Words, Pronouns, Synonyms),

Activity 7, p.195 o Common Methods of Introduction, Activity 5, pp.198-199 (Complete at least

one question.) o Common Methods of Conclusion, Activity 6, p.201 (Complete at least one

question.) o Writing Titles, Activity 7, p.202 (Complete at least one question.)


� Textbook Exercises, Unit 3, Ch 4 o Organising through Time or Emphatic Order

� Activity 1, pp.188-189 & Activity 8, pp.204-205 o Using Transitions

� Activity 10 & 11, pp.205-209 o Using Transitions and Other Connecting Words (repeated words, pronouns,

synonyms), Activity 12, pp.209-210 o Completing Transitional Sentences, Activity 13, pp.210-211 o Identifying Introductions and Conclusions, Activity 14, pp.211-212


hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o i) CWSR, Ch 4, Quizzes � Writing On- and Offline o ii) CWSR, Ch 4, Interactive Exercises � Making Connections


41

Week 9 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Revise their essay so that their sentences use a consistent point of view, specific words,

active words, concise words, and a variety of sentence structures. � Edit their essay for accuracy. � Revise their essay for unity, coherence, support and sentence skills.


� Textbook Exercises in Revising and Editing (Unit 3, Ch 6): o Consistency with Verbs – Activity 2, pp.232-233 (Complete at least 1

question.) o Consistency with Pronouns – Activity 3, pp.234-235 (Complete at least 1

question.) o Using Specific Words – Activity 4-5, pp.236-237 (Complete at least 1

question.) o Using Active Verbs - Activity 6, pp.239 (Complete at least 1 question.) o Using Concise Words - Activity 7, pp.240-241 (Complete at least 1 question.) o Varying Your Sentences

� Activity 8, pp.242-243 (Complete at least 1 question.) � Activity 9, pp.244-245 (Complete at least 1 question.) � Activity 10, pp.246-247 (Complete at least 1 question.) � Activity 11, pp.247-248 (Complete at least 1 question.)

o Proofreading Exercise: Activity 12, pp.250-251 � Textbook Exercises in Revising for Four Bases of Writing (Unit 3, Ch 7):

o Activity 12, pp.287-290 (Analyse either Essay 1 or 2.)


� Textbook Exercises (Unit 3, Ch 6): o Consistency with Verbs

� Activity 2, pp.232 (Complete the rest of the questions.) � Review Test 3, pp.253-254

o Consistency with Pronouns � Activity 3, pp.234-235 (Complete the rest of the questions.) � Review Test 4, pp.254-255

o Using Specific Words � Activity 4-5, pp.236-237 (Complete the rest of the questions.) � Review Test 5-6, pp.255-257

o Using Active Verbs � Activity 6, pp.239 (Complete the rest of the questions.) � Review Test 7, pp.257-258


42

o Using Concise Words � Activity 7, pp.240-241 (Complete the rest of the questions.) � Review Test 8-9, pp.258-259

o Varying Your Sentences (Complete the rest of the questions.) � Activity 8, pp.242-243 � Activity 9, pp.244-245 � Activity 10, pp.246-247 � Activity 11, pp.247-248 � Review Test 10-12, pp.259-262

� Textbook Exercises in Revising for 4 Bases of Writing (Unit 3, Ch 7): o Base 1: Unity

� Activity 1-2, pp.264-267 � Activity 9, pp.278-282

o Base 2: Support � Activity 3, pp.268-271 � Activity 10, pp.282-284

o Base 3: Coherence � Activity 4-5, pp.271-275 � Activity 11, pp.284-287

o Base 4: Sentence Skills � Activity 7, pp.274-278; � Activity 12, pp.287-290 (Complete the rest of the questions)


hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o i) Ch 6, Interactive Exercises � Reviewing the Four Bases o ii) Ch 6, Writing On- and Offline


43

Week 8/9 – Tutorial (Classroom)


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Edit their essay for mistakes in verbs and subject-verb agreement � Edit their essay for mistakes in pronouns and other common mistakes made by

speakers of English as a second language (ESL pointers)

B. Suggested Learning Activities for Tutorial 8/9 � Revision Exercise: Verbs & Subject-verb Agreement (Worksheet 9) � Revision Exercise: Pronouns & ESL Pointers (Worksheet 10)

C. Supplementary Learning Activities � Textbook Exercises in Editing for Mistakes in Verbs (Unit 5, Ch 1):

o Activity 1-3, pp.344-348 � Textbook Exercises in Editing for Mistakes in Subject-verb Agreement (Unit 5, Ch 2):

o Activity 1-4, pp.350-353 o Review Test 1 – 3, pp.353-354

� Textbook Exercises in Pronoun Agreement and Reference (Unit 5, Ch 3): o Pronoun Agreement - Activity 1, pp.356-357 o Indefinite Pronouns - Activity 2, p.358 o Pronoun Reference – Activity 3, p.359 o Review Test 1-2, pp.359-360

� Textbook Exercises in ESL Pointers (Unit 5, Ch 4): o Articles with Count and Non-count Nouns - Activity 1-2, p.365 o Subjects and Verbs – Activity 3-4, p.370 o Adjectives – Activity 5-6, p.372 o Prepositions Used for Time and Place – Activity 7-8, p.373 o Review Test 1-2, p.374

� Textbook Exercises in Editing Tests (Unit 5, Ch 5): o Editing Tests 1-12, pp.377-388


44


hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o i) Ch 27 Quizzes � Subject-verb Agreement o ii) Ch 27, Interactive Exercises � Subject-verb Agreement: Practice Exercises o iii) Ch 28 Quizzes � Additional Information about Verbs o iv) Ch 28 Interactive Exercises � Verb/ Voice Shifts: Practice Exercises o v) Ch 29 Pronoun Agreement and Reference - Interactive Exercises �

Pronouns: Practice o vi) Ch 44 Editing Tests – Interactive Exercises � Editing Exercises o vii) Ch 45 ESL Pointers - Interactive Exercises � ESL Pointers


45



By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Take effective notes from lectures


� Thirteen Hints for Taking Effective Classroom Notes, pp.53-61 � Note-taking Practice: Listen to one of the following lectures and take notes on the

lecture. Then, answer the questions that follow the selection by referring to your textbook:

o Activity 4, Lecture about Listening, pp.73-75 o Activity 5, Lecture about Propaganda Techniques, pp.75-76 o Activity 6, Lecture about Effective Writing, pp.77-79

C. Supplementary Learning Activities � Reading Practice: Read the details of the “Thirteen Hints for Taking Effective

Classroom Notes” and complete the questions on pp.53-61. � Note-taking Practice: Listen to the other audio files on SMILE and complete the rest

of the note-taking practices (Activity 4/5/6, pp.73-79) for the lectures not covered in class.

D. Useful Resources � Listen to the lectures at http://www.listeningtowords.com/lectures.php and take notes

on the lectures. � More references and activities on listening to lecture and note-taking at “Language

and Learning Online” website at <http://www.monash.edu.au/lls/llonline/listening/notetaking/index.xml>

� More activities on listening to lectures at the “Essential Academic English Skills (ease)” website: <http://www.ease.ac.uk/listening/index.aspx>.


46

Week 10 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Lead a seminar discussion (presenting information, presenting an argument, starting a

discussion, encouraging others to give opinions, and controlling a discussion)


� Project Task 2B Oral Presentation/ Seminar (Assignment Sheet) � Listening Practice: Analysing an academic discussion (videos of PolyU ELC website

<http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/Subjects/ELC2204/>: Unit 1, Activity 9–The challenges of

creating a world-class city in Hong Kong) o Clip 1 (2:29) o Clip 2 (1:40)

� Useful expressions for leading a discussion


� Questionnaire: Behaviour in Group Discussions (Worksheet 11) � Listening Practice: Seminar on the Transition from School to University (video of

PolyU ELC website <http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/Subjects/ELC2204/>: Unit 1, Activity 3,

Exercise 2–Problems of the transition from school to University (4:31))

D. Useful Resources � Online Practices at CELTE

<http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/celte/multimedia/ease/> o Seminar Skills 1: Presentations (Sample Activity 1 and 2)

<http://www.ease.ac.uk/ss1/index.aspx>


47

Week 11 – Lecture


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Express agreement, disagreement, and reservation � Use appropriate expressions for discussions (listen actively, exchange opinions, taking

turns, dealing with a problem, stating priorities, and asking for opinions)


� Project Task 2a (Research Essay): Submit the assignment in the lecture/ tutorial as specified by your lecturer

� More Useful Expressions for Successful Discussions (Worksheet 12) � Discussion practice


� More resources available at the PolyU ELC website: o Brainstorming Expressions

<http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/cill/eap/brainstorming.htm>

D. Useful Resources � Online Practices at CELTE

<http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/celte/multimedia/ease/> o Seminar Skills 2: Discussions (Sample Activity 1 and 2)

http://www.ease.ac.uk/ss2/index.aspx


48

Week 10/11 – Tutorial (Classroom)


By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Revise and edit their essays for unity, support, coherence and language � Edit their essay for common mistakes made by speakers of English as a second

language (ESL pointers)


� More exercises on revising and editing essays (Refer to Week 9 – Lecture of Study Guide)


� Textbook Exercises in Editing Tests (Unit 5, Ch 5): o Editing Tests 1-12, pp.377-388

D. Useful Resources � More Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (CWSR)

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html (Refer to Week 8/9 – Tutorial (Language Lab.) of Study Guide)


49



By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: � Use appropriate skills to respond to questions


� Analyzing how to handle questions (videos of PolyU ELC website <http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/EAP/Audio-visual/>: Unit 3, Activity 8)

o Handling questions: Version 1 – Bad example (0:45) o Handling questions: Version 2 – Good example (1:29)

C. Useful Resources

� More resources available at the PolyU ELC website o Discussion Skills

<http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/elsc/material/Speaking/discussion_skills.htm >


50

Week 12/13 – Lecture

A. Expected Learning Outcomes of the Lesson You will complete the oral assessment task of the course (Project Task 2B) in the lecture of Week 12 and 13. By the end of these lessons, you will be able to:

� Reflect critically on your/ your peers’ performance in leading and participating in a

seminar discussion.


� Oral assessment task (Project Task B)


� Complete the Self-evaluation Sheet for Project B (Worksheet 13).

D. Useful Resources � PolyU Learning-to-learn Website at http://www.polyu.edu.hk/learn-to-

learn/student/html/index.htm


51

Week 12 – Tutorial (Classroom/ Language Lab)


By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: � Review the editing/ revising skills learnt in the course; � Reflect critically on your learning processes/ group skills/ project skills.


� Editing/ Revising Practice (Unfinished tasks in Unit 3, Ch 6/7 or Unit 5) � Reflection Practice (Online Self-Evaluation OR Group Discussion)

o Working in a Group: http://www.polyu.edu.hk/learn-to-

learn/student/html/GroupProject/selfEvaluation.htm

o Planning a Project: http://www.polyu.edu.hk/learn-to-

learn/student/html/GroupProject/planning.htm

o Doing a Project: http://www.polyu.edu.hk/learn-to-

learn/student/html/GroupProject/doing.htm

o OR Other Self-Evaluation Practices @ “How to Work Effectively in a Group

Project” < http://www.polyu.edu.hk/learn-to-

learn/student/html/GroupProject/Overview.htm>

C. Supplementary Learning Activities � Read more details about group skills, project skills, presentation skills at the PolyU

Learning to Learn website and complete the self-evaluation checklists in the guidebook to evaluate and reflect on your learning to learn skills. <http://www.polyu.edu.hk/learn-to-learn/student/html/index.htm>


hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html o Ch 44 Editing Tests - Interactive Exercises � Editing Exercises


52

Week 13 – Tutorial (Classroom/ Language Lab)


By the end of this lesson, you will be able to: � Learn about the scope and format of the final examination; � Review the key concepts/ skills taught in the course.


� Notes about CC2001 Examination: Complete the revision questions.

C. Supplementary Learning Activities � Refer to the Study Guide for Weeks 1-13 (Lecture/ Tutorial).

D. Useful Resources � Online Revision Practices at Companion Websites (CWSR) http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0073384089/student_view0/index.html � Online Revision Practices at Companion Website (RSS) at http://highered.mcgraw-

hill.com/sites/0072982772/student_view0/


53

Week 14 – Lecture/ Tutorial

Special Arrangement for Week 14 Both the lecture and the tutorial in Week 14 are normally scheduled as consultation sessions OR as supplementary sessions to cover the unfinished topics listed in the teaching plan. Your lecturer will be available to answer your questions about the course during the regular class

hours. Details about the special arrangement for Week 14 will be announced by your

lecturer in due course.


56

Worksheet 2 – My English Learning Self-Evaluation Sheet

Name: __________________________ Group: ___________________________ Reflect on your past English language learning experience by filling out the questionnaire below. Today is _________________ (date), my first English lesson in Semester 2! I am ________________________ (use an adjective to describe how you feel) because _________________________________________________________________________

A. My English learning experience…

…in secondary school was _____________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________because____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ …in HKCC so far was _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ because____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B. I need to improve my… Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree

Writing 1 2 3 4 5

Reading 1 2 3 4 5

Speaking 1 2 3 4 5

Listening 1 2 3 4 5

By improving the above skills, I can:


57

C. I have done the following to improve my English:

D. I can do/ will do the following to improve my English in semester 2:

E. I hope CC2001 can help me improve my English through the following:


58

Worksheet 3 – Fragments, Run-on sentences, Unparallel structures

Context:

The following reports on the immoral practices of beauty salons. It contains mistakes in fragments, run-ons and parallelism. Identify and correct the mistakes.

Beauty salons’ ludicrous* claims should be regulated, says party Friday, May 27, 2007

1The case of a 15-year-old boy who was given dubious* treatment to grow taller is among the thirteen complaints that the Democratic Party received in the past three months against beauty salons. 2The complaints have prompted* calls for greater regulation of salons that offer slimming,

gain height or hair-implanting treatments without medically qualified supervision*. 3Democrat Fred Li Wah-ming believed these complaints were only the tip of the iceberg. 4As there were many advertisements for similar services in entertainment magazines. “5Each advertisement costs about HK$20,000 to print and most beauty salons are located in the most crowded districts, like Mong Kok and Causeway Bay. 6This means the business is very

lucrative*,” he said. 7Mr Li said people were reluctant to come forward. “8Many victims may feel too embarrassed to tell others that they have tried to gain height. 9So even after they have been cheated, they don’t dare speak out,” explained Mr Li. “10The Trades Description Ordinance regulates only the advertising of goods but not services, since these services are not regarded as medical, they are not regulated by the Undesirable

Medical Advertisements Ordinance. 11There is a vacuum* of regulation over these misleading treatments,” said Mr Li. “12The government must take action to increase the protection of consumers.” 13In another case, a university student paid HK$57,000 for an electric current treatment at a beauty salon in 2004. 14The salon staff claimed the current could stimulate the growth of soft tissues and increase her height, they also persuaded her to buy magical cream that could make her taller. 15The undergraduate could not stand the pain induced by the electricity and a refund was demanded. 16But the staff refused. 17Orthopaedist Bobby Ng Kin-wah said only surgery could help an adult gain height. 18Girls usually stopped growing at about 16. 19Boys at 18. 20The Democratic Party has referred* the cases to the Consumer Council and may help the victims claim refunds through the Small Claims Tribunal. LILIAN GOH Freely adapted from South China Morning Post


59

**VVooccaabbuullaarryy iinn CCoonntteexxtt

Ludicrous (adjective)

Definition: stupid or unreasonable and deserving to be laughed at; ridiculous

Sample sentence:

The idea that people can lose weight by wrapping clingfilm around their bodies is ludicrous. Dubious (adjective)

Definition: thought not to be completely true or not able to be trusted

Sample sentence:

The claim that brandy can stimulate the growth of hair is dubious and not scientifically proven. Prompt (verb)

Definition: to make something happen

Sample sentence:

The official’s speech has prompted an angry response from the citizens. Supervision (noun)

Definition: when someone watches a person or activity and makes certain that everything is done correctly, safely, etc

Sample sentence:

Students are not allowed to carry out dangerous experiments unless they are under the supervision of a teacher. Lucrative (adjective)

Definition: (especially of a business, job or activity) producing a lot of money

Sample sentence:

Running a casino is a lucrative business. Vacuum (noun)

Definition: a lack of something

Sample sentence:

Due to the security vacuum, the thieves broke into the jewellery shop easily. Refer (verb)

Definition: to send or direct for treatment, aid, information, or decision

Sample sentence:

The doctor referred the patient to a specialist.


60

Worksheet 4 – Misplaced Modifiers

Context:

The following reports on enhancing better morale of nurses. It contains mistakes misplaced modifiers. Identify and correct the mistakes.

Nurses demand better treatment in hospitals Sunday, April 1, 2007

1Carrying red balloons, about 100 nurses marched to the Central Government Offices

yesterday to press the government to improve staff morale* at public hospitals with two Chinese characters for “morale”. 2Association of Hong Kong Nursing Staff chairman, Joseph Lee Kok-long, said surveys done in several public hospitals from 2003 to January this year found poor morale among nursing staff who is also legislator for the health services sector. “3Nursing morale has been always low. 4We found that the rate of job stress was nine out of a possible 10. 5Happiness was three out of 10 and job satisfaction four. 6These reflect only the low morale of nurses,” he said. 7Mr Lee, a registered nurse and an assistant professor at Open University, said the Hospital Authority, which was about one nurse per 10 to 24 patients, should improve the nurse-patient ratio. 8The international standard is one nurse per four patients. 9Meanwhile, three legislators yesterday warned that the shortage of doctors, especially Tuen

Mun Hospital, was “critical”* at New Territories West hospital cluster*. 10Kwok Ka-ki, of the medical sector, and the Confederation of Trade Unions legislators, Leung Yiu-chung and

Lee Cheuk-yan, from the authority said Tuen Mun and allied* hospitals had received the lowest funding in the past three years. “11This meant that there were only 0.52 doctors per 1,000 patients and 1.53 beds per 1,000 patients in 2005-06. 12The comparative figures for Hong Kong West were 0.95 doctors and 5.64 beds,” Dr Kwok said. 13A spokesman including doctors and nurses for the New Territories West cluster said the authority would recruit another 270 staff for the cluster of hospitals. 14A Hospital Authority spokesman said allocating resources did not only depend on the number of beds and staff. 15The authority also took into account the cost of new medical technology and staff training. MARY ANN BENITEZ and CELINE SU Freely adapted from South China Morning Post


61

Worksheet 5 – Dangling Modifiers

Context:

The following reports on the abuse of slimming drugs by Hong Kong practitioners. It contains mistakes in dangling modifiers. Identify and correct the mistakes.

HK residents among worst abusers 1The United Nations has highlighted* Hong Kong as one of the places where the abuse of

appetite suppressants for slimming purposes is most prevalent*. 2Producing serious side effects like pulmonary hypertension and heart valve damage, a

doctor’s prescription is required for anorectics, substances that suppress* the appetite*. 3Phentermine is the most common. 4Released by the UN's International Narcotics Control Board in March, Hong Kong was

ranked sixth in consumption* of anorectics, after Brazil, Argentina, South Korea, the United States and Singapore. 5According to the report, though useful in the treatment of life-threatening obesity or

attention-deficit disorder, doctors now use anorectics indiscriminately* to feed the slimming

obsession* that affects some societies. 6To reverse this trend, effective intervention by local competent authorities is a must. 7Hong Kong Medical Association council member, Tse Hung-hing, said the association had known for more than a decade that some doctors casually prescribed slimming drugs to patients. 8Although acknowledging that the Medical Council’s code of practice did not specifically state how doctors should prescribe particular slimming drugs, it was said that doctors could still be found guilty of professional misconduct if they prescribed dangerous slimming drugs to people who did not need to lose weight.

“9I think the code of practice and the present guidelines are strong enough to regulate* the profession, but the problem is that no patient makes a complaint against the doctors to the Medical Council,” said Dr Tse. “Only after receiving a complaint can the patient or the victim request for an investigation.” 11In his opinion, doctors should use their professional judgment to assess whether a patient should be prescribed slimming drugs. LILIAN GOH Freely adapted from South China Morning Post


62


Highlight (Verb)

Definition: to attract attention to or emphasize something important

Sample sentence:

The report highlights the need for improving Hong Kong’s air quality. Prevalent (Adjective)

Definition: existing very commonly or happening frequently

Sample sentence:

Chickenpox is more prevalent among young children. Suppress (Verb)

Definition: to restrain from a usual course or action; to inhibit the growth or development of

Sample sentence:

I know that I shouldn’t make any noise in the concert, but it’s difficult to suppress a cough. Appetite (Noun)

Definition: a desire for food

Sample sentence:

After doing exercise, she had a good appetite. Consumption (Noun)

Definition: the amount used or eaten

Sample sentence:

The consumption of red wine in Hong Kong is getting greater and greater. Indiscriminately (Adverb)

Definition: not showing careful thought or planning, especially so that harm results

Sample sentence:

In order to flee, the robbers fired indiscriminately into the crowd. Obsession (Noun)

Definition: something or someone that you think about all the time

Sample sentence:

Because of her chocolate obsession, she spent a lot of money buying chocolates. Regulate (Verb)

Definition: to control something, especially by making it work in a particular way

Sample sentence:

Parents should regulate how many snacks their children can eat every day.


63

Worksheet 6 – Designing a Questionnaire

The following questionnaire has been designed to find out some information about the users of Greenwood's Public Library. There are some errors in this questionnaire. Read through and see how many you can find.

Name ___________________________________

Telephone ________________________________

1. How often do you use the services offered by the library?

2. How many books or publications have you borrowed from the library?

___ 0 ___ 1–5 ___ 5–10 ___ 10–15___ 20–50 ___ 50–100

3. The last time you used the library, what was the purpose of your visit?

___ search for a book ___ search for a periodical ___ get information from a librarian ___ study peacefully

4. Were your needs satisfied?

___ Yes ___ No

5. How satisfied are you with the quality of service provided by the library and the attitude of the library staff?

1 2 3 4 5

6. What do you dislike about the library?

7. Are there any improvements which could be made to the library in order to provide better service?

Yes ___ No ___


64

8. Do you approve or disapprove of the recent proposals made by the Library Management Review Committee, such as the proposal to double fines for overdue books?

___ Approve ___ Disapprove (Go to Question 11)

9. Are you aware of these proposals?

Yes___ No ___

10. Why do you disapprove of these proposals?

11. Are you against not having longer opening hours?

___ Against ___ Not against

12. Level of education ______________________

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!

Source : “Questionnaire Exercise.” Statistics Canada. Internet Resources. 2006. 11 Feb. 2008. <http://www.statcan.ca/english/edu/power/ch2/exercises/que-exercises.htm>.

Answers are available at:

http://www.statcan.ca/english/edu/power/ch2/answers/que-answers.htm#quest1


65

Worksheet 7 – Interviewing Skills

Imagine that you have chosen your topic for the group project, and you have to conduct an interview in order to gather more primary resources for the research essay. Based on one of the topics and some sample questions below, prepare and conduct an interview with another student in the class.

Role Play – Pair Work

Topic: 3-3-4 Academic Structure / Financial Tsunami / Wi-Fi Facilities Student A: Interviewer Student B: Government Official

Sample Interview Questions

1. What is your responsibility or job duty?

2. What do you see as the major concerns of the public?

3. Tell me what the government is doing about this concern.

4. What else do you think should or could be done?

5. Tell me about your experience or someone else’s experience who has worked with this

problem.

Interviewer

(I) /

Government

Official (O)

Transcript Comments Organization

I Hello. Are you __________________? I’m _______________________, a year one student from Hong Kong Community College (HKCC). I am writing a paper about the city and public concerns, so I am coming to have an interview with you about _____________________ [the chosen topic].

Tell the interviewee the purpose of the interview

Opening

O Yes. How can I help you?

I Thank you. The first question I would like to ask you is ___________________________________ _________________________________________?

Begin with question number 1

O __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

I __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

Question number 2 –an open-ended question

Body (general to specific)


66

O __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

I Why is that so? Can you give me some background to this problem?

Further questions for clarification of the official’s answer

O Certainly. _________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

The official explains the reasons with supporting evidence.

I What happened to change that? Is the government doing anything about this problem?

Question number 3 – follow-up question asked by the interviewer

O __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

The official explains with examples.

I I would like to write them down first. The government________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________

O Yes. That is right.

Jot down important points and clarify the wordings with the official.

I What else do you think should or could be done?

Question number 4 – follow-up question asked by the interviewer

O __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________



67

I Oh, I see. Do you have anything more you would like to share, such as ________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________ _________________________________________?

Question number 5 –Ask the interviewee if there are important ideas that he/she hasn’t talked about

O Yes. __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________ __________________________________________


I Thank you! You have been very helpful. I thank you for your time and your answer to my questions. If I need a little more information, may I call you?

Ask the interviewee for permission to follow up for clarifications or additional questions

O Yes. Certainly. My pleasure to answer your questions. I wish you success on your report.

Closing

--End--

Adapted from: Spencer, C.M., & Arbon, B. (1997). Foundations of writing: Developing research and academic writing skills. Lincolnwood, Illinois: NTC.


68

Worksheet 8 – One-sentence Summaries

Instruction:

Read the following two paragraphs and write for each paragraph, (a) a title within 8 words, and (b) a one-sentence summary within 35 words that best summarizes its main idea and its most

important points in your own words (with identification of the source of the paragraph). Question 1 A major programme was launched in January 2005 to fight against AIDS in Mainland. With joint funding from the Mainland Government, a series of projects have been sponsored in the past 3 years. Its aim is to enhance the public’s awareness of AIDS. Even the Publicity Department of the Mainland Government has joined in efforts to run training workshops for Chinese officials nationwide to correct their attitude towards AIDS. As a community official from Gansu in western China put it, “For officials, no matter how low they rank, they should not play safe by keeping themselves clean from the disease or doing nothing in the national battle against AIDS. They are responsible to help the general public to be more aware of AIDS and its prevention.” In collaboration of 27 government departments in Hubei province, family planners distribute leaflets on AIDS prevention to sex workers, and tourism administrations advise hotels to place such leaflets in their guest rooms. The programme against AIDS is now carried out in many cities and provinces. Most importantly, the extensive government support to this programme has led to a change in attitude — from lack of interest to concern for AIDS. It is hoped that more and more people will benefit from this programme in the future.

- Xiong Lei, “Health Issue”, China Daily, 2008 Question 2 Many companies have tested their cosmetics on animals. The cosmetic animal testing is done for eye shadows and soaps. Majority of these eye shadow tests are done on rabbits in order to assess the level of damage or irritation caused to the rabbits. The sunscreen products are also tested on guinea pigs to assess the level of allergic reaction and irritation. However, such cosmetic testing could cause severe physical damages to the tested animals, such as bleeding, allergic reactions, liver problems, swollen eyelids, and ulceration. According to statistics, 50% of the animals die two or three weeks after the experimentation. Furthermore, some scientists state that such animal testing may not be reliable. The animals have a different distribution of fine blood vessels, and their skin does not react in the same way to the tests as that of a human. The animals are exhausted through a lot of tests in the laboratory and this may make the end-result meaningless. With the advancement of technology, new testing alternatives, such as cell cultures, tissue cultures, and sophisticated computer models, have come into place. Traditional animal testing is more costly than most of these new alternatives. Therefore, more and more companies have made a decision and stopped testing their products on animals.

Bob Smith, “Beauty”, Times Weekly, 2008


69

Worksheet 9 – Verbs & Subject-verb Agreement

Discipline-related Supplementary Language Practice

Context:

The following reports on the harmful ingredients in the manufacturing of cosmetic products. It contains mistakes in tenses, helping verbs, verbals and subject-verb agreement. Identify and correct the mistakes.

Lotion Sickness

1Recently, the Consumer Council was warned that tests on many popular lipsticks showed they contained various metal compounds and bacteria. 2Yet most levels were not exceed

international safety standards. 3So is the council being alarmist*? 4Let’s have a look at Samantha Wong Wai-sze’s case. 5The 29-year-old financial planner had been developing a sudden reaction to her makeup

about a month ago. 6Her woes first appeared as a tiny rash* under her right eye. 7But it soon

spreaded across the cheek - along with some pus-filled blisters*. 8Wong’s dermatologist, Henry Chan Hin-lee, said tests showed she had become sensitive to nickel and cobalt compounds found in the makeup. “9Although the products come from

prestigious* brands and has been purchased from recognising counters, there is no guarantee that the products will be allergen-free,” said Dr Chan, who treats at least one patient with similar problems every day. “10Neither nickel nor cobalt form part of the ingredients to make cosmetics. 11The compounds are contaminants in the manufactured process. 12While less harmful compared to heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium, they can still cause damage,” said Christopher Lam Wai-kei, a professor of chemical pathology at the Chinese University. “13Long-term exposure to metals can pose a health risk, especially if the metals are ingested and accumulated in the body.” 14The Consumer Council’s deputy chief executive, Connie Lau Yin-hing, see such cases as evidence of the need for stricter controls on cosmetics and skincare products. “15Beauty products are used by women day and night, so we expect them being free of impurities and being safe to apply on the face and skin,” said Lau. “16This is especially the case with lipstick, as the chemicals are easily taken into the body.” 17Of the 40 lipsticks sampled - including many big international brands - 90 per cent found to have different metals or bacteria, and sometimes both.

“18And that’s why the Consumer Council was issuing* a warning over the results from recent tests even though levels of many contaminants did not exceed international limits,” Lau said. Freely adapted from South China Morning Post


70


Alarmist (Adjective)

Definition: intentionally showing only the bad and dangerous things in a situation, and so worrying people

Sample sentence:

The government criticised the newspaper report which urged people to stop eating chicken for being alarmist. Rash (Noun)

Definition: a lot of small red spots on skin

Sample sentence:

You should see a doctor about the itchy rash on your face. Blister (Noun)

Definition: a painful red swelling on the skin that contains liquid, caused usually by continuous rubbing, especially on your heel, or by burning

Sample sentence:

My new shoes have given me blisters on my heels. Prestigious (Adjective)

Definition: greatly respected and admired, usually because of being important

Sample sentence:

The Oscar is a prestigious award and many actors would like to get it. Issue (Verb)

Definition: to produce or provide something official

Sample sentence:

The post office issued some stamps on 1 July 2007 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.


71

Worksheet 10 – Pronouns & ESL Pointers-d Supplementary Language Practice

Context:

The following reports on food safety issues on Sudan colouring. It contains mistakes in pronouns and ESL pointers. Identify and correct the mistakes.

Restaurant told to dump dye-tainted dumplings

1The Centre for Food Safety announced at Tuesday that rice dumpling sample collected from

the Chinese restaurant in New Territories was containing a trace* amount of Sudan Red dye. “2The Sudan Red level is very low, under normal consumption we do not expect any health

adverse* effects on humans, but it is a industrial dye and is banned from being used as a food additive,” said Tina Mok, the center’s principal medical officer. 3She said the center had requested the restaurant to stop to sell the batch* of rice dumplings

in question, and also ordered the supplier withdrawing* it from the market. 4The center is investigating the source of the dye and the number of dumplings food supplier has distributed. 5The tainted sample is believed to come from the Tai Wing Wah restaurant on Yuen Long, which belongs to the Wing Wah Group of restaurants and cake shops with a long history of specializing in Chinese delicacies. 6According to Wing Wah Group spokeswoman, Lee Ying-kuen, the rice dumplings in question are believed to contain duck eggs tainted with Sudan Red dye. 7He said the problematic batch comprised* 1,200 rice dumplings, of which more than 170 had been sold. 8People who have bought the dumplings they may return them to the restaurant or call their hotline on 2477-9947. 9Apart from Sudan coloring, the center has also conducted chemical tests on the rice dumpling samples to detect preservatives (such as boric acid, salicylic acid and benzoic acid), heavy metals (such as arsenic, cadmium and mercury) and pesticide residues (such as methamidophos and DDT) and microbiological tests on pathogenic bacteria (such as salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus), all of which have negative results. CAROL CHUNG Freely adapted from South China Morning Post


72


Trace (Noun)

Definition: a very slight amount

Sample sentence:

I think Margaret is a native speaker because she speaks English without the slightest trace of a foreigner accent. Adverse (Adjective)

Definition: having a negative or harmful effect on something

Sample sentence:

The picnic was cancelled due to adverse weather conditions. Batch (Noun)

Definition: a group of things or people dealt with at the same time or considered similar in type

Sample sentence:

My mother baked a batch of cookies. Withdraw (Verb)

Definition: to take or move out or back, or to remove

Sample sentence:

All the canned food which was found to contain the carcinogenic additive had to be withdrawn from sale. Comprise (Verb)

Definition: to have as parts or members, or to be those parts or members

Sample sentence:

The cheering team comprises ten girls and five boys.


73

Worksheet 11 – Behaviour in Group Discussions

I. Questionnaire on Individual Behaviour

Please take three minutes to complete the following table. For each attitude, put a �� or � in the second column to indicate whether you think the attitude is a positive or negative one. Then think about whether the attitude in question applies to you or not – indicate your answer for each by writing “Yes” or “No” in the third column.

The student:

Positive (put ��)

or

Negative (put ��)

Applies to you?

Write Yes or No

1. has previously thought about the topic.

2. is willing to listen to others.

3. never takes anything seriously.

4. is willing to change his/her opinion.

5. makes long speeches.

6. is not afraid to say what he/she believes.

7. will not give others a chance to speak.

8. will talk only to the tutor and not other members of the group.

9. encourages other members of the group to speak.

10. makes sarcastic remarks.

11. is tolerant of others’ beliefs.

12. makes his/her points concisely (briefly).

13. becomes angry or upset easily.

14. will support good ideas from other group members.

15. interrupts rudely.

16. pretends to agree with the rest of the group, although he/she really does not.

17. can relieve a tense or emotional situation with a joke.

18. shows that his/her own comments and ideas relate to points

that previous speakers have made.

19. holds whispered conversations with his/her neighbour.

20. thinks that time spent on discussion is time wasted.

How would you change the negative attitudes that apply to you?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


74

II. Questionnaire on Group Behaviour

Please take two minutes to complete the following table. For each factor, put a �� or � in the second column to indicate whether you think the factor has a positive or negative impact on a group discussion.

In a group discussion:

Positive (put ��)

or

Negative (put ��)

1. everyone talks at the same time.

2. the group has clearly defined aims (e.g. it knows exactly what has to be decided).

3. there is a timetable for various stages of the discussion.

4. some participants take note all the time and do not contribute to the discussion.

5. there is some time at the end for summing up and evaluation (i.e. deciding whether

the discussion has been successful or not).

6. nobody takes any notes.

7. everyone contributes by saying something.

8. at the end, each student is aware of the opinions of the other members of the group.

9. most students leave the seminar with the same ideas and opinions that they came with.

10. mostly, the opinions expressed are supported by facts.

11. at the end of the discussion, no consensus is reached.

How would you tackle the negative factors you have identified?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Adapted from: Wallace, M.J. Study Skills in English (8th ed.). Cambridge: Oxford University Press, 1988.


75

Worksheet 12 – More Useful Expressions for Successful Discussions

A. LEADING A DISCUSSION

1 Getting Started

• Is everybody ready to begin?

• Okay are we ready to start?

2 Bringing People into the Discussion

• (Name), what do you think?

• (Name), do you have anything to add?

3 Encouraging Everyone to Participate

• What do you think about (Name)’s point?

• Does anyone have anything to add?

• Would anyone like to comment on what (Name) said?

4 Clarifying

• Could you go over that again?

• I’m afraid we don’t really understand what you said.

• I’m not sure we all understand what you mean.

5 Controlling People Who Talk Too Much

• Let’s hear what some others have to say.

• I think you’ve got a good point there. Why don’t we find out what other

people have to say?

6 Keeping the Discussion Moving

• Perhaps we should go on to the next point.

• We have only a few minutes left, so could we move on?

• Are there any more comments before we move on to the next point?

7 Keeping the discussion on the Subject

• That’s interesting, but it raises a different point. Could we come back to

that later?

8. Reaching Agreement and Summing Up

• Do we agree that......?

• So, to sum up, we’ve decided .......

B. VOCABULARY FOR LISTENING ACTIVELY

1 Asking for Clarification

• What do you mean?

• I’m not sure what you mean.

• Sorry, but I don’t understand what you mean

• Could you explain what you mean by ...?

• Are you saying that .........?

• I’m not sure I follow you. Did you say that ....?

2 Clarifying or Restating (Your Comments)

• I mean .......

• In other words, ........

• The point I’m trying to make is .....

3 Paraphrasing

• (Name) said that .........

• What (Name) means is .........

• I believe (Name)’s point is ...........

• I think (Name) feels that ...... Isn’t that right?

• Let me see if I understood. You said ...........

4 Checking for Understanding

• Do you see what I mean?

• Is that clear?


76

C. VOCABULARY FOR EXCHANGING OPINIONS

1 Asking for an Opinion

• What do you think of .........?

• How do you feel about .....?

• What’s your opinion of ........?

2 Giving an Opinion

• In my opinion, .........

• Personally, I think that ........

• It seems to me .........

• As far as I’m concerned, .........

3 Agreeing (usually used by the ‘discussion leader)

• That’s right.

• You’re right.

• I think so, too.

• I agree with you.

• I definitely agree.

• I completely agree with you.

4 Expressing Reservations (usually used by the ‘discussion leader)

• Yes, but.....

• Possibly. but.....

• Yes, but the problem is....

5 Disagreeing

• I don’t really agree with you.

• I’m not sure I agree with you. The reason is that.....

• Yes, that may be true, but....

D. VOCABULARY FOR TAKING TURNS

1 Getting Attention

To indicate that you want to speak, you can use nonverbal signals such as leaning forward or raising your hand. You can also gain the attention of the group members during a pause by saying :

• May (could) I ask a question?

• May (could) I say something here?

• May (could I make a suggestion? or :

• I have a question I’d like to ask.

• I have a point I’d like to make.

2 Interrupting

If you feel that a interruption would be appropriate, you can wait for a pause in the conversation and then say :

• Excuse me, but........

• Pardon me, but........

• Excuse me for interrupting, but.......

• Sorry to interrupt, but........

3 Keeping Your Turn

• Excuse me, I’d just like to finish this point.

• If you could wait for a second, I’m just about to finish my point.

• Could I please just finish my point?

4 Continuing after an Interruption

• Anyway, .......

• As I was saying, ........

• In any case, .......

• Going back to what I was saying,......

• As I was saying, ........


77

6. VOCABULARY FOR DEALING WITH A PROBLEM

Emphasizing a Point • It seems to me that the real issue is.......

• I think the basic cause is......

• As far as I can see, the main problem is......

• In my opinion, the basic problem is......

7. VOCABULARY FOR STATING PRIORITIES

• In my opinion, the main thing is.....

• As I see it, the most important point is....

• I feel that the most important consideration is.....

8. VOCABULARY FOR ASKING FOR OPINIONS

• (Name), would you like to give us your opinion about .......

• (Name), what’s your opinion about .....

• (Name), I wonder if you’d like to comment on .....

• (Name), what’s your reaction to ......

• (Name), how do you feel about .....

Useful Resources on Discussion Skills:

http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/elsc/material/Speaking/discussion_skills.htm


78

Worksheet 13 – Self-evaluation Sheet for Project Task B

In this task, you’ll reflect on your learning about conducting effective academic discussions and evaluate your contribution to the group discussion. It will help you understand better your strengths and weaknesses and improve your skills in future academic discussions. (This task is not part of your assessment.) *Complete the questions and share your ideas with your team members. 1. Consider the following criteria for evaluating individual performance in this discussion task. Who in your group do you think is the most effective participant*? Why?

Criteria

� Interest and Clarity of Ideas

� Level of Participation & Interaction with Others (both verbal & non-verbal communication)

� Fluency of Speech/Expressions

� Accuracy of Speech

� Appropriateness & Variety of Language Used for Discussion

Who? ____________________________________________ (*could be yourself or another

member) Why? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 2. What are the main lessons you have learnt from the discussion? This can be about the process or the topic – or both. Be specific. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 3. What was your best contribution to the discussion? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 4. What was good about the discussion? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 5. What could be improved? ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________


79

6. Rate your individual performance (1 – Poor; 2- Adequate; 3 – Satisfactory; 4 – Good; 5 - Outstanding):

A. Overall Effectiveness of the Discussion a. Interest and Clarity of Ideas

� Clear viewpoint � Adequate examples and details to illustrate understanding of the topic � Logical organization of ideas

b. Level of Participation & Interaction with Others (both verbal & non-verbal communication)

� Active listening and appropriate response to comments � Clear clarification of opinions and reasoning � Active involvement of others in the discussion � Positive verbal and non-verbal communications

c. Fluency of Speech/Expressions

� Smooth and natural expression of ideas � Appropriate pace of speech

d. Accuracy of Speech

� Correct grammar � Clear articulation and pronunciation � Appropriate intonation and stress

e. Appropriateness & Variety of Language Used for Discussion

� Appropriate techniques for transition of ideas � Variety of expressions and questions for facilitating a discussion

Give comments to support your rating; you may include any unusual circumstances that may have affected your individual performance. __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

7. Rate the performance of the group (1 – Poor; 2- Adequate; 3 – Satisfactory; 4 – Good; 5 - Outstanding):

A. Overall Effectiveness of the Discussion a. Organisation

i) Opening � Take turns to present main ideas and supporting points clearly within the responsible group

ii) Discussion � Maintain the discussion on a focused topic and task � Pose appropriate questions to generate further discussion � Ensure effective involvement of class members in discussion

iii) Closure � Give an effective and meaningful conclusion of main points discussed

b. Time Management

Complete the opening, discussion and closure within 20 minutes

B. Group Interaction � Active involvement of all group members and class members in discussion

� Logical flow of arguments

Please give comments to support your rating; you may include any unusual circumstances in your team that may have affected your group’s performance. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________


80

VII. Annotated Student Samples

Skill 1

Writing a Reflection

Good Reflection

Context: Students reflected on their working process in the group project.

Good Sample 1

I learned how to apply the techniques of brainstorming and scratch outlining in our

project discussion. At the beginning, we brainstormed many ideas. The ideas were

diverse, but we started to lose direction. Then, we tried to classify the ideas into

different categories such as background, positive views and negative views on plastic

surgery using techniques of scratch outlining. The overall picture started to appear.

Comments - Apart from just mentioning what has been learned, the student describes how such learning benefits the planning process in details.

- Specific examples are given to elaborate the main point, i.e. how the project group solved the problem encountered in the project.

- The main idea, i.e. what they have learnt in the project, is stated clearly in a topic sentence. Readers understand at the beginning of the paragraph; The main point, i.e., is stated clearly.

Good Sample 2

As an outline had been set before we had the results of questionnaire study, it was quite

abstract to confirm the topic sentences and supporting details in the outline. The

questionnaire results greatly affected the supporting details and claims used for the

project. Therefore, we suggest that we may plan, finish and analyze the questionnaire

study in the earliest stage of project so that we could have more concrete ideas to

confirm the outline earlier, and much less revision will be needed afterwards.

Comments - The suggestion is based on specific observation in the process of completing the project.

- The suggestion is concrete and specific.


81

Skill 1

Writing a Reflection

Poor Reflection

Context: Students reflected on their working process in the group project.

Poor Sample 1

When we planned our project, we applied what we had learned in the course to conduct

our discussion in a more organized way.

Comments - The description is too general and lacks depth of thoughts.

- The main ideas, i.e. what specific skills the student had used in the discussion and how they found the skills useful/ effective, are not explained.

Poor Sample 2

To have a more meaningful content, we suggest that we should have clearer directions

at the beginning.

Comments - The description is too general and lacks depth of thoughts.

- The suggestion is not based on any objective or specific observation.

- The suggestion is abstract.


82

Skill 2

Writing an Essay Outline

Good Essay Outline

The following is an authentic text from a student’s sample work; writing errors may occur.

Sections Comments

Introduction

Thesis statement

People don’t sign the organ donation card because of the Chinese traditional culture, unawareness of the importance of organ donation, and misconception of organ donation. As donating organ after death is meaningful, methods to increase people’s awareness of it to save others’ lives are also introduced.

The thesis statement states the single central idea with a clear plan of development.

The main points are stated in a parallel structure.

Body

Topic Sentence 1:

Traditional Chinese culture encourages keeping the intact body after death.

Specific Supporting Evidence:

(a) Our bodies are given by parents that should not be damaged without their permission.

(b) It seems to be a curse of early death to yourselves. (c) People are afraid that their families are reluctant to let

them donate the organ.

Different reasons are given to explain to support the topic sentence.

What is the source of information?

Topic Sentence 2:

People are unaware of the urgency and large demand of organ transplant.

Specific Supporting Evidence

(a) There is a lack of promotion (how to get those cards, what would be done if I sign the card).

How does lack of promotion affect people’s perception of organ transplant?

Topic Sentence 3

People have a lot of misconceptions of organ donation.

Specific Supporting Evidence

(a) People may fear that doctors may not try their best to save the life of an organ donor.

(b) People may worry that they may not be suitable for

The topic sentence is well supported by different examples of people’s


83

donation because of a history of medical illness. (c) People may worry that they are too old to donate their

organ as the organ may not function well and healthy. (d) They have the misconception of donating all the organs

once they signed the card even they want to donate only one of them.

misconceptions about organ donation.

Is there any research evidence to enhance the credibility of the essay? How many percentages of people have these misconceptions?

General Closing Remark/ Summary

It is suggested that donating organ after death is a meaningful act to save others’ lives. And people are encouraged to sign the organ donation card and change their misconceptions about Chinese traditional culture and misconception of organ donation.

Summarises the essay by briefly restating the thesis and the main supporting points. (Often, it’s useful to include a concluding thought of the writer about the subject of the paper).

Overall comments

Merits: The students tried to approach the problem from different aspects. Areas for Further Improvement: Research data is needed to strengthen the supporting evidence. Alternative methods should be proposed to address the problem. It would be better for the students to re-state the thesis statement, summarize the main

points and present the final thoughts about the topic in the conclusion.


84

Skill 2

Writing an Essay Outline

Poor Essay Outline


Sections Comments

A) Introduction

Thesis statement

1) The alertness of the disease of high blood pressure is low in Hong Kong.

A thesis statement stating the topic, attitude/idea and the plan of development of the essay is needed. This thesis statement is an announcement only as it consists of a topic only. Writers’ attitude/main idea and plan of development, e.g. causes, impact, solutions are missing.

B) Reasons

Topic sentence 1: Over 1.7 billions of Hong Kong people do not realize that they have high blood pressure. Specific Supporting Evidence: - According to the Population Health Survey 2003/04 of

the Department of Health, 60% of male with high blood pressure do not know they have the disease.

- 1 in 5 Hong Kong people have high blood pressure. - 1 in 5 Hong Kong people do not have the idea of high

blood pressure.

A topic sentence (complete sentence) is used to outline the main idea, but the number 1.7 billions is illogical and inaccurate.

Specific supporting evidence with statistics is given, but the last two sub-points should be better linked to support the topic sentence.

Topic sentence 2: Hong Kong people do not have body check annually. Specific Supporting Evidence: - Busy life do not allow enough time for them to have

body check. - Unhealthy diet increases the risk of having high blood

pressure. - Signs of high blood pressure are invisible, they know

they are high blood pressure when they are very ill. - They belittle the consequences of high blood pressure.

Only general facts are provided.

Specific supporting evidence with elaboration and research data (e.g. statistics, quotes) is needed to support the topic sentence.


85

Topic sentence 3: Most people misbelieve high blood pressure would only appear in the elderly. Specific Supporting Evidence: - People think that high blood pressure is only associated

with heart disease, high blood glucose level and old age. - Statistic shows that majority of high blood pressure are

the elderly. - Advertisements on high blood pressure usually focus on

old age group. - They think that discomforts such as tiredness and

dizziness are due to stress and hustle life, so that people do not relate them to high blood pressure.

Only general facts are provided.

Supporting evidence, though given, is not specific.

The last sub-point does not support the topic sentence.

General Closing Remarks/ Summary Omitted closing thoughts/ summary

Overall comments

Areas for Further Improvement: The outline shows no own opinion/position as the

examples you’ve used are descriptive and obvious. A title can be added to announce the topic and attract

readers’ attention at the first sight. Alternative methods to address the issue can be put

forward. A summary can be added to give a conclusion to the

essay.


86

Skill 3

Writing a Research Essay

Good Research Essay

Instructions

Write a 5-paragraph academic essay of 1,000-1200 words in which you will critically

analyse issues regarding beauty and health-related industries and present your critical

opinion/attitude on it.


Sections Comments

Title

Why don’t people sign the organ donation card?

The title shows the writers’ attitude and the topic of the essay.

The first letter of each content word should be capitalized.

Paragraph 1—Introduction

Although there is an increasing number of organ donors in recent

years, the shortage of organs is still a problem to Hong Kong as

there is a large demand on organ transplant. To give organs after

death, people should sign an organ donation card in the first step.

Organ donation card has been long introduced while people are

unaware of the importance of signing the cards. [Thesis

statement] People don’t sign the organ donation card because

of the Chinese traditional culture, uncertainly of organ

donation, misconception of organ donation and personal

reasons of organ donation. As donating organ after death is

meaningful, this action can bring hopes to patients in need and

provide them with a chance to live. In order to know more about

the reasons of people not signing the cards, a research was done.

The development from background information to the thesis statement is smooth and natural.

The thesis statement is specific with the topic, attitude and plan of development.


87

Besides, methods such as promotion and education which

increase people’s awareness to save others’ lives are also

discussed in this essay.

Paragraph 2—Body (Main Idea 1)

The first reason why Hong Kong people do not sign the organ

donation card is that they are greatly affected by the Chinese

traditional culture. As described by the news report “Campaign

to encourage organ giving”, research conducted by the Hospital

Authority on the reasons for people not accepting organ donation

found that 33 percent still held traditional Chinese beliefs. For

the elder people, they always think that people should keep their

body intact after death. Otherwise, they would lose some part of

the body in the netherworld. So, most elder people do not

suggest themselves or their family members donate their organs

to others. Also, traditional Chinese people are very superstitious.

They like auspicious things and avoid misfortunes. If they sign

the organ donation cards, it would seem that they are cursing

themselves to die earlier.

The topic sentence is clear and supports the thesis.

The topic sentence is supported by the research data.


Besides the misbelieve in Chinese traditional culture as sons

must respect and accept the opinion of their parents, the second

reason of people not signing an organ donation card is the

uncertainty of organ donation. People are unaware of the urgency

and large demand of organ transplant. In the questionnaire “Why

A transitional device is used to connect the ideas of paragraph 2 and paragraph 3 together

The writers can provide statistical evidence from various sources to support the topic sentence, which helps readers understand the


88

don’t people sign the organ donation card?” we conducted

recently, over 60% of people are unaware of the situation in

Hong Kong. In September 2006, statistics have been released by

the Hospital Authority. It shows that about 2000 patients have

been waiting for organ transplants, while 1400 need kidney

transplants, 400 need cornea transplants and 150 need liver

transplants. However, the number of donors in the first nine

months was only 296, which is absolutely insufficient to the

large demand of organs needed. The low organ donation rate, 3.8

patients per million per year, shows that people are not

concerned about the situation. The shortage of donors was

responsible for 90% of mortality rate among high risks patients

and patients queue for transplants.

urgency of the organ donation.

Paragraph 4—Body(Main Idea 3)

The third reason for obstructing people signing organ donation

cards is having lots of misconceptions. As mentioned by

“commonly asked questions on organ donation” of The Hong

Kong Medical Association, “Will the doctors stop trying to save

me during my critical illness once they know that I had signed

the organ donation form?” Definitely not! They will surly try

their best to save a patient, as the primary responsibility of

doctors is to save people instead of sacrificing a life to save

another. Besides, some people with a history of medical illness

may think that their organs are not suitable for organ donation

Good organization in general --- It is good to point out the individual misconceptions and then followed by the true picture.

There is a unity problem in this paragraph. The writers had better omit the part regarding the few cases which are not suitable for organ donation as it confuses readers with the second misconception.

MLA format: It is necessary to

provide the source of the information about the age limit.


89

because they think that their organs will not function properly.

However, there are few cases which are not suitable for

organ donations. For example, patients with some infectious

disease or cancer may not be suitable for organ donation.

The medical team in charge of organ transplant will assess all

potential donors individually for suitability of the organs for

donation. Some elderly may also argue that their age is not

suitable for organ donation. Actually, there is not absolute age

limits for organ donation. In general, organs may be donated

from someone as young as a newborn or those whose age is

below 75. As for various types of tissue donation, the age limit is

below 80 for donation of cornea and between 16 and 60 for long

bones. There is no age limit for donation of skin. Furthermore,

some people only want to donate one of their organs but they

worry that all their organs will be taken away once they sign the

card. Nevertheless, the truth is that people can specify on the

donation card which organ they whish to donate.

Paragraph 5 — Conclusion

To conclude, after our research, the major reasons of people not

signing an organ donation card include influences by the Chinese

traditional culture, having uncertainty and misconceptions on

organ donation and possessing some personal reasons. However,

many patients die each year because of the unavailability of a

suitable organ. Reflecting on the problem, what people can do to

The major supporting points are summarised in the conclusion.


90

save the lives of others is just to donate their organs after death.

We found it necessary to let people know that they can do

something worthwhile even after death by donating their organs.

Also, it is urgent to take actions in order to meet the large

demand on organ transplant. To encourage people signing the

cards, the Hospital Authority and Organ Donation Associations

may consider the following suggestions: promoting in public

areas, holding campaigns, advertising through the media and

educating people the right attitude towards organ donation.

Works Cited

“Campaign to encourage organ giving”. Yahoo. The Standard. 2006. 1 Apr.2007

<http://hk.news.yahoo.com/061218/318/1yh81.htm>.

Chan, Kenix, and Cindy Cheng, and Tom Chik, and Wyman Tam. “Why don’t People sign the

organ donation card?”. Questionnaire.

The Hong Kong Community college. Mar 2007.

“Commonly Asked Questions on Organ Donation”. The Hong Kong Medical Association. 1997.

1 Apr. 2007 <http://www.hkma.com.hk/english/care/bregistset.htm>

“Give Live”. The Pearl Report. Report. Chris Lincoln. TVB. 2006

“Myths & Facts about Organ & Tissue Donation”. Organ Donation – Gift of Life . Hospital

Authority. 1999. 1 Apr. 2007 <http://www.ha.org.hk/odhk/od_myth.htm>.

“Patient cry out for organ donations”. Yahoo. The Standard. 2007. 1 Apr. 2007

<http://hk.news.yahoo.com/070125/318/20nxu.html>

“Publicity drive on organ donation to save lives”. Centre of Health Protection . Department of

Health. 2006. 1 Apr. 2007


91

<http://www.chp.gov.hk/content.asp?lang=en&id=6&info_id=8443>>

Overall comments

Merits: It is a well-written essay with a clear plan of development and substantial ideas. The use of statistic data, quotes, examples are sufficient strong and specific to support the

thesis statement and topic sentences. Development of ideas is smooth and logical. A reasonable range of transitional devices are used sufficiently. Areas of Further Improvement: Some minor problems with fragments and word choice should be avoided. A variety of resources should be sought, e.g. printed materials.


92

Instructions

Write a 5-paragraph academic essay of 1,000-1200 words in which you will critically

analyse issues regarding beauty and health-related industries and present your critical

opinion/attitude on it.

The following is an authentic text of a student’s work; writing errors may occur.

Sections Comments

Title

Prohibit smoking in Hong Kong

The title is informative.

Paragraph 1- Introduction

In [the] 18 [th] centuries[y] , a huge number of Chinese

were addicted to a type of narcotic substance called opium.

The Qing government decided to help their citizens,

ordered one official to burn all the confiscated opium

products. This triggered the famous “opium war”. We did

lose the war then, but the fact is the number of addicts was

sharply decreased. Today [,] Hong Kong people are

addicted to another type of psychoactive drug called

nicotine, which is contained in cigarette. Fortunately, our

government is dealing with cigarette companies not other

countries this time. [Thesis Statement] With interest

[wrong choice of word] of improving citizens’ quality of

life hence positively influence[ing] their social life

[fragment]. Our government is once again stands out and

fights against the cigarette, with the help of education, mass

The introduction is not effective with inappropriate analogy between opium and cigarettes.

Thesis statement: The thesis statement is okay, but the contents in the essay do not follow the plan of development.

Skill 3

Writing a Research Essay

Poor Research Essay


93

media and the government itself. We believe we will win

the battle between cigarette

Paragraph 2 - Body (Main Idea 1)

Cigarette projects [a] negative image, but actually how can

it affect us? As an adult, a healthy sexual life is a key

element to achieve quality life, but cigarette affects it

seriously. Researches tell us that comparing with non-

smokers [,] smokers will have a higher chance to develop

erectile dysfunction and impotence that influence sexual

ability. In addition, many researches support [show that]

smoking can lead to many terrible diseases, such as lung

cancer, heart disease and stroke. You can imagine a life,

which the [a] person with one of these diseases is definitely

not credited with enjoyable [wrong part of speech].

• Topic sentence successfully tells the intended main idea of this paragraph. However, the supporting evidence is not specific enough and not appropriately cited in-text.

Paragraph 3 - Body (Main Idea 2)

In legal aspect, what the government did to discourage

people smoking is not just proposed [to propose] a draft

[bill] and let the legislative council to decide whether it

will become a law or not. In fact, there are [a] total of five

laws proposed and, including prohibits[ing] indoor

smoking, elevate[ing] the cigarette tax and control[ling] the

content and the package of cigarette[s]. It is almost sure

that the government determines [has determined] to knock

down [wrong choice of word] the cigarette[s].

The main idea in this paragraph is not clear.


94


According to our findings, public’s implication [wrong

choice of words] of the least useful method is banning

smoking according to place [unclear meaning]. However,

the government increased the number of “no smoking

area[s]”. Contrariously [Conversely], the result is

astonishing. The most powerful evidence is the government

established new laws to ban indoor smoking on 1st January

2007. For [the] government, it can be benefit by creating

restriction areas, because they can receive penalty for

[from] the offenders who smoke in that area. The money

can be used in a better way, such as medical research. The

medical research can help us to invent [a] new technique or

find a new drug that can improve the treatment of smoke-

related disease, heart disease, stoke [stroke], lung cancer

and etc..

The main idea in this paragraph is not clear.

Conclusion

Paragraph 5

In Chinese we have an old saying about health and money,

and it [is] still as true as it was. So for the sake of us, our

family and even the government, stop smoking is the finest

decision one man can make. It can save your money, your

relationship with others and most importantly, save you

[yourself].

The thesis is restated and a final remark is made, but a summary of main points is missing.


95

Reference [Works Cited] Cheng, E and J Chow. “Drugs.” Chemistry A Modern View 2. 4th ed Wilson Welsh Publications

LTD. 336-338 “Section 8-10.” Bilingual Laws Information System. Internet resources. Apr 1,

2007 http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_export.nsf/findEngSection?OpenAgent&View

_name=ProCurAllEngDoc&section_choose=CAP%20371%20%20SMOKING%20

(PUBLIC%20HEALTH)%20ORDINANCE&chapter_choose=Chapter%20371%20

SMOKING%20(PUBLIC%20HEALTH)%20ORDINANCE

Smoking and Youth .Hong Kong: Tobacco control office department of health.

Tobacco control office department of health. Internet resources. 2001. 1 Apr. 2007

<http://www.tobaccocontrol.gov.hk/eng/index.html>.

Areas for Further Improvement: The introduction is not effective with inappropriate analogy. The conclusion lacks summary of the main points. There is no topic sentence or the main idea is not clear in many paragraphs. Ideas should be better organised and connected. More solid examples and facts are needed. There is an odd transition or even a lack of transition between paragraphs. A transitional

sentence is required to summarize the last point discussed and introduce the main idea of the current paragraph.

The language use needs revision. There are a lot of mistakes about word choice and sentence structure (e.g. long and unclear sentences). The ideas cannot be presented clearly.

No trace of MLA citation style is used throughout the essay. The Works Cited list needs revision.


96

Skill 4

Writing One-sentence Summaries

(with identification of sources)

Good Sample

Instruction:

Read the following paragraph and write a one-sentence summary within 35 words that best summarizes its main idea and the most important points in your own words (with identification of the source of the paragraph). It’s fun to travel to another country on a vacation. However, falling ill on a journey may spoil your whole vacation. To avoid this, you should select your meals carefully. All raw food is subject to contamination. Particularly in areas where hygiene and sanitation are inadequate, you should avoid salads, uncooked vegetables, and dairy products such as cheese. Eat only food that has been cooked and is still hot, or fruit you’ve peeled yourself. Undercooked and raw meat, fish, and shellfish may carry various intestinal pathogens. Cooked food that has been allowed to stand lukewarm for several hours may provide a fertile place for bacterial growth and should be thoroughly reheated before serving. Street food vendors have been associated with increased risk of tummy trouble, so stay away from them. Follow these tips and you should be able to enjoy your journey all the way.

- Trisha Macnair “Food on a Journey”, BBC Health, September 2006

Good

In “Food on a Journey” (BBC Health, September 2006), Trisha Macnair offers hints to

avoid illness while travelling by eating only cooked or thoroughly reheated food and

fresh fruit peeled by travellers themselves.

Comments

Identification - The author’s name is in correct format, i.e. full name (Trisha Macnair) or last name (Macnair).

- Punctuation is appropriate: the use of quotation mark for the title of the article, publication information in parentheses and underline the title of the publication

Content - Hints to avoid illness while travelling - No redundant details

Paraphrasing Skills - Most synonyms are substituted - Ideas are presented clearly in a new sentence structure - Excellent choice of words and verbs


97

Skill 4

Writing One-sentence Summaries

(with identification of sources)

Poor Sample

Instruction:

Read the following paragraph and write a one-sentence summary within 35 words that best summarizes its main idea and the most important points in your own words (with identification of the source of the paragraph). It’s fun to travel to another country on a vacation. However, falling ill on a journey may spoil your whole vacation. To avoid this, you should select your meals carefully. All raw food is subject to contamination. Particularly in areas where hygiene and sanitation are inadequate, you should avoid salads, uncooked vegetables, and dairy products such as cheese. Eat only food that has been cooked and is still hot, or fruit you’ve peeled yourself. Undercooked and raw meat, fish, and shellfish may carry various intestinal pathogens. Cooked food that has been allowed to stand lukewarm for several hours may provide a fertile place for bacterial growth and should be thoroughly reheated before serving. Street food vendors have been associated with increased risk of tummy trouble, so stay away from them. Follow these tips and you should be able to enjoy your journey all the way.

- Trisha Macnair “Food on a Journey”, BBC Health, September 2006

Poor

In “Food on a Journey”, BBC Health, by Trisha, the writer said it is fun to travel to

another country on a vacation if we avoid uncooked and raw street food.

Comments

Identification - The author’s name is in a wrong format, i.e. only the first name (Trisha) is given

- Redundant reference to the writer (Trisha and the writer) - Punctuation is inappropriate: publication information not in

parentheses and the title of the publication not underlined, the date is missing

Content - The main idea, i.e. to avoid illness while travelling, is not clearly identified

- Some main points are either fused (e.g. uncooked and raw street food) or missing (e.g. reheated food and fresh fruit peeled by travellers themselves).

Paraphrasing Skills - No synonyms are substituted - Words are almost copied from the original passage - Some important ideas are altered. - Wrong use of verb tense

English Skills for Academic Studies - Hong Kong … Study...collaborate with peers in a major team...

Documents

Transcript of English Skills for Academic Studies - Hong Kong … Study...collaborate with peers in a major team...