Ex. 3. Analyzing short writing assignments
• Underline the key words. What do the following short assignments require?
• How would you complete them?
Example.In what (ways) do porpoises (differ from) dolphins?
Ways: enumeration; differ from: contrast.
I would enumerate the differences between dolphins and porpoises.
1. Explain how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly.
2. Discuss three major reasons that people who leave the security of their home cultures to move to another culture to study are heroes. Provide examples, details, and personal experience.
3. Enumerate the causes and effects of women's liberation.
4. Trace the development of satellites.
5. Enumerate the major features of effective academic writing. Discuss them in detail.
Listening
Script 8
Ex. 4. Listen to the tape and decide whether the following statement is correct:
The reason of the students’ often failing when they write assignments is not because their writing skills are not high enough or because their knowledge of the subject matter is insufficient, but because they have not fully understood the given question.
Ex. 5. Listen to the tape again and tick which of phrases a-p the speaker uses?
| a. writing skills | i. the point of view on the subject matter |
| b. knowledge of the subject matter is insufficient | j. strict instruction |
| c. evaluation of information | k. a new version of the question |
| d. to fully understand what a question means | l. the detailed limitation of the topic |
| e. writing without grammar mistakes | m. supporting remarks |
| f. to search for certain components | n. the subject matter. |
| g. the following technique is very effective | o. sequence |
| h. subject matter or topic | p. which often comes at the beginning |
Ex. 6. Listen again and make notes about the useful technique helping to understand the given question.
Introduction (continuation)
Analyzing assignment designThe Lead-in
The first part of an assignment may contain a situation or some general background information to get you thinking about the topic. This part may be more than one sentence long. Do not choose these ideas as your focus because your paper will be too general. Keep reading to find the actual limited subject of the assignment.
The Assignment Task
The actual assignment, called the assignment task, usually follows the lead-in. The assignment task contains a question or a statement limiting the topic, specific instructions containing imperatives and terms for academic assignments, and directions listing the kinds of support to use.
Kinds of support
Type Description
| Examples | Specific cases/instances for illustration |
| Details | In-depth analysis of topic |
| Facts and statistics | Charts ,graphs, surveys ,polls |
| Expert opinion and/or research | Books, articles, experiments, studies |
| Personal experience or case studies | True stories |