Idiots Guide to Writing

8/6/2019 Idiots Guide to Writing

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Getting Started

When writing an essay its easy to become stuck or loseyour focus.

Remember to follow the steps of writing an essay:1. Understand the task Note the keywords on the topic that you choose.

Present ideas supported by an explanation andexample (TEEL).

2. Brainstorm ideas Start by jotting down any ideas which come into your

head about the topic (brainstorming).3. Organise ideas Write your plan. This should be a series of headings

and key words to remind you of what should be ineach paragraph.

4. Write the essay

Use TEEL. Make sure you use paragraphs.5. Edit and proofread


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Common Mistakes

Nondescriptive WordsStructure

Logic

SequencingReferencingGrammar

Conjunctions Tense

Sentence Starters SMS text and Casual Language Spelling Commonly Confused words


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Nondescriptive Words

Nondescriptive words are commonly used inmany different ways to indicate a range ofmeanings. They are ambiguous, vague,inefficient and suggest that you dont have a

clear idea of what you are talking about.

Non-DescriptiveWord

Alternatives

like similar, reminiscent, comparable, analogous,related

done/do completed, organised, prepared,accomplished

good/nice virtuous, satisfactory,superior, beneficial,

useful

bad corrupt, appalling, dangerous, faulty,defective, harmful

they Unless you have said who they are

something What THING are you talking about? Bemore specific

interesting fascinating, appealing, remarkable,

significant, relevant


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Structure: Logic andSequencing

Yes youve heard it all before: everyessay should have an introduction,body and conclusion.

What you dont know is that everyparagraph also has a structure.Each paragraph needs to follow

logically from the one before it.Planning your essay before you write it

is the BEST way to make sure yourideas follow logically.

Always use TEEL to help you organiseyour ideas.


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Logic

Look out for logic traps, does your argumentactually make sense? Do you have facts tosupport your case or was it just in your head


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Logic Errors

Spot the errors in logic (real studentessays): For a nosebleed : Put nose much

lower than the body until the heart

stops. For asphyxiation : Apply artificial

respiration until the patient isdead.

A fossil is an extinct animal. The

older it is, the more extinct it is. The skeleton is what is left after theinsides have been taken out andthe outsides have been taken off.The purpose of the skeleton issomething to hitch meat to.

The tides are a fight between theEarth and moon. All water tends


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Sequencing

Sequencing is the order in which you presentyour essay.

When an essay is in some sort of order, it iseasier for the writer to put the essay

together and for the reader to understandthe main ideas presented.


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Sequencing

Sequencing requires you decide in what ordershould the facts and arguments bepresented.

If you start talking about examples before you

mention the topic your reader will not beable to follow.

It is common to move paragraphs around inyour essay so that the reader can follow yourargument.


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Sequencing

Sequencing Activity: Place these sentencesin logical sequence. In 2009 on the 7th of October, Sex Crimes

Squad Detectives arrested and charged a29 year old Moss Vale, NSW, man forhaving sexually explicit onlineconversations with a girl under the age of16 and arranging to meet her to engage in

sexual activity. This is one of the biggest ethical issues with

internet use and highlights the need forlaws and policies to protect children.

The internet gives predators an easygateway to embark on child grooming, the


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Referencing

Referencing takes time, but it is a critical part of anyessay.

Once you get the hang of it referencing is actuallyeasy.

You must reference any articles or ideas you use inyour essay, not just those that you copy andpasted.

Make a Bibliography with the format: Books: Author (Year) Title Place of Publication:

Publisher Internet: Author (Year) Title [online] Available

http://www. [date accessed]

DONT forget to include in textreferencing aftereveryquote or idea that is not yours.

Use the format: '


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Referencing

Select the correct answer from the following:

1. A Bibliography:a) Is the study of biology and graphingb) is a list of all the resources used to write an essayc) should include only the references cited anywhere in the

workd) should never be used in short articles.

2. Each entry in the Bibliography must be:a) Listed alphabetically by Authorb) cited in text where it has been usedc)published in a credible journal

d)all of the above.3. When quoting either pictures, tables or text in your

document you must:a)provide the authors name in the textb)provide the year and page citation in the textc) include a complete reference in the Bibliography

d)do only a and ce) do a, b and c.


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Referencing

4. From the examples below select the correct form ofcitation for a reference taken from the World Wide Web

a) What is the Internet? (July 1, 1998). Keith, K.www.library.unisa.edu.au/internet/intguide/intintro.htm

b)Keith, K. What is the Internet? Retrieved June 23, 1999 fromthe World Wide Web:http://www.library.unisa.edu.au/internet/intguide/intintro.htm

c) Keith K 1998, What is the Internet? viewed 23 November,1999.


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Conjunctions

Conjunctions linkwords, phrases, andclauses together.

They should be used sparingly, and

only to link related ideas together.Dont link unrelated ideas or long

sentences, it confuses the reader!You need to consider the relationship

between the 2 sentences or phrasesyou are linking.

Then choose an appropriate type ofconjunction to use.

Table of English Conjunctions (selected examples)


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Common Conjuntions

Table of English Conjunctions (selected examples)

o gical M eani ng c ro ss S en te nc es i th in S ent en ce sAddition and

Replacement, ,Also in addition

furthermore,moreover further

,and and alsonor,or or else

Contrast andComparison

,However on the other, ,hand in contrast

, ,nevertheless even so,despite this in the same

, ,way likewise similarly

, , ,But whereas while even, ,though although

both and..neither nor

Cause and Condition ,for this reason,therefore because of

, , ,this thus hence as a, ,result consequently in

,that case otherwise

, , ,Because since so sothat

, ,in order that if unless

Time and Place , ,Then afterwardspreviously

, ,up till now firstsecond

, ,third next finally

, , When after before


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Co-ordinatingConjunctions

Co-ordinating Conjunctions simply linkwords, phrases, and clausestogether: I paid the price for failing to study. He sat the exam when he was ready.

Conjunction Where it should be used

for Aimed at, to benefit/behalf/instead of,towards, because,

and In addition towhen To indicate the time at which point somethinghappensbut To introduce something that is true, despitewhat has just been said that is contraryso The reason for an action/situation or itsresult.


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SubordinatingConjunctions

Subordinating Conjunctions indicates thenature of the relationship among theindependent clause (A) and the dependentclause (B).

They are more specific and should be usedwhere a subordinate relationship exists. After she had learned to drive, Alice felt more

independent. He excelled at the exam although he was not

ready.


although In spite of the fact that A, B.

after B occurring later in time than A.

though An admission that B partially contradicts A.

since A is happening because of or following fromBwhether Used to introduce doubt between A and B


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Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative Conjunctions always appear inpairs to link equivalent sentence elements.

The are used to link elements that are relatedor may be related in some way. Both my grandfather and my father worked

hard at school. He either passed or failed the exam.


both, and Where A and B are true or relatedeither, or Only 2 options: A is true, if it is not B must

be trueNot only, butalso

To highlight that A in particular, with theaddition of B are trueWhether, or To indicate that either A or B may be thecase.


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Conjunction Conniptions1

Choose an appropriate conjunction forthe blanks:

1.There's so much rain lately! Maybe it's

because of El Nino, _______ maybeit's just coincidence.

2.James was cold, _______ he put on acoat.

3.The teacher was not very nice, ______the video was awesome.

4.I went to buy a Rolling Stones CD,_______the shop didn't have it.

5.Julie has a guitar, ______ she plays it


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Tie the following sentence elementstogether by using the conjunctionin brackets.

1.Surfing is fun. It can be dangerous.(though)

2.The boat could not move. There was

no wind. (since)3.You should stay away from bears.They are dangerous. (because)

4.I took my umbrella. It was raining.

(as)


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Tie the following sentence elements togetherby choosing a correlative conjunction.(both ... and; not only ... but also;either ... or; neither ... nor)

1.We could fly. We could go by train.2.She will have to study hard. She will have toconcentrate to do well on the exam.

3.The speaker will not confirm the story. Thespeaker will not deny the story.

4.Pneumonia is a dangerous disease. Small poxis a dangerous illness.5.Fred loves travelling. Jane wants to go around

the world.6.It might rain tomorrow. It might snow

tomorrow.

7.Playing tennis is good for your heart. Jogging is


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Sentence Starters

Sentence starters are the words or phrasesused to begin sentences

Dont start sentences using the samestarters. It was a great day. It was sunny. It looked

like Jim could do his essay Dont explain what you are going to talk

about literally, introduce the idea andthen get to it!

Dont waste your words saying: I will be talking about in this section The topics to be discussed in this essay will

be.. If you are talking about a person use their

name in the first sentence, followed by


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Tense

Tense are the tools use to explain time inthe English language.

Tenses are divided in to past, present and

futureNEVER swap tense mid sentenceAvoid swapping tense multiple times in an

essay.


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Tense

You will need to decide whether you are talkingabout something that has happened, willhappen or is happening now.

Tenses can be simple, continuous or perfect

i mple Pa st im pl e Pr es ent i mp le Fu tu reI studyscience

.every day,Two years ago Istudiedscience

.overseas

I m g oing to study.science next yeara st Co nt inuo us r ese nt C ont in uo us u tu re C ont in uo us

I a s studyi ngscience when you

.called yesterday

I m st ud ying science.now

I ill be stud yingscience when you arrive

.tonighta st Pe rf ect re se nt Pe rf ect u tu re Pe rf ectI a d studie d a

little science.before I moved here

I av e st udied sciencein several different

.countries

I ill have st udiedscience by the time I

.finish this course


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Tense

Choose the appropriate tense in the followingexamples: (you will need to decide thecorrect tense for the words in brackets). Firstdecide past, present or future?

1.You look really great! (you, work) out at thefitness center recently?2.What (you, do) when the accident occurred?3.I (try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out.4.I (have) the same car for more than ten years.

I'm thinking about buying a new one.5.If it (snow) this weekend, we (go) skiing near

Falls Creek.6.Sam (arrive) in Helensvale a week ago.7.Samantha (live) in Berlin for more than two

years. In fact, she (live) there when the Berlinwall came down.


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SMS Text and CasualLanguage It should go without saying that an essay is a

professional document. Dont use SMS text speak in an essay. Dont use casual or flowery language Always use scientific terms, explaining them to your

audience if appropriatea su al T er m A l te rn at iv esyes , ,certainly without doubt the evidence suggests

awesome , , ,outstanding exceptional accurate successful

etc Are you just being lazy? List all the options or the

most important onesas well as in addition

such as ,for example to illustrate

pretty much , ,generally on the whole in most cases

ok , , ,acceptable reasonable satisfactory tolerable


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Spelling

Spelling shouldnt be a big deal these days,with spell checking in built into mostprograms.

So why is it still an issue? As good as software

has become it cant replace proofreading. Ask a friend to read your essay, BEFORE youhand it in.

The best way to prevent spelling problems istooRead anything and everything...just for

the fun of it!Just like anything else, you mustpractice tomake perfect!


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Spelling Bee

1.Fraise2.Sucess3.Freind4.Especially

5.Liscence6.Aceptable7.apparent

8.acqire9.Remeber10.Maintenence11.Vacum

12.Sceince13.Specificially14.whitch

.C h e ck th e w o rd s b e lo w

-R e w rite a n y te rm s th a t a re sp e lt in co rre ctly w ithth e co rre ct sp e llin g :

C l C f d


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Commonly ConfusedWords

Make sure you check your use of thefollowing terms.

Term Meaning Term Meaning

there a place their belonging to peoplewhere a situation or place were be used in the past

tenseweather Snowing, raining orhot

whetherindicates possibilitiesor alternativesaffect to influence

something

effect the result of an action

adverse negative or harmfulresults averse opposed to somethinghere a place hear what your ears do

number a calculable figure amount An incalculablequantity

C l C f d


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Commonly ConfusedWords

Pick the right term for each sentence:1. Scientists continue to study the effects/affects of

sweeteners on humans.2. Controversies over sweeteners have not seriously

effected/affectedthe sales of diet soft drinks.3. The scientists stoodaltogether/all togetherat the

front of the stage.4. Despite the positive result, the scientists sorrow was

altogether/all togetherclear.5. Expect a certain number/amountof madness when

you marry someone with pets.

6. A greatnumber/amountof pets can drive you mad.7. Fate chooses our relatives, but we

choose/chose/chosen our friends.8. Last year, she choose/chose/chosen to ignore me,

but now I have choose/chose/chosen to ignoreher.

9.


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Go forth and Write!

Idiots Guide to Writing

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