English Writing Part 8: Review for Mid-Term; Reduce Fear John E. Clayton Nanjing University, Spring, 2005

Syllabus 03/02 Introduction; Overview; Writing a good paragraph 03/09 Information Form; Essays – structure, thesis 03/16 Thesis Focus; Movie: Johnny LingoJournal 1 03/23 Essay Introduction and Conclusion 03/30 Movie: DaveJournal 2 04/06 Review for mid-term exam; Overcoming Fear 04/13 Mid-term examJournal 1 04/20 Resume 04/27 ResumeJournal 2 05/04 Holiday 05/11 Business LettersJournal 1 05/18 Statement of Purpose 05/25 Statement of PurposeJournal 2 06/01 Review for final exam 06/08 Final exam

A Balanced Paragraph Riding a bicycle is preferable to driving a car. First of all, a bicycle is relatively inexpensive to buy and to maintain. While a car may cost thousands of dollars annually, a good bicycle will cost only a hundred dollars or so, and its annual maintenance cost is very small. Biking is also healthier. Not only does the biker get more physical exercise than the driver, but bicycles are nonpolluting. The consequence is a person with strong legs and a strong heart whose bicycle helps keep the environment clean. Finally, bicycling is, unlike driving, personally satisfying. Instead of being a robot inside a machine, the biker pedals along, enjoying the scenery, becoming a part of nature. In all but the most inclement weather, the bicycle is a pleasurable means of transportation. Key topic sentence Concluding sentence What specific points are being made?  It's relatively inexpensive  It's healthier  It's personally satisfying

Chinese Essay Style Thesis (maybe) Good PointsBad Points Conclusion Thesis (maybe)

American Essay Style Thesis Support Conclusion Support

5 Paragraph Essay Structure Body Paragraphs Begin with a topic sentence Explain, define, clarify the topic sentence with facts, examples, descriptions, etc. End with a concluding sentence that draws the paragraph together Conclusion Say the thesis in a different way “Grab” the reader, so he/she will not forget. Might include a prediction, a recommendation or a solution Introduction Motivate and interest the reader State your position - thesis Tell a little more about what to expect

Thesis – What’s the Big Deal? American academic essays are usually… "thesis- driven." This means that you, as the writer, must explain the main point of your essay… at the start. An academic essay is not a.. mystery novel - your reader does not want to figure out the plot or search for clues.

Writing Differences Note that a thesis is an interpretation of a subject, not the subject itself. For Example: The subject of an essay might be Smoking, but the thesis must then offer a way to understand smoking that others might dispute.

Thesis Statement Good or poor thesis statements? “Hamlet is the prince of Denmark, and he dies at the end of the play” “The French Revolution, which started in 1789, brought about many changes” A good thesis statement should be debatable.

Purpose of the Thesis The thesis states: - the SUBJECT - the ARGUMENT (your position) - the REASONS (often 3)

Example 1 Subject: Smoking Argument: Smoking is harmful, and should be banned Primary goal: to ban smoking in public places. Reasons: it’s dangerous, harmful and annoying. Thesis: “Smoking should be banned from public places, because it is dangerous, bad for health, and very annoying to other people.”

Example 2 Subject: Reading books Argument: Books should remain a key resource for university students. Primary goal: to encourage students to read more printed books. Reasons: inexpensive, relaxing, always available. Thesis: “Even though we are bombarded with information today, we should continue to invest time reading old- fashioned paper books, because they are inexpensive, they can help us relax, and they won’t shut-down at 11:00pm.”

English Writing Part 4: Introduction & Conclusion John E. Clayton Nanjing University, Spring, 2005

5 Paragraph Essay Structure Body Paragraphs Conclusion Say the thesis in a different way “Grab” the reader, so he/she will not forget. Might include a prediction, a recommendation or a solution Introduction Motivate and interest the reader State your position - thesis Tell a little more about what to expect

Essay Introduction Some ways to start the introduction…? a quotation a question acknowledge opposite opinion an interesting fact a definition or explanation

A Quotation Abraham Lincoln, in his famous Gettysburg address, suggested that “the world will little note nor long remember the things we do here today”. He was wrong, of course, as the world not only remembers, but honors what took place that day.

A Question No one has ever died from eating canteen food, so why is the question constantly on the students lips “why must we suffer the awful creations of the student canteen?”

Acknowledge Opposite Opinion Do students get hurt playing sports at university? Of course, it has happened, and it will happen in the future. But the benefits derived from sports far outweigh the potential dangers.

An Interesting Fact Western students are sometimes criticized by their Asian counterparts for marrying while still in university. But studies show that the stability of marriage generally allows the married student to focus far more easily on his studies than the undisciplined, party-loving, PC game playing single student.

A Definition or Explanation “Love” is a word often used in the world today, but it means many things. To me, “love” means caring more about someone else than you do for yourself. True love is not a physical thing, but a beautiful state of mind.

A Poor Introduction Can Block Your Essay

The Essay Conclusion Make… one last effort to convince the reader Suggest larger implications now that evidence has been presented Provide a satisfying sense of closure

The Essay Conclusion Make a useful quotation, analogy or comparison. Suggest specific actions the reader should take. Speculate about what your thesis implies for the future. Make a brief remark that sums up your feelings and main points.

A Useful Quotation This paper has proposed and supported the idea that cooperation, rather than competition, will allow us to be true winners in the game of life. So, in the future, when life is hard, and you are thinking of giving up, remember Vince Lombardi, who once said, “winning isn’t everything – it’s the only thing”.

Suggest Specific Action As we have seen in this essay, increased memory capability is possible for the majority of the population. Because it is such an important skill, I suggest that we all enroll in the memory enhancement program today.

Speculate on Future Implications So, if families continue to be restricted to one child, the need for sewing skills will begin to diminish. After all, there will be no younger brother or sister to hand used clothing down to.

Brief Summary of Feelings The conclusion then, is clear. I have shown that teen-age smoking is a disaster for the community, as it leads to chronic health problems, huge medical expenses, and, ultimately, to an early death.

Overcoming Fear John E. Clayton Nanjing University, Spring, 2005

Most People Feel Anxiety What people fear most... Snakes Public speaking Death

Why Are You Afraid? You are at the center of attention Lack of experience Fear of embarrassment or looking stupid in front of others Fear that your mind will go blank

Effects of Anxiety Anxiety effects people differently. You may... feel your heart start beating faster feel your mouth getting dry get nauseous feel like fainting hear your voice tremble feel your legs or body shaking stutter or start speaking rapidly ramble through the material incoherently

Presentation, Speech, Conversation It is possible to reduce your level of fear and anxiety when making a presentation, Speech, or even in simple conversation.

Five Steps to Overcome Fear 1. Be well prepared 2. Practice 3. Have a backup 4. Reduce fear of your audience 5. Relax yourself

1. Be Well Prepared (1) Leave nothing to chance Lay out your strategy Ensure all material is ready Make contingency plans

1. Be Well Prepared (2) Know the Conditions Check lectern and microphone Visualize how you will be doing things Going through this process will relax you & give you more confidence

2. Practice Your Presentation Practice many times  speak out loud  speak looking into a mirror  stand in the corner  record your practice  practice on a friend

3. Backup: in Case You Forget (1) Prepare a "safety net" Outline your presentation use paper or cards Referring to notes is generally acceptable, as long as you are not reading your speech. You may never even use your notes, but they can reduce the “butterflies”.

3. Backup: in Case You Forget (2) Use “crib” notes Print a copy of slides Note key points to make on each slide

Asia/Pacific Desktop Unit Share Source: IPR Shipment Report, 2Q02  China overtakes Japan in 3Q02 as #1 country in AP (first time Japan has not led the region)  Legend reclaims #1 position in 3Q02 for total AP Client shipments due to strength in China Source: IDC Tracker, 3Q02

4. Reduce Fear of Audience (1) The more important the audience or the occasion, the greater your fear can be.

4. Reduce Fear of Audience (2) Negative approach  visualize the audience as not being all that important.  old trick: imagine audience is naked, -- the ridiculous image will make them seem less important.  Problem: the negative image may be reflected in your speech.

4. Reduce Fear of Audience (3) Positive approach  The audience is usually on your side  They want to hear what you have to say  It is just like talking to your friends

5. Relax (1) Stress-Control Breathing Centered in your abdomen, not your chest. Stage One  Inhale air and let your abdomen go out.  Exhale air and let your abdomen go in. Stage Two As you inhale, use a soothing word such as "calm" or "relax”.

5. Relax (2) The Wave Under stress, breathing and speaking can get uncoordinated. To coordinate breathing and speaking, begin speaking at the crest of the wave.