Essay Writing Expository Writing: Ghazala Sammar Bs Spring 2020

Essay writing
Expository writing
Ghazala Sammar
Bs spring 2020
Essay writing
• Anglicizing essay topic:

1. Analyze Jesus‘Sermon on the Mount.
– Analyze (strategy)
– Jesus‘Sermon on the Mount. (content)
– Jesus‘ Sermon; on the Mount (prompts)
2. Describe the major effects of reconstruction.
– Describe (strategy)
– The major effects of reconstruction. (content)
– Major; effects; reconstruction (prompts)
Conti..
3. Compare ‘The End of History’ with the ‘Clash of Civilization’.
– Compare (strategy)
– ‘End of History’ with the ‘Clash of Civilization’.
(content)
– Compare; The End of History; ‘The Clash of
Civilization’ (prompts)
What is a well written answer to an essay question?
It is...
• Well Focused
– Be sure to answer the question completely, that is, answer all parts
of the question.
– Avoid "padding." (stuffing)
– A lot of rambling (confused) and ranting (lengthy) is a sure sign that
the writer doesn't really know what the right answer is and hopes
that somehow, something in that overgrown jungle of words was
the correct answer.
Well Organized
• Don't write in a haphazard "think-as-you-go" manner.

• Do some planning and be sure that what you write has a
clearly marked introduction which both states the point(s)
you are going to make and also, if possible, how you are
going to proceed.
• In addition, the essay should have a clearly indicated
conclusion which summarizes the material covered and
emphasizes your thesis or main point.
Conti..
• Well Supported
– Do not just assert something is true, prove it. What facts,
figures, examples, tests, etc. prove your point?
– In many cases, the difference between an A and a B as a
grade is due to the effective use of
– supporting evidence.
• Well Packaged
– People who do not use conventions of language are thought
of by their readers as less competent and less educated.
– If you need help with these or other writing skills, come to the
Writing Lab!
VARIOUS STRATEGIES FOR ESSAYS:
• ANALYZE: Break the subject (an object, event, or concept) down into part,
and explain the various parts.
• COMPARE: Show how two things are similar as well as different; include
details or examples.
• CONTRAST: Show how two things are different; include details or examples.
• CRITIQUE: Point out both the good and bad points of something.
• DEFINE: Give an accurate meaning of a term with enough detail to show that
you really understand it.
• DESCRIBE: Write about the subject so the reader can easily visualize it; tell
how it looks or happened, including how, who, where, why.
Conti..
• DISCUSS: Give a complete and detailed answer, including important

characteristics and main points.
• ENUMERATE: Write in list or outline form, giving points one by one.
• EVALUATE: Give your opinion of the value of the subject; discuss its good and
bad points, strengths and weaknesses.
• EXPLAIN: Give the meaning of something; give facts and details that make the
idea easy to understand
• ILLUSTRATE: Make the point or idea clear by giving examples.
• INTERPRET: Tell about the importance of the subject. Explain the results of the
effects of something.
Conti…
• JUSTIFY: Give good reasons that support a decision, action or event.

• OUTLINE: Make an organized listing of the important points of a
subject.
• PRETEND: Make believe/Imagine you are in a particular situation or
that you are a particular person, etc., and describe what this is like.
• PROVE: Show that something is true by giving facts of logical
reasons.
• RELATE: Show how things are alike or connected.
• STATE: Give the main points in brief, clear form.
conti..
• SUMMARIZE: Briefly cover the main points; use a paragraph form.
• TRACE: Tell about an event or process in chronological order.
PROMPTS:
• Prompts are the key words of the essay statement or call them terms of a
question.
• The body of the whole essay revolves around these terms.
• They are the points you are to cover while writing any essay.
• An essay with any of the prompts missed will be considered an incomplete
one.
• Therefore make sure that you have analyzed the topic statement before
you start writing.
Avoid Wordiness: Seven Ways of Avoiding Wordiness
• Rule 1 Avoid ready-made phrases
• Like Frankenstein's monster, "ready-made" writing is stitched together out of
cadaver parts.
• Rule 2 Avoid repetition
• Many combinations of verbs and prepositions or adverbs are emphatic but
redundant; many adjectives and prepositional phrases are equally
unnecessary.
• Rule 3 Avoid passive and expletive structures
• Passive and expletive structures soften action, hide the actors, and add
colourless bulk.
• Rule 4 Avoid circumlocution and pomposity
• There is an atmosphere of well-sounding oratory that likes to attach itself to
dress clothes. Away with it.
Conti..
• Rule 5 Avoid euphemisms

• Euphemisms often protect items from the unfair associations of an
unpleasant name; however, they can also hide the nature of
unpleasant things under a fair name.
• Rule 6 Use verbs rather than nouns (avoid the Noun Disease)
• Writers often avoid strong, simple verbs by joining weak verbs to
nominalizations, verbs transformed into nouns.
• Rule 7 Shorten modifiers
• Simple modifiers can usually replace relative clauses. (a clause that is
attached to an antecedent by a relative pronoun such as who, which, or that. "she
is researching relative clauses in Basque“)
HIGH IMPACT LANGUAGE: STRUCTURE
1. Simple, Compound and Complex
2. Put subject first
3. Use active voice
SIMPLE, COMPOUND AND COMPLEX
STRUCTURES
• I ran the meeting. (Simple sentence or maximum impact)

• I ran the meeting, and I wrote the minutes. (Compound sentence to
lower a message’s impact)
• After I read the contract, I sent it to headquarters.
• (Use a combination of complex and simple sentences for variety
and high impact.)
PUT SUBJECT FIRST
• Assistance in designing a system tailored to a customer’s needs
provides …
• The attached checklist provides assistance in designing a system
tailored to a customer’s needs.
• As I consider the discussion topics, the subject matter I am to

address, and the divergent interests of the group…
• I am concerned that my remarks may not be on target as I consider
the discussion topics, the subject matter I am to address, and the
divergent interests in the group.
USE ACTIVE VOICE
• The secretary will cancel the meeting.
• The meeting was cancelled by the secretary.
• The meeting was cancelled.
• (Note: PASSIVES CAN HIDE THE TRUE SUBJECT)
HIGH IMPACT LANGUAGE: APPEARANCE
• PARAGRAPH SIZE (3 to 4 sentence)
• MULTIPLE IDEAS (indent and itemize)
• WHITE SPACES (a paper with white spaces makes better
impression.)
• HEADINGS (headings create pictures in mind.)
Example: Practice
• Compare these two versions and see which one follows the above principles.
• Version 1:
During the changeovers from contract guards to security officers, the quality of the existing contract
security service must be upgraded through the careful selecting of vendors and implementation of
acceptable contractual performance requirements. In those instances where guard services are
provided by the landlord as part of the lease, appropriate negotiations must be conducted by
Purchase to terminate this service within the specified changeover time period.
• Version 2:
During the changeovers from contract guards to security officers, the quality of the existing contract
security service must be upgraded through
1. The careful selecting of vendors.
2. Implementation of acceptable contractual performance requirements.
In those instances where guard services are provided by the landlord as part of the lease,
appropriate negotiations must be conducted by Purchase to terminate this service within the
specified changeover time period.

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Essay writing

• Anglicizing essay topic:

• Don't write in a haphazard "think-as-you-go" manner.

• DISCUSS: Give a complete and detailed answer, including important

• JUSTIFY: Give good reasons that support a decision, action or event.

• Rule 5 Avoid euphemisms

• I ran the meeting. (Simple sentence or maximum impact)

• As I consider the discussion topics, the subject matter I am to

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