Just for fun!

Do you guys know how many meanings 'dude' has? See the following video! Enjoy!

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Friday's task

Hi all,

A cause-and-effect essay is one of most common academic writing patterns that you'll be dealing with in college, and in this essay, it is significant to focus on the relationships between cause(s) and effect(s). Please remember three different types for cause-and-effect essays that I mentioned in class: (1) a single cause and multiple effects, (2) multiple causes and a single effect, and (3) causal chains. Your essay would be one of these three types, and in any case, make sure to clearly articulate the logical chains between cause(s) and effect(s).

In addition, it is still important for your essay to have a clear thesis statement and topic sentences. As for cause-and-effect essays, your thesis statement and topic sentences should include reason(s) and result(s) about a topic that you're focusing on. Also, don't forget to provide convincing supporting details to underpin your claims.

Today, you will develop an outline for the essay before you start to write it down. (You DO NOT have to finish an entire essay.) Here's a sample outline (click on the link) for the cause-and-effect essay, which would be helpful for you to come up with ideas. (This is a student's work, so it might include some grammatical mistakes.)

*Before you start, please read the following instruction carefully. 

Instruction:

Your outline:

• should have a thesis statement including three major factors, which would be cause(s) or effect(s).
• should have three topic sentences, which consist of each body.
• should have a couple of supporting details (examples) for each topic sentence.

DO NOT submit the outline via e-mail or Dropbox; instead, POST the outline to your own BLOG by 4:00 P.M.

Enjoy,
Joy

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Cause-and-effect essays

CAUSE AND EFFECT ESSAY

(Copyright @ 2006 Bogazici University SFL)

Definition:

In this kind of essay, the aim is to explain the causes (reasons) or the effects (results) of an event or situation.

e.g. Causes of air pollution (multiple factors leading to air pollution).

e.g. Effects of watching too much TV (many effects of a situation).

Sometimes an event causes something to happen, and that situation leads to another event, and it causes another event to happen. This is called the causal chain or domino effect.

e.g. Use of deodorants will bring the end of the world.

There may be several causes or effects of a situation. However, in a student essay, it is advisable to keep the number of major points to 2 or 3, which form separate developmental paragraphs.

Organization:

Depending on the topic, there may be three patterns of organization:

1. Multiple causes-->effect

In this pattern, the organization is as follows:

thesis statement: Air pollution is caused by the following factors: exhaust gases from cars, uncontrolled factory releases, and burning of low-quality coal for heating. 

I. exhaust gases from cars
A. government does not have enough control
B. citizens are not conscientious
II. uncontrolled factory gases
A. no regular checks on gases released
B. factories are inside the borders of residential areas
III. burning of low-quality coal for heating
A. no governmental control
B. other forms of energy too expensive 
 

Each developmental paragraph is devoted to one of the causes of air pollution. Each cause is supported by two minor supports. While writing, these major and minor ideas should be adequately explained and exemplified as well.

2. Cause-->Multiple effects

In this pattern, the effects of a certain situation are explained in separate paragraphs, with the following organization:

thesis statement: Watching too much TV is one of the major

sociological issues of this century, which has many effects on

the physiology and psychology of people.

I. eating disorders

A. TV meals

B. obesity

II. communication problems

A. more violence

B. no interpersonal talk

Again, we have grouped related effects under two main points: physiological and psychological. Then, we have supported each effect with two minor supports (A and B). While writing, we should explain these major and minor supports by giving examples and/or defining what we mean, as well.

3. Causal chain / Domino

In this pattern, the events lead to one another, as in the following organization:

thesis statement: Using deodorants with chlorofluorocarbon gas will bring the end of world.

I. Chlorofluorocarbon gases are contained in most deodorants and released by some factories into the air.

II. This gas causes the ozone layer to become thinner and finally disappear in patches.

III. The unfiltered ultraviolet rays of the sun cause overheating in the poles of the earth, where the icebergs start to melt.

IV. The huge amount of water released from the poles leads to a rise in the sea level.

V. The sea will cover the land and this will be the end of the world.

Again, each major point should be supported with examples, statistics that show that there are some factories and deodorants that release chlorofluorocarbons, that there is a rise in the sea-level, etc.

Language:

To explain reasons and results, we use:

As a result, As a consequence, Consequently, So, Since, As, Because, One reason why ... One of the most important reasons why ..., The main reasons why ..., There are other reasons, too, ..

Do not forget that using transitions enables the piece of writing to be coherent; it is easier for the reader to follow our ideas when transitions are used to link them together. However, overuse of transitions causes a traffic jam and should be avoided. We should be using transitions sparingly (only when necessary).

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Recommended reading lists

One student asked me to recommend some books to improve writing skills, and there are three book that came across my mind: (1) The Elements of Style (by William Strunk Jr and E.B White), (2) Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers (by Lynn Troyka and Douglas Hesse), and (3) Rules for Writers (by Diana Hacker.) These three books are must-have books not only for university freshmen but also for conscientious writers, and the books deal with the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated. Hope it helps.




Joy

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How to avoid plagiarism?

Hi class,

Today we're going to talk about the importance of academic integrity and how to avoid plagiarism. To avoid plagiarism, use the following three ways: quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing. (*Details for how to quote, paragraph, and summarize will be dealt with in ESL115, and ESL114 will not go deep.)

Quotations must be identical to the original, using a narrow segment of the source. They must match the source document word for word and must be attributed to the original author.

Paraphrasing involves putting a passage from source material into your own words. A paraphrase must also be attributed to the original source. Paraphrased material is usually shorter than the original passage, taking a somewhat broader segment of the source and condensing it slightly.

Summarizing involves putting the main idea(s) into your own words, including only the main point(s). Once again, it is necessary to attribute summarized ideas to the original source. Summaries are significantly shorter than the original and take a broad overview of the source material.

If you're more interested in strategies above, you can go to this website to get further information.

Joy

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International Mother Language Day

Hi all,

Sunday February 21st is International Mother Language Day, as decided by the U.N.  This is taking form here at UIUC as a campus-wide event that entails a poster board being passed around to various buildings here at campus.  Students can use this board to express themselves in their mother tongue, with the board ultimately becoming a multilingual tapestry, promoting pride in one's mother tongue.

Here is an advertisement for the event that also displays the other locations where the board will be hosted. (To see the details Click here!)


For more information on the event, please visit the following page:

http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=38724&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

Enjoy,

Joy

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How to use a comma?

One student asked me when to use a comma and when to exclude a comma, so I introduce a link that has detailed information about using commas. Hope it helps. Here's the link:
Click on here!

Joy

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Run-on & Comma splices mistakes

Identifying Independent and Dependent Clauses

When you want to use commas and semicolons in sentences and when you are concerned about whether a sentence is or is not a fragment, a good way to start is to be able to recognize dependent and independent clauses. The definitions offered here will help you with this.

Independent Clause

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb and expresses a complete thought. An independent clause is a sentence.

E.g.) Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz.

Dependent Clause

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought. A dependent clause cannot be a sentence. Often a dependent clause is marked by a dependent marker word.

E.g.) When Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz . . . (What happened when he studied? The thought is incomplete.)

Dependent Marker Word

A dependent marker word is a word added to the beginning of an independent clause that makes it into a dependent clause.

E.g.) When Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz, it was very noisy.

Some common dependent markers are: after, although, as, as if, because, before, even if, even though, if, in order to, since, though, unless, until, whatever, when, whenever, whether, and while.

Connecting dependent and independent clauses

There are two types of words that can be used as connectors at the beginning of an independent clause: coordinating conjunctions and independent marker words.

1. Coordinating Conjunction

The seven coordinating conjunctions used as connecting words at the beginning of an independent clause are and, but, for, or, nor, so, and yet. When the second independent clause in a sentence begins with a coordinating conjunction, a comma is needed before the coordinating conjunction:

E.g.) Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz, but it was hard to concentrate because of the noise.

2. Independent Marker Word

An independent marker word is a connecting word used at the beginning of an independent clause. These words can always begin a sentence that can stand alone. When the second independent clause in a sentence has an independent marker word, a semicolon is needed before the independent marker word.

E.g.) Jim studied in the Sweet Shop for his chemistry quiz; however, it was hard to concentrate because of the noise.

Some common independent markers are: also, consequently, furthermore, however, moreover, nevertheless, and therefore.

Some Common Errors to Avoid

Comma Splices

A comma splice is the use of a comma between two independent clauses. You can usually fix the error by changing the comma to a period and therefore making the two clauses into two separate sentences, by changing the comma to a semicolon, or by making one clause dependent by inserting a dependent marker word in front of it.

Incorrect: I like this class, it is very interesting.

• Correct: I like this class. It is very interesting.
• (or) I like this class; it is very interesting.
• (or) I like this class, and it is very interesting.
• (or) I like this class because it is very interesting.
• (or) Because it is very interesting, I like this class.

Fused Sentences

Fused sentences happen when there are two independent clauses not separated by any form of punctuation. This error is also known as a run-on sentence. The error can sometimes be corrected by adding a period, semicolon, or colon to separate the two sentences.

Incorrect: My professor is intelligent I've learned a lot from her.

• Correct: My professor is intelligent. I've learned a lot from her.
• (or) My professor is intelligent; I've learned a lot from her.
• (or) My professor is intelligent, and I've learned a lot from her.
• (or) My professor is intelligent; moreover, I've learned a lot from her.

Sentence Fragments

Sentence fragments happen by treating a dependent clause or other incomplete thought as a complete sentence. You can usually fix this error by combining it with another sentence to make a complete thought or by removing the dependent marker.

Incorrect: Because I forgot the exam was today.

• Correct: Because I forgot the exam was today, I didn't study.
• (or) I forgot the exam was today.

Run-ons - Comma Splices - Fused Sentences

Run-ons, comma splices, and fused sentences are all names given to compound sentences that are not punctuated correctly. The best way to avoid such errors is to punctuate compound sentences correctly by using one or the other of these rules.

1. Join the two independent clauses with one of the coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet), and use a comma before the connecting word.

_________________________, and _________________________.

E.g.) He enjoys walking through the country, and he often goes backpacking on his vacations.

2. When you do not have a connecting word (or when you use a connecting word other than and, but, for, or nor, so, or yet between the two independent clauses) use a semicolon (;).

__________________________;_____________________________.

E.g.) He often watched TV when there were only reruns; she preferred to read instead.

or

__________________________; however,____________________.

E.g.) He often watched TV when there were only reruns; however, she preferred to read instead.

So, run-ons and fused sentences are terms describing two independent clauses which are joined together with no connecting word or punctuation to separate the clauses.

§ Incorrect: They weren't dangerous criminals they were detectives in disguise.

§ Correct: They weren't dangerous criminals; they were detectives in disguise.

§ Incorrect: I didn't know which job I wanted I was too confused to decide.

§ Correct: I didn't know which job I wanted, and I was too confused to decide.

(http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/598/02/)

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Tips for formatting in MS word program

• Times New Roman font, 12 point
• Double spaced
• Make sure the paper size is set to letter size (8 ½ x 11 inches)—NOT A4
• Have 1 inch margins on all sides

If you are using an East Asian (Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan) version of Microsoft Word, however, there are additional things you will need to do:

1.     Instead of double spaced, set your line spacing to Exactly 28 pt. East Asian versions of Word create more space between lines of text than North American versions, and just setting Word to double spaced will leave too little text on the page.

2.     Click Format, then Paragraph, then Asian Typography, and make sure there is NO CHECK next to the sentence, “Allow Latin text to wrap in the middle of a word.” Without doing this, East Asian versions of Word will inappropriately cut English words at the end of a line:

The majority of freshman writing assignments are expressive in na ture, writing based on your own memories, impressions, and emotion s—what’s “in your head,” essentially. As you advance to higher-lev el classes, however . . .

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Writing concluding paragrpahs

Hi class,

For today, we will talk about how to wrap up a paper in an effective way. Compared to introductions and body paragraphs, it is bit of simple to write a conclusion as long as you keep some guidelines. In class, we'll look at several tips for a concluding paragraph as follows:

1. Restate your thesis statement (normally in the first sentence),
2. Summarize your topic/central ideas and why they are important,
3. Provide a sense of closure or “wrapping up.” (e.g. by using transitional expressions)
4. Call for action or overview future research possibilities.
5. Briefly state a forecast or warning based on facts developed in the paper.

You do not always have to provide possibilities or forecasts in your paper, and it depends on genres you deal with. However, if you just follow the tips for 1, 2, and 3, it would be a good start to practice writing a conclusion.

Joy

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Writing body paragraphs

Hi class,

We talked about body paragraphs last class, and how we make body paragraphs effective. As I said in class, body paragraphs support your main idea, which is expressed in a thesis statement. Also, each body paragraph has a topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence. However, a concluding sentence may be optional depending of the flow of sentences.

Body paragraphs are also required to have features like unity and coherence. I mentioned several techniques in class, if you want to take a look at them again, click on here.


Joy

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An introductory paragraph

Hi all,


Today, we talked about an introductory paragraph and a thesis statement. As I mentioned in class, an introduction (1) gives a direction of what you're going to talk about, and (2) it plays an eye catcher's role.


First, to show readers a direction about where to go, an introductory paragraph needs to have a clear thesis statement, which has to be specific, reliable, and interesting. As well, to attract your readers, you can use sources such as historical reviews, anecdotes, famous people's quotes, statistics, intriguing questions, and surprising statements.


This could sound simple and easy. However, since you're not professional writers, so you need to try to refine an introductory paragraph always remembering those tips above. You need to practice writing consciously at first, but once you get used to writing an academic writing, you don't have to remember all the tips whenever you write a paper.


Here's the pdf file for the presentation. If you want to take a look at it again, download the file.


Joy

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Journal topics

Hi all,

Hope you're enjoying this sunny Saturday morning (a bit of cold though). We have two upcoming assignments: a journal and an essay. It would be smarter if you're done with the journal first not to get stuck in the hectic schedule.

For the journal topics, feel free to refer to the previous post on the blog including several essay questions. Another possibility is that you could write about favorite books, movies, or trips, and you would be able to refer to news articles or famous quotes for your journals. I've included some gadgets on the course website regarding news and quotes, so feel free to use them as journal topics. It is also recommended to visit your classmates' blogs to explore their topics and ideas as well. (I've put the blog links on the left of the course website, so just click on them! :-D ) Make sure that reading lots of writing is always good for you to improve your critical thinking and to broaden your ideas.

Finally, I hold office hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, so drop by my office to ask any questions about this course and your homework. I'm willing to help you with pleasure.

Enjoy!

Joy

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Helpful tips for introductions

Hi class,

Everybody wants to give a good first impression when they meet a new person. The same holds true for written introductions. Whatever topics you write about, whatever genres you deal with, make sure that introductions will be giving a first impression to your readers. To be a good writer, therefore, you could use several tips to make intros attractive and intriguing. Here are some tips that I mentioned in class. Hope it helps. Feel free to apply these tips to your papers!

1. Ask a provocative or disturbing question
2. Begin with a story or anecdote
3. Offer a quotation
4. Cite a little-known or shocking fact or statistic
5. Move from general to specific
6. State a commonly held misconception or a position that you oppose
7. Describe a hypothetical situation
8. Begin with an intriguing statement
9. Begin with a striking example
10. Make a comparison 

 
Joy

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Alternative topic for the first essay

Essay question

“Despite our inter-connectedness, we're now more alone than ever.”

Do you agree with the above statement? Why or why not?

---

Lonely Planet

By Johannah Cornblatt | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Aug 21, 2009

There are more than 300 million of us in the United States, and sometimes it seems like we're all friends on Facebook. But the sad truth is that Americans are lonelier than ever. Between 1985 and 2004, the number of people who said there was no one with whom they discussed important matters tripled, to 25 percent, according to Duke University researchers. Unfortunately, as a new study linking women to increased risk of heart disease shows, all this loneliness can be detrimental to our health.

The bad news doesn't just affect women. Social isolation in all adults has been linked to a raft of physical and mental ailments, including sleep disorders, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of depression and suicide. How lonely you feel today actually predicts how well you'll sleep tonight and how depressed you'll feel a year from now, says John T. Cacioppo, a neuroscientist at the University of Chicago and coauthor of Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection. Studies have shown that loneliness can cause stress levels to rise and can weaken the immune system. Lonely people also tend to have less healthy lifestyles, drinking more alcohol, eating more fattening food, and exercising less than those who are not lonely.

Though more Americans than ever are living alone (25 percent of U.S. households, up from 7 percent in 1940), the connection between single-living and loneliness is in fact quite weak. "Some of the most profound loneliness can happen when other people are present," says Harry Reis, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester. Take college freshmen: even though they're surrounded by people almost all the time, many feel incredibly isolated during the first quarter of the school year with their friends and family members far away, Cacioppo says. Studies have shown that how lonely freshmen will feel can be predicted by how many miles they are from home. By the second quarter, however, most freshmen have found social replacements for their high-school friends. Unfortunately, as we age, it becomes more difficult to recreate those social relationships. And that can be a big problem as America becomes a more transient society, with an increasing number of Americans who say that they're willing to move away from home for a job.

Loneliness can be relative: it has been defined as an aversive emotional response to a perceived discrepancy between a person's desired levels of social interaction and the contact they're actually receiving. People tend to measure themselves against others, feeling particularly alone in communities where social connection is the norm. That's why collectivist cultures, like those in Southern Europe, have higher levels of loneliness than individualist cultures, Cacioppo says. For the same reason, isolated individuals feel most acutely alone on holidays like Christmas Eve or Thanksgiving, when most people are surrounded by family and friends.

Still, loneliness is a natural biological signal that we all have. Indeed, loneliness serves an adaptive purpose, making us protect and care for one another. Loneliness essentially puts the brain on high alert, encouraging us not to eat leftovers from the refrigerator but to call a friend and eat out. Certain situational factors can trigger loneliness, but long-term feelings of emptiness and isolation are partly genetic, Cacioppo says. What's inherited is not loneliness itself, but rather sensitivity to disconnection.

Social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace may provide people with a false sense of connection that ultimately increases loneliness in people who feel alone. These sites should serve as a supplement, but not replacement for, face-to-face interaction, Cacioppo says. He compares connecting on a Web site to eating celery: "It feels good immediately, but it doesn't give you the same sustenance," he says. For people who feel satisfied and loved in their day-to-day life, social media can be a reassuring extension. For those who are already lonely, Facebook status updates are just a reminder of how much better everyone else is at making friends and having fun.

Michael J. Bugeja, a professor of communications at Iowa State University and author of Interpersonal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age, says that the encroachment of digital communication into our social lives can amplify feelings of isolation. He describes texting or Twittering in the presence of others as a "prescription for loneliness." Such behavior, he says, sends the message that someone somewhere else is more important. "The human heart is suffering from lack of authentic interaction," he says. "Just being able to engage genuinely and politely with your neighbors is a better fix than Xanax could ever affect for mental stability."

So how many friends do you need to avoid loneliness? There's no magic number, according to Cacioppo. An introvert might need one confidante not to feel lonely, whereas an extrovert might require two, three, or four bosom buddies. Experts say it's not the quantity of social relationships but the quality that really matters. "The most popular kid in school may still feel lonely," Cacioppo says. "There are a lot of stars who have been idols and lived lonely lives."

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Pre-writing Strategies

Hi all,

Last Friday we talked about the writing process. The term, writing process, would not seem to be familiar to you. But, yes! There is a process when you write. Even though you do not recognize every single step you make, there exist several steps to finish up writing.

First, we looked at a big picture when approaching to writing, and then we moved on how we get prepared for writing. We often call this first step 'pre-writing,' which literally means 'something we do before we write.'

In class, we also talked about specific strategies about prewriting, such as freewriting, brainstorming, and mapping & clustering, so we can actually practice the skills for writing. Hope these strategies work for you. See you next class.

Joy

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