Class on Text Structure         Class on Text Structure Compreensão e Produção Escrita em Língua Inglesa V Florianópolis, April 11, 2011

And that is exactly what an essay is. What is an essay? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, an essay can be described as “a short piece of writing on a particular subject, often expressing personal views”. And that is exactly what an essay is. An author stating and maintaining a point of view on a certain subject through a scientific production.

Suggested Exercise Students should write an essay and answer the following questions: 1. How much time did you spend preparing to write this essay? How much time in writing and revising it? 2. Describe your preparation process. What did you do to invent ideas for the paper, select the ones you wanted to use, and plan some tentative structure for your essay?   3. Describe your revision activities. What systematic changes did you make in your plan or in your drafts? 4. What problems did you encounter in writing this paper? How did you attempt to solve them?   5. What would you like to focus on during this consultation? Adapted from: http://www.wm.edu/

Title It is the very first thing that must catch the reader’s attention. It must be interesting and related to the main topic of the essay. A good technique is to write the title after the whole text is complete.

Target Audience The author must have in mind that an essay always has a target audience and a purpose. For instance, the text “Today’s Parents” used as the example in this presentation directed to parents. by www.cyberdisignz.com

Essays are split into three distinct parts: Organizing an essay Essays are split into three distinct parts: Introduction Development Conclusion

The introduction is also split into three sections: The introduction is what draws the reader’s attention, making him/her interested in reading the whole text. The introduction is also split into three sections:

“Hook” It is usually the first sentence of the introduction and is supposed to catch the reader’s attention at first. It should have an interesting comment, quotation or information concerning the main topic. by www.great-lakes.com

General Comments It is where the writer will present to the reader information about the topic, showing facts, giving examples, etc. by www.iconfinder.com

Thesis Statement The thesis statement is usually last and the most important sentence of the introduction. It specifies what the essay is going to talk about and shows the author’s position. This part of the introduction often gives the topics that will be developed in the next paragraphs, a plan of development. by www.iconfinder.com

Suggested Exercise Complete all of the following directions: 1. Assume that you are asked to write an essay for the following question: “A multicultural leader must be aware of cultural differences in order to lead people from other cultures effectively. Discuss any three of Hofsted and Phatak's values. Explain how members of different cultures relate to these three values.” 2. Write three possible thesis statements for this essay. 3. Use the best of your three possible thesis statements in an introductory paragraph for this essay. Adapted from: http://college.cengage.com

Suggested Exercise Evaluate the following thesis statements, considering whether each one is sufficiently limited, specific, and unified. Rewrite the statements as necessary to meet These goals. a. “Aggression usually leads to violence, injury, and even death, and we should use it constructively.” b. “Electronic mail is invaluable.” c. “One evening of a radio talk show amply illustrates both the appeal of such shows and their silliness.” d. “Good manners make our society work.” e. “The poem is about motherhood.” Adapted from: http://wps.ablongman.com/long_aaron_lbbrief_1/1/354/90660.cw/index.html

Types of Introductions The six types of introductions below are the most common found in essays: Thought-provoking quotation Brief anecdote Dramatic fact or statistic Broad statement narrowing to a limited subject Series of short, simulating questions An idea or situation that is the opposite of the one to be developed

Challenges for Today’s Parents Reruns of situation comedies from the fifties and early sixties dramatize the kinds of problems that parents used to have with their children. The Cleavers scold Beaver for not washing his hands before dinner; the Andersons ground Bud for not doing his homework; the Nelsons dock little Ricky’s allowance because he keeps forgetting to clean his room. But times have changed dramatically. Being a parent today is much more difficult than it was a generation ago. Parents nowadays must protect their children from a growing number of distractions, from sexually explicit material, and from life-threatening situations. Title Hook General Comments Thesis Statement Type: Broad statement narrowing to a limited subject

Development Where the ideas shown in the introduction will be developed. In most cases, it is made of 3 paragraphs which must be related to the thesis statement. In each of them, the writer gives examples and presents arguments connected to a topic sentence.

Topic Sentence It is the main idea of each paragraph of the development. Topic sentences are supported by the arguments presented by the author. by www.owl.english.perdue.edu

Today’s parents must try, first of all, to control all the new distractions that tempt children away from schoolwork. At home, a child may have a room furnished with a stereo and television. Not many young people can resist the urge to listen to an album or watch MTV – especially if it is time to do the schoolwork. Outside the home, the distractions are even more alluring. Children no longer ‘hang out’ on a neighborhood corner within easy earshot of Mon and Dad’s reminder to come in and do homework. Instead, they congregate in vast shopping malls, buzzing video arcades, and gleaming fast-food restaurants. Parents and school assignments have obvious difficulty competing with such enticing alternatives. Topic Sentence Information and arguments supporting the topic sentence

Suggested Exercise An effective exemplification paragraph often focuses on a subject that you feel strongly about and can support with powerful examples. Your opinion, stance, or point of view becomes the controlling idea of the paragraph. 1. For each of the topics below, write a possible topic sentence that shows your position, stance, or point of view toward the subject. a. Gun control b. Censorship of music c. Telemarketing d. Endangered species e. Nuclear waste dumps f. Legal age for drinking alcohol g. Legal executions Adapted from: http://college.cengage.com

It is split into three parts: Conclusion It is the last chance to make a good impression and should summarize what was presented in the essay. It is split into three parts: Thesis Restatement Comments Final Statement

Thesis Restatement Comments This part brings back and maintains the ideas from the thesis statement. Comments In this part, the author writes the last comments on the subject, summarizes what was stated in the text, and shows/maintains their position.

Final Statement This is the part where the author brings the essay to an end by stating (or restating) their position and, in some cases, presenting a view of the future on the text’s subject.

There are four main types of conclusions: A summary Recommendation or call for action Prediction Quotation

Within one generation, the world as a place to raise children has changed dramatically. One wonders how yesterday’s parents would have dealt with today’s problems. Could the Anderson have kept Bud away from MTV? Could the Nelsons have shielded little Ricky from sexually explicit material? Could the Cleavers have protected Beaver from drugs and alcohol? Parents must be aware of all these distractions and dangers, yet be willing to give their children the freedom they need to become responsible adults. It is not an easy task. Thesis Restatement Comments Final Statement Type: Recommendation

Organizational Techniques There are three basic organizational methods: Chronological Spatial Emphatic Remember: it is possible to use more than one of these methods in order to support your arguments.

Connecting Devices A good essay has its paragraphs connected to one another through connecting devices: words, phrases or sentences that make transitions in the text and recall ideas, sentences, paragraphs, etc. Example: but, finally, however, besides, first of all.

Suggested Exercise Students should now rewrite the essay considering all the topics of this class and answer again the first exercise.

Ana Maria de Souza Olivo Felipe Leandro de Jesus