Lesson 2 Unity Clarity Coherence purpose audience and

Lesson 2 – Unity, Clarity, Coherence, purpose, audience and planning What do these things mean to you ? www. profdamian. weebly. com

5 elements of good writing: • Purpose -> inform, persuade or entertain. • Audience : Who are you writing for ? How are we writing for them? • Clarity -> clear, unambiguous. • Unity -> same goal, aim or focus. • Coherence -> sticks together.

Unity (part of coherence)“Stay on Topic” • Unity = same ideas within the one paragraph. No disjointed or ideas out of place. • So, all the sentences are related to the topic sentence and its controlling idea.

Coherence – connecting ideas • Literally means “stick together” • All the ideas in a paragraph flow smoothly from one sentence to the next sentence. Achieved by: • Use transitions and logical order. • use nouns and pronouns consistently throughout a paragraph • repetition of key words and parallelism. (I won’t be covering…) • Put Your Ideas into Some Kind of Logical Order, such as logical division of ideas.

Clarity - “Clean, clear and naked. ” fighter pilot • Clarity = clear and concise. So the reader can understand your writing through clear points. • Sentences aren’t vague or indirect. • Specific and concise language is used. • Improved through: 1. Descriptive (precise) words. 2. Clear pronoun references.

Purpose -> inform, persuade or entertain. • Making a purpose statement might help in your writing. (pre-topic sentence exercise) • Topic: The effects of insufficient sleep. • Purpose statement: Is to tell the negative effects or results of not getting enough sleep. • Topic: how to play dominoes. • Purpose statement: The purpose of this paragraph is to explain to the reader how to play the game called dominoes.

Audience and viewpoint. • viewpoint (1 st-3 rd Person) • First – (I, we, me, us, mine, ours) – personal exp. • e. g. • Second(you, your(s)) – informal writing, instructions • e. g. • Third (he, she, it, they, him, them, his, her, theirs || his, her, its, their) – academic • e. g. • formal or informal.

How do we make sure we have the 5 basic elements working for us? Planning and preparation

Typical Paragraph Review Topic Sentence: - first sentence of the paragraph - states the subject of the paragraph Supporting Sentences: - there should be at least three main supporting ideas. - all supporting sentences should refer back to the topic sentence; if it does not connect to the topic sentence, it belongs in a separate paragraph -These three main supporting sentences should have supporting evidence or examples. Concluding Sentence: - last sentence in the paragraph - It signals the end of the paragraph, gives a logical conclusion or in larger essays provides a thesis statement. Cats are the perfect animal. Not only are they cute and fluffy, but they also love to play. Feeding and caring for a cat is easy, because they are not picky eaters and they do not need to be walked. Cats are extremely loving, and they are very loyal companions. In every way, a cat is a wonderful animal to have as a pet. NB* This is still not perfect … Can you tell why?

Topic Sentencing • There a few qualities that make for a good topic sentence: • Brevity: Long, rambling sentences can be confusing. Don’t pack your topic sentence too full of details. That’s what the rest of the paragraph is for. • Clarity: Likewise, don’t beat around the bush. Say exactly what you want to say. Try not to engage in wordplay and don’t speak in vague terms. • Precision: Don’t be too broad when introducing the topic that you’re going to discuss. Not only is that a bland approach, it is also unhelpful to readers.

• On the other hand, there a few things that make for a bad topic sentence. • Don’t use facts as topic sentences. Remember, you are using the topic sentence to introduce a point you are trying to make, or your opinion. • Don’t just talk about the “what” – talk about the “why” as well. That is, don’t just think about the effect, but it’s cause. • Don’t say “I am going to tell you…” or I am going to speak about…” when introducing a topic.

• Bad: Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809. • Why isn’t this a good topic sentence? • Good: Abraham Lincoln, born in 1809, was one of the most influential politicians in history. • Bad: I am going to discuss the Battle of Gettysburg. • Good: The Battle of Gettysburg, fought in 1863, was the turning point in the Civil War.

Selecting a good topic sentence. • Bilingual dictionaries can help non-native learner in two important ways. • In a bilingual dictionary, the information is presented in two different languages. ----- • Fossils are the remains of plants or animals that died a long time ago. • There are numerous techniques that scientists use to discover the true age of a fossil. ----- • The cost of living is rising. • Rising living costs can be attributed to a number of different factors.

Pick the bad topic sentence(s). • Make sure it has a main subject and controlling idea. 1. 2. 3. 4. Teaching can be used in many different situations. Teaching has changed enormously in the last 10 years. Different teaching methods can appeal to different people. Teaching has been around for a long time. Pick one (1 -3) ABOVE and tell your partner what the paragraph will be about.

Write topic sentences for these • A paragraph about: • The possible causes of student misbehaviour in class. • The suicide rate amongst young Koreans. • Teenage promiscuity and drinking. Discuss. . .

In summary – topic sentences. • Generally speaking, topic sentences are: • Short • Simple • Clear • Give a strong idea • Often use phrases such as: One of the main reasons for …. . One of the major factors in ………… is……………. Generally speaking, ……… One of the strongest arguments against/ in favour of………is …. One of the main advantages / disadvantages of …………. is …… • It must contain a main idea and a controlling idea.

Brainstorming Feel good V other Easy to peel convenient Oranges Delicious Sweet snack No mess Vit C nutritious nutrient

Oranges I love oranges (as they are convenient, nutritious & delicious / for a number of reasons). One reason I love oranges is because they are so convenient. They are quick to peel and you don’t need a bowl or a spoon so there is no mess to clean up. I also like oranges because they are nutritious. Oranges are high in vitamin C, which can keep you from being sick. They are also a good source of nutrients shown to prevent skin cancer and even wrinkles. But the best reason for eating oranges is because they are so delicious. The sweet, fresh taste of ripe orange makes it a perfect snack. And unlike a candy bar or potato chips, an orange makes you feel good when you eat it. I think that oranges are quite possibly the perfect food.

Paragraph • The ocean of outer space has many dangers, but it also has several unique challenges for explorers. One of the challenges that are unique to space is the fact that space is a vacuum. [more support] Another difficulty that is unique to outer space is the presence of meteors and micro meteors. [more support] A third special challenge involved with the environment of space involves the fact that it is very difficult to find life-sustaining water off the Earth. [more support] In summary, without adequate air pressure, meteors which can threaten human life and damage spacecraft and the lack of water in space means that human life may have a difficult time getting to and surviving on other planets.

Work Time. . . • Using clarity, unity and coherence, write a paragraph on ONE: • 1. Why I'll be a good teacher. • 2. What makes a good teacher? • 3. What elements make a good writer? • 4. What is your main concern about becoming a teacher? • 5. What is your philosophy of teaching? • 6. The steps in writing a paragraph. (OR) • Smoking / drinking • Prejudice • Pollution • Teaching • Work / dream job • Korea (specifically) • Sport – – • • • First narrow down the topics Then brainstorm some specifics After that think of some topic sentences for all of them and then choose the one you like. Then fill in the support and examples you’ll use. I will allow 1 st or 3 rd Person. But it might be better to try 3 rd. Remember to plan your paragraph first. Due next Thursday ; -)