11/11/2016
Course Assessment
- Preparatory tasks 30%
LC-1310
The Paragraph
- Final written assignment 25%
- Final presentation 25% (Videoed)
- Exam/project 20%
Diane Pilkinton-Pihko, Ph.D
Aalto University/Language Centre
11/11/2016
2
Course time line
HW
1
Course Intro
(Maurice Forget)
Submit
Draft 1
(text)
15.11.16
6
Writing 2:
Paragraph
11.11.16
Last time …
HW
2
Critical Thinking
(Robert Miller)
Submit
peer
feedback
18.11.16
Submit
Draft 2
(revised)
21.11.16
7
Writing feedback: peer &
teacher
HW
3
Pitching
21.10.16
Receive
Teacher
feedback
25.11.16
8
Presentation
skills
25.11.16
HW
HW
5
Writing 1:
Structure
27.10.16
4
Pitching feedback
online
Submit
Final
Text
30.11.16
SUBMIT
Learning
Portfolio
12.12.16
Submit
Videoed
presentation
03.12.16
9
Writing 3: Style
02.12.16
• Document structure
• Plagiarism
• Citing
In small groups, discuss briefly any questions or comments
related to these themes
10
Presentation
feedback online
05.12.16
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Today
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Learning outcomes
After this session, students will be able to …
What is a good paragraph
What is the structure of a pargraph
What is a topic sentence
Reverse outline ONE paragraph
Rewrite the paragraph
Compare and discuss
Peer review
… recognize the criteria of a good paragraph
… understand paragraph structure
… comprehend the function of a topic
sentence
… utilize outlining for building up a paragraph
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1
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Form is determined by audience
and purpose
Successful communication
Product of mainly three
considerations
1. Audience
2. Purpose
3. Form
Organisation
Style
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In Groups, discuss the following
Time:10 minutes
To post your group’s ideas, go to
A. What is a good paragraph (in English)?
B. What is the general structure of a paragraph?
MyCourses >LC-1310 > Materials > 3 Paragraph
Discussion
C. What is a topic sentence?
D. Ways to connect ideas within a paragraph?
Time: 10 minutes
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Exploring through questions
Exploring through questions
What is a good paragraph (in English)
What is a topic sentence? A sentence that
- A single unit that has unity, coherence, & cohesion
- Introduces the paragraph topic
- Communicates the idea that controlls the contents of the paragraph
- Umbrella sentence
What is the general structure of a paragraph?
- Topic sentence, 3-5 supporting sentences, concluding or linking
sentence
How to write one? What to include / not to include? What kinds
of words are useful?
- Umbrella words = superordinate terms
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Summary
Some superordinate terms
Each paragraph contains
One unified idea
'Umbrella' terms that can stand for an entire class or
category of things.
A good topic sentence
VEHICLES
(superordinate)
Answers the question why or how
Often includes a subordinate word
Paragraphs structure
lorries
cars
bicycles
trams
Topic sentence
3-5 supporting sentences
Concluding/Linking sentence
ships
Typical superordinate terms:
Option
Alternative
Example
Criterion
Feature
Aspect
Benefit
Advantage
Drawback
Problem
Issue
Technique
Method
Strategy
Approach
Solution
Reason
Rationale
Consequence
Effect
Motivation
Phase
Stage
Step
Effect
Procedure
Logical progression
Apply the familiar-new principle
Use effectively transition words: for instance, additionally, consequently, however
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Example
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Example: Paragraph outline
Are you convinced
by this claim and
evidence?
• The topic sentence gives the main
idea
• Later sentences provide evidence to
support the claim
• The later sentences provide
evidence to support the claim
• Total 4 supporting points
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http://sana.aalto.fi/awe/cohesion/topsen/claim/index.html
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http://sana.aalto.fi/awe/cohesion/topsen/claim/index.html
Task 1: Reverse outline ONE paragraph
Task 2
Time (15 min)
1. Identify the topic of your selected paragraph
At this point, you can also make note of the following
a) Is there a recognizable topic sentence?
b) How long is the paragraph?
i.
ii.
• Using your outline, re-write your paragraph
• Time 10 minutes
Does the topic seem sufficiently developed?
Is there more than one topic in the paragraph?
2. Arrange these topics in an outline
3. Analyze this outline, assessing
a) the logic (where elements have been placed in relation to one another) and
b) the proportion (how much space is being devoted to each element)
4. Use this analysis to create a revised outline
5. Use this revised outline to reorganize your paragraph
6. Go back to your answers in 2a and 2b to help you create topic
sentences and cohesion in your paragraph
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Which version is easier to read?
Version A
Limited investment in the housing
sector makes it practically impossible
to allocate sufficient resources for the
housing needs of urban dwellers. A
high rate of urban population growth
has increased the needs for housing
within the country. A small group of city
officials has laid out a new plan to
combat the crisis. A solution to the
housing shortage problem is a vital
policy issue here. The housing problem
has grown in the last twenty years.
Logical
progression
Version B
Limited investment in the housing sector
makes it practically impossible to
allocate sufficient resources for the
housing needs of urban dwellers. In fact,
the problem has grown in the last twenty
years. Because a high rate of urban
population growth has increased the
needs for housing within the country, a
solution
to
the
housing-shortage
problem is a vital policy issue here.
Thus, a small group of city officials has
laid out a new plan to combat the crisis.
Source: Technical Scientific Writing by Perelman, Paradis, Barrett, 1998, p. 231
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Which version is easier to read?
Which version is easier to read?
Version A
Limited investment in the housing
sector makes it practically impossible
to allocate sufficient resources for the
housing needs of urban dwellers. A
high
rate of related
urban population
growth
- Although
by topic
has (housing
increased
the needs
for housing
shortage),
there
within
A small
group of city
arethe
nocountry.
links ideas
across
officials has
laid out a new plan to
sentences
combat the crisis. A solution to the
housing shortage problem is a vital
policy issue here. The housing problem
has grown in the last twenty years.
Version A
Limited investment in the housing
sector makes it practically impossible
to allocate sufficient resources for the
housing needs of urban dwellers. A
high rate of urban population growth
has increased the needs for housing
within the country. A small group of city
officials has laid out a new plan to
combat the crisis. A solution to the
housing shortage problem is a vital
policy issue here. The housing problem
has grown in the last twenty years.
Version B
Limited investment in the housing sector
makes it practically impossible to
allocate sufficient resources for the
housing needs of urban dwellers. In fact,
the problem has grown in the last twenty
years. Because a high rate of urban
population growth has increased the
needs for housing within the country, a
solution
to
the
housing-shortage
problem is a vital policy issue here.
Thus, a small group of city officials has
laid out a new plan to combat the crisis.
Source: Technical Scientific Writing by Perelman, Paradis, Barrett, 1998, p. 231
Version B
Limited investment in the housing sector
makes it practically impossible to
Applies
allocate sufficient resources for the
1) Familiar-new
housing needs of urban
dwellers. In fact,
principle
the problem has2)grown
in the last twenty
Transition
years. Because a high rate of urban
words
population growth has increased the
needs for housing within the country, a
solution
to
the
housing-shortage
problem is a vital policy issue here.
Thus, a small group of city officials has
laid out a new plan to combat the crisis.
.
Source: Technical Scientific Writing by Perelman, Paradis, Barrett, 1998, p. 231
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Staying on topic:
Familiar before new
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Use transitions effectively:
Avoid fake cohesion
• Place familiar info at the beginning of the sentence
• Place new info at the end
• Once ”new” info is introduced, it can become the
”familiar” info in the following sentence
Links in a chain > familiar before new + familiar before new
From the moment you wake each morning to the moment you fall
asleep again at night, your life is filled with choices. Your first
choice is when you get up…
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Eliminating negative environmental impact completely
through skillful, sensitive design is the intention of
sustainable design.[1] Moreover, small objects for everyday
use through buildings, cities, and the Earth's physical
surface are typical applications of this philosophy.
FAKE cohesion:
This example uses a
transition word, but what is
the logical relationship?
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4
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Task 3
Small group discussion
Check the logical progression in your paragraph
Compare your two paragraphs
a) Original version
b) Revised version
A. Highlight (red) or box familiar-new links – used
effectively?
What differences do you notice, if any?
B. Highlight (blue) or circle transition words and
phrases – sufficient usage? Any fake cohesion?
Improve the logical connections as needed
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Peer work: Time 15 min
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Submit to MyCourses
Check how well your partner’s paragraph meets these criteria …
1) Contains a unified idea
LC-1310 > Assignments > 3 Paragraph
A. Are the sentences all related to one central idea?
Submit the following in one file
1. Your original paragraph from today’s workshop
2. Your reverse outline of the above paragraph
3. Your re-write of the paragraph based on input from the
workshop
B. Any sentences that don’t seem to support the central idea?
2) Follows a formal structure
A. Underline the topic sentence (topic + controlling idea)
B. Check supporting details (stay on topic? enough depth?)
C. Finishes off the idea with a concluding or linking sentence?
3) Develops through logical progression
A. Good use of the familiar-new principle?
B. Effective use of transition words?
C. Any places where the logical connection could be improved?
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Final written assignment (25%)
Submission date: 30.11.2016
The assignment is your current project report
However, for the writing feedback and evaluation
• Select three consecutively written pages containing primarily
text (i.e. has limited graphics)
• Highlight (blue) the 3 selected pages
Your peers and teacher will give you feedback on the three
selected pages
Final written text
25%
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Schedule: Peer & teacher review process
WHEN
WHO
WHAT & WHERE
15.11
Team
Deadline: Teams submit writing draft 1
MyCourses > LC-1310 > Assignments > 15.11 Discussion forum
MyCourses > LC-1310 > Materials > Peer review instructions
18.11
Team
21.11
Individual
25.11
-------
30.11
Individual
Deadline: Peer review of writing draft 1
MyCourses > LC-1310 > Assignments > 18.11 Discussion forum
Deadline: Revised draft 1 (=draft 2)
MyCourses > LC-1310 > Assignments > 21.11 Assignment box
Receive teacher feedback on draft 2
Via MyCourses
Deadline: Revised draft 2 (=final text)
MyCourses > LC-1310 > Assignments > 21.11 Assignment box
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