Writing Skills For Uni Studies U1

UNIT 1 i
The writing process
Unit 1
WUC 203/03
Writing Skills for
University Studies
The Writing Process

ii WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY
WUC 203/03 Writing Skills for University Studies
COURSE TEAM
Course Team Coordinator: Ms. Jasmine Emmanuel
Content Writers: Mr. Fan Kok Keong, Ms. Jasmine Emmanuel, Ms. Yeoh Suan Choo and
Mr. Eng Lean Teik
Instructional Designers: Professor Dr. Ng Wai Kong and Ms. Patricia Toh
Academic Members: Dr. Mogana Dhamotharan and Ms. Vickneswarinee Ganisha
COURSE COORDINATOR
Ms. Jasmine Emmanuel
EXTERNAL COURSE ASSESSOR

Dr. Hyacinth Marie Gaudart
PRODUCTION
In-house Editor: Ms. Michelle Loh
Graphic Designer: Ms. Leong Yin Ling
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UNIT 1 iii
The writing process
Contents
Unit 1 The Writing Process
Course overview 1
Unit overview 3
Unit objectives 3
1.1 The writing process, choosing a topic and 5

generating ideas
Objectives 5
Introduction 5
Academic writing 5
The writing process 6
Choosing a topic 9
Generating ideas 13
Suggested answers to activities 21
1.2 Planning the essay and writing the first draft 25
Objectives 25
Introduction 25
The essay outline 26
The three parts of an essay 28

The introduction 30
The body 40
The conclusion 46
Elements of a good paragraph 52

Unity 52
Coherence 53
iv WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY
Writing the first draft 55
1.3 Revising, editing, and proofreading the essay 71
Objectives 71
Introduction 71
Revising the essay 71
Editing the essay 73
Proofreading the essay 76
1.4 Evaluating the essay 81
Objectives 81
Introduction 81
Evaluating the format 81
Evaluating the essay 82
Summary of Unit 1 89
Unit practice exercise 91
Suggested answers to self-tests 93
Suggested answers to unit practice exercise 99
References 101
UNIT 1 1
The writing process
Course Overview
W elcome to WUC 203/03 Writing Skills for University Studies. First of all, do
congratulate yourself for embarking on this journey. For some of you, this
must have been a very daunting move, especially if your writing experience has
been at school level.
Whatever concerns or apprehension you may have about writing at university level,
be assured that this course will help you become a more confident writer. This course
introduces and teaches you the skills of writing. You can apply these skills when you
undertake your writing tasks and assignments. These skills are also relevant for your
career. Thus, the writing skills for university-level studies that you will learn in this
module will help you to be a good writer not only for university assignments and
writing tasks but also for writing tasks in your workplace.
All of us have learnt writing during our school days. By now, you will be aware that
writing is more than just putting together the letters of the alphabet to make up
words and joining words together to form sentences and paragraphs. Writing is more
than holding on to a pen or pencil (or typing on a computer keyboard) to write or
type words and sentences. According to Jane Willis (1981), writing involves many
activities that may happen simultaneously  writing letters to make up words, joining
words to form sentences, organising content in sentences to form paragraphs, etc.
Your ability to use the course materials and relevant books related to writing will
help you further consolidate your knowledge and your writing skills. Writing Skills
for University Studies is aimed at equipping you with the necessary skills for writing
effectively for academic success and also at your workplace. Wherever relevant, you
will be asked to attempt the exercises in this module. Do bear in mind that you will
find it more meaningful when you link the information in the various units with
your own personal experience in answering your academic assignments.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of writing academic essays.
2. Identify the stages involved in the writing process.
3. Explain the fundamental principles of writing an essay to produce a well-

written piece of work.
4. Produce a well-written piece that is accepted at university level can be

produced.
5. Apply the basic writing concepts to produce reports and proposals.

2 WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY
UNIT 1 3
The writing process
Unit Overview
The main purpose of this unit is to expose you to the writing process. By going
through the various steps of the writing process, you will be able to systematically
produce a written product that is coherent, clear and easily understood. This is
especially important in university-level studies as a good piece of writing reflects
well on the writer as someone who is meticulous in his or her work.
In this unit, you will be exposed to the different steps of the writing process 
choosing a topic, generating ideas, organising, revising, editing and evaluating a
given writing topic. There will be exercises for you to practise these steps of the
writing process. There will also be self-tests at the end of each section and unit so
that you can test yourself to discover how much you have learnt from the sections
in each unit.
Unit Objectives
By the end of Unit 1, you should be able to:
1. List and explain the various stages involved in the writing process.
2. Choose and narrow the topic of an essay.
3. Use different ways of generating ideas for an essay to develop an essay plan.
4. Organise information in an essay to produce clear, logical and coherent text.
5. Use the principles learnt to write the introduction, the body and the
concluding paragraph of an essay.
6. Revise and edit an essay.
7. Explain what evaluating an essay means.
8. Apply the criteria learnt to evaluate an essay.

UNIT 1 5
The writing process
1.1 The Writing Process, Choosing a

Topic and Generating Ideas
Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able to:
1. Discuss the basic steps involved in the writing process.
2. Choose the topic of an essay using strategies learnt.
3. Narrow the topic of an essay.
4. Generating ideas for an essay by applying different techniques.
Introduction
In this section, you will explore what the writing process is about. When we write,
we should go through this process so that we can produce a written product that
the reader can understand. Writers who do not go through the stages of this process
tend to write texts that are disorganised which may confuse their readers.
Academic writing
You may have written an email to a friend, updated your Facebook with a short
paragraph, composed a short story, or penned a reflective piece in your blog. However,
these types of writing differ from academic writing. In these types of writing, you
write whatever you want to whoever you want (including yourself ), and in whatever
manner pleases you. You need not follow any structure, punctuation, and grammar.
However, academic writing is different. Here are the major differences:
1. Academic writing follows a certain structure or pattern: There is an

introduction, middle, and a conclusion. In all your academic writing you
follow this structure.
2. In academic writing, you are writing for a very specific audience  your
tutors, lecturers, peers, and other people in the academic fraternity.
3. In academic writing, you are required to follow the rules of grammar,

punctuation, and spelling to ensure that what you write can be understood
by all in an academic setting.
4. In academic writing, you are required to write on topics related to your field
of study such as languages, medicine, law, economics, science, and many
other various academic fields. You are required to discuss theories, principles,
ideas, and concepts; as well as provide explanations for the processes,
procedures, practices, causes and effects, and many other related matters.
5. When giving opinions and judgements in academic writing, you are required
to support them by linking it to evidence, research, or citing the work of
other authors.
6. Most importantly, in academic writing, you are required to the cite sources
of your information.
The various units in this course has been planned to help you handle your academic
tasks following the accepted standard and structure in academic writing.
The writing process

When we write, we need to go through the entire writing process. Some people
hesitate when they are asked to write and rewrite an essay. Nevertheless, the benefits
far outweigh the time and trouble. Here are some of the reasons:
UNIT 1 7
The writing process
A significant point to remember is that the writing process is not necessarily sequential
(i.e., a linear path from pre-writing to handing in your work). A writer may choose
a topic, gather some information, organise the notes, collect more information,
create subtopics, reorganise the points, etc. It may look something like this at any
of the stages.
The Writing Process
1. Pre-writing:
• Brainstorming for ideas
• Gathering information
2. Organising:
• Reading and making notes
• Making essay plans
• Mind-mapping, etc.
3. Drafting:
• First attempt to write the essay
• Introduction, body and
conclusion
4. Editing:
• Logic and coherence
• Style and expression
• Spelling and grammar
5. Proofreading and handing in

your work:
• Citing sources
• Referencing styles
• Web-related sources
Before you read further, complete the following exercise.
Activity 1.1
Read the following jumbled-up instructions on the writing process

and reorder them in the appropriate sequences.
• Write about something you know.
• Pay attention to grammar, punctuation and spelling as you

rewrite.
• Note down your thoughts.
• Arrange your ideas in order from the important points to the less
important ones.
• Select the ideas that you want to include.
• You should choose a topic that interests you.
• Proceed to prepare an outline.
• After that, read the essay again and amend the parts that can be
further improved.
• It is like a roadmap to keep you headed to your destination.
• Do not worry about grammar at this point.
• After you have arranged your ideas, write the entire essay.
The Writing Process
Pre-writing
1. ___________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________
4. ___________________________________________________
UNIT 1 9
The writing process
Organising
5. ___________________________________________________
6. ___________________________________________________
7. ___________________________________________________
8. ___________________________________________________
Drafting
9. ___________________________________________________
Editing
10. ___________________________________________________
Publishing
11. ___________________________________________________
Always remember that the writing process often requires the writer to return to the
previous stage(s) at one time or another. The following paragraphs tell you how the
writing process works.
Choosing a topic
The very first stage in the writing process is choosing a topic. You need a topic before
you can begin writing. This stage is also known as pre-writing. Some writers call it
the invention stage. This is when you develop a topic (if you are given the option
of deciding on your own topic) and generate ideas from a given topic.
1. Brainstorming ideas for a topic
An effective way of generating ideas for a topic is by brainstorming, i.e.,

writing down all your ideas that come your way on paper. List down all your
ideas regardless of whether you think they are relevant or not.
Activity 1.2
Brainstorm ideas related to the following topic.

Give yourself a time frame of 3 minutes.
The advantage of the Internet for the business community.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. Choosing and narrowing a topic
Whether you have brainstormed a lot of ideas for a certain topic or when
a specific assignment topic is given, what you can write is limited. Many
students are often bewildered by the many possibilities and are unsure of
what exactly to write. Then again, a specified word length of 500 words or
1000 words may be specified  thus limiting the number of ideas that can
be included in a particular topic.
One golden rule to observe when choosing a topic is to ask yourself these
questions:
a. What is it that interests me?
b. What can I make a statement about?
c. Does it fit my assignment in terms of length, required research, etc?
Here is what you do:
a. Make a list of things that you talk and think about. What has been “the hot
issue” discussed between you and your friends at the nasi kandar restaurant
or on Facebook? What issues do you feel strongly about? Discussions
with friends can sometimes give you interesting ideas to write about.
b. Find out what other people talk and think about. Pay attention to issues
raised in major newspapers and news magazines. They can be a gold mine
for current issues.
c. Pay attention to the things you watch on television or browse through

while surfing the Internet.
UNIT 1 11
The writing process
Study this example on how to choose a topic.
Situation: There have been news reports of burglaries and snatch thefts around
the campus area. In your next English assignment, you are given the
choice of choosing your topic to write an essay on. What topic would you
choose?
⇓
Suggestion: It is always better to take on a topic in which you are interested or are
involved in. In this case, one logical topic can be the security system
around the campus.
Activity 1.3
Situation: Recently, the Education Ministry announced that

civil servants would be offered scholarships to study for
their postgraduate degrees in local and foreign
universities. However, successful candidates are bound
by terms and conditions set by the ministry. What is
your opinion on this?
Task: Brainstorm ideas with a friend for a suitable topic for

an essay assignment.
Possible topics:
1. ____________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________
⇓
3. After you have decided on a topic, you need to narrow it down
to something more specific.
For instance, you may be interested in an issue such as health which is a very general
topic. You should narrow down the topic  such as “Living a Healthy Lifestyle”
 which may be to your interest. However, it remains a wide topic. So, you need
to narrow it down further to “Living a Healthy Lifestyle as Teenagers”. It is now
narrowed down to a specific group  teenagers. However, you can also write about
university students or senior citizens.
The diagram illustrates the process of narrowing a topic.
General Topic H E A LT H
LIFESTYLE
CITY FOLKS
TE ENAGER S
Very Specific Topic FOOD
Activity 1.4
Narrow down the following general topics to one specific topic each
for an essay assignment. Some topics are guided:
1. Technology 2. Business 3. Food
Computers Equity Canteen food

Cyber crimes Private companies Food poisoning
__________________ __________________ __________________
__________________ __________________ __________________
__________________ __________________ __________________
__________________ __________________ __________________
Activity 1.5
You are given an essay assignment about studying in an open

university.
Do the following:
On the following lines, list down your ideas. Write as many ideas
as you can. Do not worry about grammar or spelling at this point.
You do not need to write complete sentences. You can use these
ideas to help you write a paragraph.
UNIT 1 13
The writing process
Ideas
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Based on the above ideas that you have generated, can you think
of a specific topic for your essay?
Activity 1.6
In your WawasanLearn activity, share with your coursemates the

ideas that you have generated in Activity 1.5. Share your opinion
about your friends’ ideas. Do you find their ideas interesting? Are
they relevant and appropriate? Choose suitable ideas that can be
used in your essay. Explain why you discard the other ideas.
Here, you learn the importance of selecting relevant ideas.

Remember to spend time to choose appropriate content when you
have generated ideas.
Generating ideas
Once you have decided on a specific essay topic to write on, you need the content
for the essay. The next step of the writing process is to generate ideas. Generating
ideas means to produce ideas which can be used as content for your essay. We shall
look at four techniques for generating ideas:
1. Freewriting
2. Mind-mapping
3. Journal writing
4. Asking questions
1. Freewriting
Freewriting refers to the act of writing “freely”  without stopping  on

a topic for a specific amount of time (Oshima and Hogue 2007). The
purpose of freewriting is to come up with ideas and put them on paper
without worrying about whether the ideas are appropriate, or sentences
are grammatically correct. We normally tend to “filter” ideas generated in
our minds before writing them on paper. Freewriting is a technique that
overcomes this with the purpose of putting down all ideas on paper, whether
they are relevant or irrelevant.
Normally ... In freewriting ...
Write ...
Is this point Write ...
important? Scribble ...
Yes? No?
Too much thinking and filtering. You should just write, write and keep
Nothing gets done. writing. This is freewriting.
To do freewriting, write anything that comes to your mind. Keep writing

something even when your mind is blank. So, you just write “my mind is
blank” or “blank, blank, blank” until something comes into your mind. The
important thing is to keep writing.
Do time yourself. Give yourself around three minutes to freewrite. Do not

bother about tenses, choice of words or sentence structure. Do not worry
about mistakes. Just let the ideas flow. The sole purpose of freewriting is to
generate ideas.
UNIT 1 15
The writing process
Here is an example of freewriting:
I am not sure of what to write. (Freewriting.) What shall I write. Apes,

Chimpanzees. Boring day. Overslept today. I feel guilty. Should I inform my
students? Should I tell them the truth? I don’t think so. Guilty. Typing this stupid
passage. (Freewriting). The rain keeps falling on the plain. Blank. Blank. I believe I
won’t be able to do much these days due to the World Cup fever. Business is very
brisk as usual. It could have been better if not for the increase in petrol prices.
Once you have completed the freewriting activity, read through what you
have written. Choose the items in the text that interest you, and underline
them.
Let us look at the above text again. This time, look at the underlined words
and the items.
I am not sure of what to write. (Freewriting). What shall I write. Apes,

Chimpanzees. Boring day. Overslept today. I feel guilty. Should I inform my
students? Should I tell them the truth? I don’t think so. Guilty. Typing this stupid
passage. (Freewriting). The rain keeps falling on the plain. Blank. Blank. I believe I
won’t be able to do much these days due to the World Cup fever. Business is very
brisk as usual. It could have been better if not for the increase in petrol prices.
The underlined words can help you to decide on a topic to write. Perhaps,
you could write about a boring day or feeling guilty. You could choose a
topic that is based on the World Cup fever. Alternatively, you could also
choose to write something about the increase or decrease in petrol prices.
This technique is helpful if you are asked to write on any topic for an English
Language class. If you are taking a specific course (for instance, banking,
finance or management), how would you use this technique to come up
with a topic to write on?
In focused freewriting, you focus on a particular topic or subject and

freewrite on that topic.
Examine this situation:
You are taking a management subject and your immediate task is to write
an essay on a topic of your choice related to this subject. If you are not sure
of what management-related topic to write on, try focused freewriting.
Method
a. Firstly, think “management” before you start to freewrite.

b. With that word in mind, pick up a pen or a pencil and start writing.
Continue to write without pausing on that topic.
c. Focus thoroughly on the word “management.” Write anything related to

this word.
d. Do not pause. If you have nothing to write, just write “blank”.
e. When you do have ideas, write something related to management.
f. Time yourself. Give yourself two to three minutes each time you freewrite.
The following is an example of focused freewriting based on the topic

“Management”.
Management management. What about management. Lots of types different forms

of management. Japanese style of management is different from the Western style.
Which is better? Maybe Japanese style is better for this country, Malaysia. Why?
Japanese style of management is very polite. Bowing down. Loving work. Mental
stress. Some disadvantages as well. What to do? Management is big business
because many courses on different styles of management.
After you have done the focused freewriting, read the text again and underline
words that interest you. Alternatively, delete words that do not interest you.
Activity 1.7
In your first writing assignment, you are asked to write about striking
a balance between work and study. You want to narrow down the
topic so that you can be more specific in your essay. Freewrite for
three minutes on the lines provided.
Note: Remember to focus on the topic. Keep thinking about it

while you are working on the freewriting activity.
Freewriting Notes
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
UNIT 1 17
The writing process
2. Mind-mapping
Another powerful tool to generate ideas is mind-mapping. Mind-mapping

(also known as “clustering”) is very suitable for you if you are a visual learner.
The idea is to represent your knowledge pictorially. In mind-mapping, you
put down all the ideas that you can think of by relating these ideas to a main
idea. This is done through drawing diagrams with connecting arrows to
indicate the logical organisation of the material. It is a technique that helps
you to stay focused on what you are supposed to think about and help you
see connections in the ideas that might have been obvious.
The following is a mind-map based on the topic “Business Ethics”:
Punctuality Diligence
Good
Political icon ethics
Book
Business Honesty
ethics
Definition
Effects
Journal Poor
Dictionary ethics
Examples
Steps to overcome this
Campaigns Posters
Once you have done your mind-mapping, look through it again and cross
out ideas that you think are irrelevant.
Here is another example. The essay topic is “Advantages and Disadvantages

of the Computer”.
Word processor
System Violent games Communication
crash Computer
Disadvantages Advantages
Entertainment Fast
Viruses Security
Obsolete Mobility Access
Activity 1.8
You are given the following topic on which to write an essay:
Can China be the next super-economic power?
Draw a mind-map to generate ideas for the essay.
China Super-economic
power?
3. Journal writing
Another method of generating ideas and content for your writing task is to
have a journal. A journal is a book in which you write your thoughts, ideas,
dreams, inspirations, as well as important events in your life.
Sometimes, you may get ideas by looking through your journal entries. Here
are some tips on how to start a journal:
a. Get a book for you to write your journal entries. Write something for a
few minutes every day.
b. Keep the journal with you at all times. Sometimes, you may receive
inspiration when you least expect it. That is the time to write your
thoughts lest you forget what you have thought of.
c. After reading a novel or doing some work, write your thoughts about the
novel or the work that you have done.
4. Asking questions
If you are not sure of what to write, ask yourself some questions. Start with
the following words:
What? When? Why? Which? Where? How? Who?
You could write in your journal your thoughts on a particular topic that
you are assigned to write. For instance, your lecturer gives you the following
assignment to do:
Discuss the advantages and the disadvantages of pegging the Malaysian ringgit
to the American dollar.
UNIT 1 19
The writing process
Consider the content that you want to have in your essay. Based on the
above topic, you can ask yourself the following questions.
a. Why are there advantages and disadvantages of pegging the currency?
b. What are the advantages and the disadvantages?
c. Who benefits from these advantages?
d. When did this happen? For how long will it happen?
e. Which currency is it pegged to? Why? Who decides this pegging?
It does not matter if what you have written is right or wrong. You can do
your checking later. The important thing to do at this point is to get your
ideas onto paper.
Activity 1.9
You have the topic “Does Technology Make Us Lazy?” for your next
writing assignment topic. Use strategies that have been mentioned
to generate ideas for the essay. Proceed to draw a mind-map and
freewrite on this topic.
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Web References
Further information on generating ideas can be obtained from the

following websites:
1. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/composition/
brainstorm_freewrite.htm
2. http://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/freewrite.html
3. http://grammar.about.com/od/fh/g/freewritingterm.htm
4. http://www.writingforward.com/writing_exercises/writing-
exercises/writing-exercises-freewriting
5. http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Dickson-Freewriting.html
Summary
In this section, you learnt about the first two steps of the writing
process  i.e., choosing and narrowing down a topic and also
generating ideas for your essay through freewriting, mind-mapping
and journal writing. The skills you have learnt here will enable you
to generate more ideas so that the next stage of writing will become
easier. Remember that all good essays have gone through this stage.
You should remember to time yourself when you work on the

activities to generate ideas. For instance, do not take too much
time when you are doing freewriting. It should be done fast so as
not to allow your brain to filter your ideas and thoughts. Remember
also that the purpose of these activities is to come up with ideas. Do
not spend time to correct the grammar or the spelling that should
be done in another stage of the writing process.
In conclusion, the three techniques of generating ideas  i.e.,

freewriting, mind-mapping and journal writing  can be used to
narrow down one’s topic.
Self-test 1.1
You are given an essay assignment based on the following topics.

Your tutor instructs you to write an essay based on one of the topics:
• M-commerce
• The Hard Sciences
Note:
• M-commerce means doing business via mobile technology such
as using mobile phones to buy and sell things.
• The Hard Sciences generally refer to fields such as biology, physics,
chemistry, and computer science.
1. Choose a topic you want to write on. Discuss with your

coursemates the method that you use for choosing the topic.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
UNIT 1 21
The writing process
2. Narrow down the topic. Discuss the method you use.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. Generate ideas for the topic. Discuss the method you use.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Suggested answers to activities
Feedback
Activity 1.1
Pre-writing
1. You should choose a topic that interests you.
2. Write about something you know.
3. Note down your thoughts.
4. Select the ideas that you want to include.
Organising
5. Proceed to prepare an outline.
6. Arrange your ideas in order from the important points to the

less important ones
7. It is like a roadmap to keep you headed to your destination.
8. After you have arranged your ideas, write the entire essay.
Drafting
9. Do not worry about grammar at this point.

Editing
10. Pay attention to grammar, punctuation and spelling as you

rewrite.
Publishing
11. After that, read the essay again and amend the parts that can
be further improved.
Activity 1.2
Cheap. Saves time. Wider publicity. Fast. Business portals. Online

selling and buying. Secure.
Activity 1.3
Should our students pay for public examinations?
Public examinations  who pays for them?
Abolishment of examination fees  who does this help?
Activity 1.4
Technology: Does modern technology make humans obese?
Business: Current business practices in Malaysia  are they

sustainable?
Food: Ways to prevent food shortage.
Activity 1.5
Possible ideas:
1. Advantages of studying in an open university  e.g., flexible

time, cost savings, online support, library facilities.
2. Challenges  e.g., family commitment, shorter time for personal

free time, balancing with work commitment.
UNIT 1 23
The writing process
3. Ways to overcome challenges  e.g., set up a schedule, talk with

family and daily preparation instead of last-minute work.
Possible topic: The advantages and the challenges of studying in

an open university.
Activity 1.7
Note: Remember to continue writing without pauses when you

freewrite. Do not be concerned about grammar, spelling and word
choices during the process.
Activity 1.8
Problems at grassroots
Current policies Factors Advantages
China Super-economic
power?
Definition Comparison to other

Political history super-economic powers
Economic
• definition America
• local Germany
• international Japan
Activity 1.9
Brainstormed ideas:
Yes  Convenience and also technology such as calculators and

computers that think in the place of human minds.
No  It is the brain that creates new technologies. New technologies

keep on being created. This does not make us lazy.
A possible mind-map:
Medical technology Internet
Types of
technology
Sports technology
Computer
Better exercise
Cheaper labour Work made
machines
and time used easier
More people opt to

Makes us more
exercise motivated to
work
Sample freewriting:
Does technology make us lazy? Yes and no. Yes, it does because we
do everything using technological tools without having to think
much. No, this may be a wrong perception because there are those
who sincerely believe that these tools facilitate human thought and
complement the owner of one’s brain.
Note: There are punctuation mistakes and incorrect word choices.

This is deliberate to show you that the focus in a freewriting
activity is on generating ideas and content. The focus is not on
the grammar.
UNIT 1 25
The writing process
1.2 Planning the Essay

Objectives
1. Prepare an essay outline with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a

conclusion.
2. Use the principles learnt to write an introduction that is appealing to the

reader.
3. Write thesis statements, topic sentences, and supporting sentences.
4. Identify the two elements of a good paragraph.
5. Write the first draft of the essay.
Introduction
Have you ever tried to read an essay where you asked yourself, “What is this essay
about? It doesn’t make any sense at all!” Well, you have probably encountered an
essay that was so haphazardly organised that it made no sense. Lecturers, tutors and
teachers frequently encounter such essays all the time  essays so disorganised that
they are almost impossible to understand.
Before we continue our discussion on essay writing, let us take a look at houses and
other buildings. Have you ever been to a property fair at a mall or the showroom of
a housing developer? You would have seen models or plans of houses, apartments,
condominiums and other buildings. These models and plans give an idea of what
the properties would look like when they are completed. Before the construction
of a building, a plan has to be in place. The developer will decide the number of
storeys for the building, the size of the unit, the number of bathrooms, the height
of the ceiling, among the many things to be considered.
Figure 1.1 Visitors looking at models of condominiums

Source: http://fair.starproperty.my/index.php/fairs/property-fair-penang-2013/
Similarly, before you write you essay, you need to have an essay plan or outline. You
need to decide on the topic, the number of paragraphs you are going to write, and
the specific ideas you want to discuss.
Knowing how to plan your essay is a useful skill as it helps you to put your thoughts
in order. More importantly, your readers will notice that your essay is actually well
organised. A well-planned essay and well-written essay is always a joy to read. Good
writers such as journalists and columnists have lots of fans regularly following their
articles in newspapers and magazines.
If you like to be a good writer, read on. Let us begin by learning how to plan the
three parts of your essay  i.e., the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. You
will also learn how to plan the content that is appropriate for each part. To do this,
you need to write learn how to write topic sentences and supporting sentences
that discuss a specific idea for each paragraph in your essay.
The essay outline

An essay outline is a very useful tool for organising your ideas and facts before you
proceed to write your essay. An outline helps you to organise your information and
lets you see if the points you have listed out support and develop your ideas. Most
importantly, from the outline, you can see if you have answered the question, or if
you are completely off-topic.
UNIT 1 27
The writing process
Here is an example of an outline:
The essay outline above with an introduction, three body paragraphs and a conclusion
is only an example. You may adapt the outline to have more or fewer body paragraphs.
You should, however, ensure your outline has the following:
1. Introduction: The Introduction should have a thesis statement. This

sentence states what the essay is about.
2. Body Paragraphs: Each body paragraph should have a topic sentence. This
sentence tells the reader what the paragraph is about. The body paragraphs
should also have supporting sentences. These supporting sentences provide
explanations, arguments and examples that will give further understanding
to the reader regarding the topic sentence.
3. Conclusion: The Conclusion should summarise the essay. You can give your
opinion, advice, or a prediction of what will happen in future.
You will learn more on how to write thesis statements, topic sentences and supporting
sentences later in this unit.
The three parts of an essay

Let us examine further the essay outline given earlier. You would have noticed that
the outline consists of three parts: the introduction, the body and the conclusion.
Study the following text about the common housefly:
What is the most dangerous animal in the world? If you think it

is some fierce jungle beast, you are wrong. According to many
Introduction
scientists, the most consistently dangerous animal in the world
is the common housefly.
The housefly carries millions of germs. Because of its habit of
feeding on excrement and rubbish, and any form of filth, a
single housefly can harbour thirty-three million germs in its
intestines and more than five hundred million germs on it
Body body and legs.
The housefly is dangerous to people because it spreads
diseases. Being a carrier of germs, it is not surprising that it
is the bearer of such dreaded diseases such as typhoid fever,
tuberculosis and diarrhoea. These diseases kill people.
These are the reasons why the housefly is considered
dangerous. To reduce the problems caused by houseflies,
Conclusion we should always cover food, and ensurethatall rubbish bins
are covered with lids.
The Introduction tells the reader what the essay is about. The introduction in the
given example tells the reader that the common housefly is “the most consistently
dangerous animal in the world”.
The Body of the essay explains why the housefly dangerous. Two reasons are given 
i.e., firstly, the housefly carries millions of germs; and secondly, it spreads diseases.
These two reasons are discussed separately in two different body paragraphs the essay.
The Conclusion summarises the argument. The writer then completes the conclusion
with an advice  we should always cover food and ensure that all rubbish bins are
covered with lids.
UNIT 1 29
The writing process
Activity 1.10
The following are paragraphs of the essay below. Identify the various
paragraphs of the essay.
Body Body Body

Introduction Conclusion
paragraph 1 paragraph 2 paragraph 3
1. _________________________________________________
A punctual student does not arrive late for lectures. If a class

begins at eight in the morning, he does not reach the university
at five minutes past 8 o’clock. He will arrive at the campus by
7.30 am.
2. _________________________________________________
We can train ourselves to be punctual. If you want others to

think of you as reliable, you must be punctual.
3. _________________________________________________
What is punctuality? It means never being late for any event. It

means that we arrive on time for all events. It is a habit of never
arriving late or delaying work.
4. _________________________________________________
It is important that we continue this habit even after we have

graduated from university. Once we complete our studies, we
may forget this good habit. We may not wake up early. We may
take our time to get ready. When we arrive at our office or for
an appointment, or we may arrive ten minutes late. We may
slowly lose the habit of being punctual.
5. _________________________________________________
The student who has a habit of being punctual arrives for classes
early. He has time to prepare and he is ready for the lecturer to
start the first lesson.
Now that you have learnt that an essay is organised into three main parts (i.e.,
introduction, body and conclusion), let us probe deeper into each of these three parts.
The introduction
It is often said that your essay is as good as the introduction. This means that you
need to catch the readers’ attention by informing them what your essay is about.
This is conveyed through your thesis statement, a very important sentence in your
introduction.
Introduction
Opening Sentence/Hook
General/Background Information
Thesis Statement
Your introduction should aim at impressing your reader. A poor impression often
turns off the reader. This is one reason why you should spend time in learning how
to write the introduction of an essay.
The introduction to your paper is very important because it can do the following:
1. Captures your reader’s attention.
2. Convinces your readers that your paper is worth reading.
3. Sets the tone for the rest of the paper.
4. Sufficiently introduces your topic to your reader.
The opening sentence or hook
Writing the first sentence in any essay is often a difficult task for many students. It
need not be. Reporters, journalists, novelists and professional writers use and reuse
the certain strategies when they construct their introductory sentence. You can make
use of these techniques too.
These opening sentences of the introduction are also known as hooks. They are
called hooks because their purpose is to “hook” the readers’ attention and to make
them want to continue reading. Do take some time to study some of the hooks
of the articles appearing in your favourite magazines  do you think the opening
sentences are appealing?
Look at how the opening sentences of the single topic “Plagiarism” is written using
the various strategies:
UNIT 1 31
The writing process
“Plagiarism”
Strategy Opening sentence or hook
Statement/ Plagiarism is a serious problem in universities.
Announcement (A statement can easily be created from the question or topic of
the essay)
Refutation/ Plagiarism is not a serious problem in universities.
Denial (A refutation is just a statement written in a negative form)
Question Is plagiarism a serious problem in universities?
(A question makes readers think. They may want to read on to find
out what the answer to the question is)
Shocking/ A newspaper reported that two university lecturers are facing
surprising action for plagiarism.
statement (Anything shocking, surprising or sensational often hook the
readers)
Quotation Wilson Mizner once said, “If you steal from one author,it's
plagiarism; if you steal from many, it's research.”
(A well-chosen quotation makes your readers think  it may even
make them laugh)
Dialogue “Don’t you ever plagiarise someone else’s work,” warned my
lecturer. “I promise I won’t.” I replied.
(A dialogue gives the introduction a touch of reality)
Anecdote/ My sister came back from university one day looking sad. When
Story/ asked why, she replied that she was given a failing grade...
Personal (You might want to relate want to relate a personal experience
experience to give it a personal touch. A story or anecdote may work as the
reader may want to read the rest of the story… and in the process,
the rest of the essay)
Definition Plagiarism is an act of academic dishonesty.
(A definition attempts to explain the meaning of a word, concept
or idea)
To fully understand the strategies, you need to try your hand at identifying the types
of hooks used, and writing your own hooks in the following activities.
Activity 1.11
Identify the hook for the topic “Love at First Sight”.
Opening sentence or hook Strategy

I first saw her outside the Penang Library on a
rainy day…
I don’t believe in love at first sight
“Mum, I fell in love today.” “It won’t last,” said
my mum.
I believe in love at first sight

“Love at first sight is often cured by a second
look.”
A young couple jumped off from the Penang
Bridge last night…
Love can be defined as a strong feeling of
affection
Do you believe in love at first sight?
Activity 1.12
Write an opening sentence or hook for the topic “Examinations”.
“Examinations”
Statement
Refutation/Denial
Question
Shocking/surprising
statement
Quotation
Dialogue
Anecdote/Story/
Personal experience
Definition
General or background information
Now that you have learnt how to write a hook, it is time to write your second and
subsequent sentences. Before you begin writing your essay, you need to provide your
reader some general or background information about the topic.
For example, if you are writing about “The benefits of using a smartphone,” you
might want to tell your readers what a smartphone is  i.e., you provide some general
or background information on the smartphone before discussing about the benefits.
While you might know what a smartphone is, do be aware that not everyone knows
what this gadget is!
UNIT 1 33
The writing process
There are many ways to present the general or background information about a
topic. Here are some guidelines:
1. Begin with a general statement about your topic. Do be careful. A general

statement should not be so broad that you deviate from the specific topic
that you are going to about.
General statement:
E-commerce has brought many disadvantages to a business community that has

yet to come to grips with current technology.
2. The next few sentences of your introduction should become increasingly

focused on your topic until you reach the last sentence, which is your thesis
statement.
Elaboration of information:
These disadvantages are more acute for the business community as it is the first
group that will be affected by the failure of E-commerce.
3. The thesis statement is usually the last sentence but this is not necessarily
so. This sentence states what the entire essay is about in just one sentence.
Every point that you discuss in your essay should be related to this statement
in some way.
Thesis statement:
There are several reasons why the business community is facing many
disadvantages in the world of E-commerce.
In the given example, the thesis

statement tells us that the essay
focuses on the reasons why
E-commerce is disadvantageous
to the business community.
Although the thesis statement is

most commonly found at the end
of your introduction, it can be
anywhere within the introduction
as shown in the following diagram.
4. Ensure that the order in which you present material in your introductory
paragraph is similar to the order in which you discuss the points in the body
paragraphs of your essay. This will make it easier for your readers to follow
your argument.
Important note:
Short essays normally use one paragraph for the introduction.

A longer essay may require more than one introductory paragraph to
sufficiently introduce the content of the paper.
Thesis statement
By now, you would have realised that the thesis statement is the most important
sentence in your introduction. It states specifically what your essay is about.
In an academic essay, your thesis statement states that it will answer the essay question.
If the question requires you to state a stand or a view, your thesis statement will declare
your stand. If necessary, you may use up to two sentences for your thesis statement.
Examples A:
1. During the semester break, I did many things.
2. The use of a smartphone can benefit a university student in many ways.
3. According to many scientists, the most consistently dangerous animal in the

world is the common housefly.
UNIT 1 35
The writing process
4. Studying for a degree the ODL way has many advantages.
5. The migration of people from rural to urban areas has created problems for
the city planners.
6. This essay will discuss the four most common forms of academic dishonesty.
(This thesis statement indicates that there will be four body paragraphs. However,
if you want to discuss the four forms of academic dishonesty in greater depth, you
might want to allocate two paragraphs for each form of academic dishonesty 
resulting in eight paragraphs)
In your thesis statement, you may choose to list the subtopics that will be discussed in
the body paragraphs. Such statements tell your readers exactly what will be discussed
be discussed in the essay. The examples below show how the above thesis statements
are expanded to include subtopics:
Examples B:
1. During my semester break, I visited many places, had a part-time job, and
learnt many new things.
2. The smartphone can benefit university students by giving them access to the
internet for research, snap pictures of PowerPoint presentations, and record
lectures.
3. According to many scientists, the most consistently dangerous animal in the

world is the common housefly because it carries millions of germs; and it
spreads diseases.
4. Some of the advantages of studying for a degree the ODL way include being
independent to organise your own learning, having 24-hour access to the
course, and the ability to submit assignments online.
5. The migration of people from rural to urban areas means that the city
planners have to look into issues of housing, employment, and crime.
6. This essay will discuss the four most common forms of academic dishonesty
 plagiarism, facilitation, fabrication, and cheating.
Here are some guidelines to writing thesis statements:
1. Your thesis statement should focus only on one topic.
(See Examples A above)

2. Your thesis statement can show the scope of your discussion. The scope can
include the subtopics you are going to discuss in your essay.
(See Examples B above)
3. Your thesis statement should state your position on an issue. Make your
stand and the conclusion you want your readers to draw from your essay.
(See various examples given for specific essay types in Units 2 and 3)
4. Check that your thesis statement is not too long, or uses vague language.
The points stated should be clear, and should not suggest subject matter
you will not discuss.
Activity 1.13
Complete the following thesis statements by adding subtopics to

them:
1. Good leaders have the following qualities:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
2. Students plagiarise because ___________________________

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. The benefits of reading are many:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
4. University students need smartphones ___________________

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
5. Getting a university degree is a good investment for three

reasons:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
UNIT 1 37
The writing process
6. Living in a city is better than living in a kampong because ______

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
7. To lead a healthy lifestyle you must _____________________

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Do’s and don’ts for writing an introductory paragraph:
DO
1. Introduce the specific issue(s) or the side of an argument you are focussing on
in your essay.
2. Let your readers know exactly what they will expect in your essay, and the
approach that you are taking in your argument.
3. Be brief in the introduction. However, do provide adequate background

information to ensure that someone who has no knowledge about the topic
can follow your argument.
4. Maintain your readers’ attention by setting the tone for the essay, and provide a
“map” for the rest of the paper, i.e., stating the subtopics you intend to discuss.
DO NOT
1. Try to explain or make arguments in your introduction. That should be done in

the body of your essay. Briefly state what you will be explaining or arguing in
the essay,
2. Provide too many details. These details can be discussed in the body of your
essay.
3. Be repetitive as your readers may find your introduction to the topic

uninteresting.
Activity 1.14
Read the following sentences. When they are arranged in the correct
order, they form an introductory paragraph. Begin with the sentence
you think is the hook. Next think about the background information
 begin with the most general statement until the introduction
becomes more specific. Finally, choose a thesis statement to end
the introduction.
In English Literature, writers make use of a variety of mediums to

convey to convey their thoughts, feelings, ideas, and experiences.
This essay will analyse the various elements of a poem.
What is poetry?
The novel is the lengthiest medium while the poem is the shortest.
The most common ways to communicate these ideas are novels,

plays, short stories, essays, and poems.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
The following example of an introductory paragraph shows what you should not
be doing:
Is Physics Relevant for Today’s Society?
Most physics programmes in public universities and

private universities are finding it hard to get new students.
Less students are registering for such courses ï This part here is
because more students are opting for programmes repetitive. It can be
such as business, accounting, medicine and law that shortened so as not
can give them a financial future and security. As a to disinterest the
result, physics programmes in many universities are reader.
slowly coming to a halt. However, I believe that physics
has relevance to current societies. There is a career ï The argument
path for students to enrol in a physics programme. given here should
He or she can work in a science department for the be explained
government. New discoveries can be made and this in subsequent
will make the person popular. paragraphs.
UNIT 1 39
The writing process
The following is an improved version of the introductory paragraph above:
Is Physics Relevant for Today’s Society?
Most physics programmes in public universities and private universities are finding
it hard to get new students because more students are opting for programmes such
as business, accounting, medicine and law that can give them a financial future
and security. Consequently, physics programmes in many universities are deemed
irrelevant for today’s society. However, I disagree with this view. Physics is important
for today’s society because it is needed to explain the laws of new technology yet
to be discovered and to help us understand the mechanics of our universe better.
Activity 1.15
Study the two introductory paragraphs for the essay topic: Should
Malaysia support stem-cell research?
Introduction A
Malaysia should not engage itself in stem-cell research because

of moral, religious and ethical issues involved. The debate for
and against stem-cell research has been going on for years in the
Western world. Undoubtedly, we should consider the benefits of
this technology but I believe the negative aspects of this technology
outweigh the positive aspects for the three main reasons mentioned.
Introduction B
Stem-cell research is believed to provide many positive benefits in

the medical field especially for those who are suffering from certain
incurable diseases or medical conditions. However, there is the
dark side to this research. This research violates moral, religious
and ethical values. This debate has been going on in America and
the United Kingdom for some time. Christopher Reeve was one
of the advocates of stem-cell research. Unable to move his lower
body due to a spinal injury, he believed this research could find a
cure for his condition and for many other people suffering from
the same condition. Nevertheless, what are the moral, religious and
ethical issues involved?
Which of the following introductory paragraphs is a more suitable

introduction?
____________________________________________________
Why do you say so?
____________________________________________________
Based on your chosen text (Introduction A or B), what is the thesis

statement?
____________________________________________________
Activity 1.16
Write an introductory paragraph based on the topic that you have

chosen in Self-test 1.1.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
The body
The body of your essay is the part where you develop your topic. Each of your body
paragraphs should discuss one main idea. If you have more than one main idea,
consider having additional paragraphs to discuss the other ideas.
Students often ask, “How many sentences should I write in a paragraph?” A single
sentence can represent a paragraph. Of importance, is that your paragraph should
be long enough to discuss the main idea clearly and sufficiently.
All body paragraphs have the following topic sentences and supporting sentences:
Body paragraphs
Topic sentences
Supporting sentences
Topic sentences
The topic sentence is the most important sentence in your paragraph. For that reason,
the topic sentence is usually (though not always) the first the first sentence in the
body paragraph. Therefore, do put some thought into its construction.
UNIT 1 41
The writing process
The topic sentence tells the readers the main idea that will be discussed in that single
paragraph. The topic sentence has two clear parts:
1. Topic
2. Controlling idea (or Main idea)
The topic sentence is very useful to the readers. They know what kind of information
to expect from the paragraph. The topic sentence is helpful to you as a writer. By
referring to your topic sentence, you know what you should write about, and what
you should not.
Look at these three topic sentences for three body paragraphs based on the topic
“What I did during my semester break.” You will notice that the topic, “During
my semester break” is similar for the three sentences, but the controlling ideas are
different.
Topic Controlling idea

During my semester break, I visited many new places.
In this paragraph, you write only about the many new places you visited, and
nothing else.

During my semester break, I had a part-time job.
In this paragraph, you write only about the part-time job and nothing else.

During my semester break, I learnt many new things
In this paragraph, you write only about the many new things you learnt, and nothing
else.
The thesis statement for the above three body paragraphs can be written in either way:
• During the semester break, I did many things.
(This thesis statement does not specify the things you did.)
• During the semester break, I did visited many new places, had a part-time
job, and learnt many new things.
(This thesis statement specifies the three things you did; and you are therefore
expected to write three body paragraphs.)
Activity 1.17
Study the topic sentences below. Circle the topic and underline
thecontrolling idea in each of the following sentences.
1. During my semester break, I met many interesting people.
2. Another benefit of the smartphone is to take a snap of their

tutor’s PowerPoint presentation.
3. The housefly is dangerous because it spreads diseases.
4. Another advantage of an ODL student is that he can study

anytime convenient to him.
5. One problem city planners have to look into is the issue of

housing.
6. Plagiarism is the most common form of academic dishonesty.
7. Another problem caused by the World Cup is the drop in

productivity among employees.
8. The local food makes Penang a tourist paradise.
9. Another factor you need to think about before buying a car is

the monthly instalments you are going to pay.
10. To stay healthy, you need to exercise regularly.
Activity 1.18
Based on the topic “Our government should spend more money in

the arts”, one possible thesis statement is “The government should
spend more money in the arts because it is through the arts that
people become cultured”.
UNIT 1 43
The writing process
Based on this thesis statement, which one of the following topic

sentences is not suitable for the body of the essay? Why?
A. The arts pave the way for one to appreciate human values.
B. It is through the arts that people learn to value human creativity.
C. The arts can bring in substantial economic benefits to a country.
D. While science makes human lives easier, it is the arts that make
human lives richer in terms of tradition, mores and culture.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
What should I do if the thesis statement and topic sentences do not match the
ideas and content generated earlier?
You also need to consider the content that you produced at the start of the writing
process. Ensure that your thesis statement and topic sentence matches the content
that you have generated.
What happens if the thesis statement and the topic sentences do not match with
the ideas and content generated earlier?
Remember that the writing process is recursive and not linear. This means that you
can and should always go back to an earlier stage to redo what you have done. Thus,
you can return to the generating idea stage to generate more ideas and content related
to your thesis statement and topic sentences.
Before we move on to the next section of this unit, let us recapitulate what you have
learnt so far. You have learnt:
1. How to organise the ideas and content that have been generated for an essay.
By now you should know that there are three main parts in an essay  i.e.,
the introduction, the body and the conclusion.
2. How to write the thesis statement and the topic sentence. The thesis
statement informs the reader what the essay is about, while the topic sentence
informs the reader what a particular paragraph is about. The topic sentence
of a paragraph should be related to the thesis statement of the introductory
paragraph.
3. The writing process is recursive. This means that when you find the ideas
generated do not match your topic sentences or that your topic sentences
need more content, you return to the stage of generating ideas.
The next step that you need to do is to develop your paragraphs. Now that you have
the introductory paragraph, the thesis statement and the topic sentences, how does
one go about developing the paragraphs for each topic sentence?
You can develop the paragraphs by giving details, explaining and examples to support
your topic sentence. Let us look deeper into this in the next section.
Activity 1.19
Based on the following topic “The English Language will lose its
prominence as a world language soon.” Write a thesis statement. Then
write three topic sentences based on this thesis statement.
Thesis statement:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Topic sentence 1 (for Body paragraph 1):
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Supporting sentences
Now that you have learnt to write topic sentences, you need to learn how to develop
these topic sentences into full paragraphs. These paragraphs form the body of the
essay:
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
UNIT 1 45
The writing process
The body of your essay explains and develops the subtopics that you have made
in your introduction and your thesis statement. Each body paragraph must have a
clear and focused point that is indicated by your topic sentence.
The topic sentence is the sentence in a paragraph which tells your readers what
the paragraph is about.
You should organise body paragraphs so that they follow a certain pattern,depending
on the nature of the topic and the essay question you are answering. Some of
the patterns you will learn in Units 2 and 3 include: logical division of ideas,
chronological order, cause and effect, and compare and contrast.
Things to remember when you write your body paragraphs:
1. Although a topic sentence can be placed anywhere in a paragraph, it is

recommended for the student to put it at the beginning of the paragraph.
You can then develop your entire paragraph by adding details and examples
to support that topic sentence.
2. Make sure the topic sentences are related to the thesis statements.
3. Use the same language as you have used in your introduction for your
body paragraphs. For instance, if you have phrased one of the points in your
introduction a certain way, phrase it the same way in all your body
paragraphs.
4. Discuss one main idea in each body paragraph. Do not attempt to include
too much information in each paragraph.
5. Ensure that you phrase everything clearly so that your specific audience can
understand what you are trying to convey.
Activity 1.20
You are given the essay topic “How to have a long-lasting marriage”.
The following is the introductory paragraph.
In a recent newspaper report, it is mentioned that one out of

seven marriages in the world ends in a separation or a divorce.
This ratio may be highly disputed but it cannot be denied that
many marriages do fail and the victims of these failed marriages
are usually the children. This is in addition to the emotional and
mental problems faced by both spouses and also the financial strain
that they have to go through to pay for any alimony. To avoid these
and many other related problems, couples should aspire to make
their marriages work. There are two ways that married people can
consider in order to have a long-lasting marriage  go for holidays
and have family time.
Based on the above introduction identify the thesis statement, write

two body paragraphs for the body of the essay.
Thesis statement:
____________________________________________________
Body paragraph 1:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Body paragraph 2:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
The conclusion
The conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay. It is equally as important as

your introduction because your conclusion signals the end of your discussion. This
concluding paragraph ties all the information that you have presented to your
readers. It also provides the reader with an insight into your subject, and the larger
implications that it has outside of your work.
As with introductions, your final paragraph can be concluded in many ways. The
diagram below shows what you can include in your conclusion.
Conclusion
Restatement
Summary
Closing statement(s)
Restatement
You should begin your conclusion with a restating your thesis statement. The
restatement serves to remind your readers what you have written. You may paraphrase
the thesis statement  i.e., rewrite it without using the same words.
UNIT 1 47
The writing process
Summary
After your restatement, you can summarise the main ideas of your body paragraphs.
You may list out the subtopics discussed. Do not present any new information.
However, some restatements do list the subtopics discussed earlier:
The smartphone can benefit university students by giving them access to the
internet for research, snap pictures of PowerPoint presentations, and record lectures.
The closing statement(s)
Your final statement(s) should leave your readers thinking about what you have
written. They may agree or disagree with you, but you last sentence should make
them reflect on your topic.
Strategies for writing the closing statement
Just as there are strategies for writing a hook, there are strategies you can employ to
write your final sentence:
“Plagiarism”
Strategy Closing statement(s)
Advice You should avoid plagiarism in order to achieve your true
potential.
(You can giveadvice on what should be done on the issue
discussed)
Solution or To reduce or prevent plagiarism, students should submit their
recommendation essays to Turnitin, an internet-based service for checking
plagiarism. I have used it, and it is effective.
(Offering a solution or recommendation depends largely on the
issue discussed)
Prediction While it is possible to check for plagiarism of texts currently,
the technology to check for plagiarism in music, video and
art is the next step forward.
(Having discussed the issue in a broader context, you can offer a
prediction what the future holds)
Ask a question While it is possible to check for plagiarism of texts currently,
can the same technology check for plagiarism in music, video
and art?
(A question will make the readers think about the topic)
Results or Avoid plagiarism at all costs, because such an act will not only
consequences destroy the culprits’ reputation, it will destroy the university’s
name as well.
(You can end the essay with a reminder on the consequences of
a certain action)
Quotation In conclusion, I would like to quote artist Bonnie Hamlin:
“Gathering your own reference materials, sketches and using
your own imagination is going to help you grow as an artist
far more than stealing someone else's work.”
(A good quotation lends authority to the point you want to
make in your essay)
Activity 1.21
Write a concluding statement or statements for the topic

“Examinations”.
“Examinations”
Advice
Solution or recommendation
Prediction
Ask a question
Results or consequences
Quotation
Look at the advertorial (a newspaper advertisement giving

information) below. Although it is not an essay, it has all the
elements of the three types of paragraphs  the introduction, body
and conclusion.
Here is an analysis of the various types of sentences or statements

used in the advertorial:
Source: SUNDAY STAR 27 July 2014 page 19

UNIT 1 49
The writing process
Introduction
The introduction has two short paragraphs instead of a single long one. Newspaper
articles, advertorials and print advertisements keep their paragraphs short. If you
submit a five-paragraph article to a newspaper, the editor will divide into 10 – 15
paragraphs. Can you think of a reason why this is done?
Hook The introduction makes use of two types of hooks. The first
hook is a question:
Did you know that the liver is a highly resilient cleaning and
clearing house for your body?
The second hook is a surprising statement:
It is the largest internal organ – almost the size of a football!

Background The next five sentences provide background information on
information the liver.
Thesis statement The last sentence of the introduction is the thesis statement.
The statement tells you what the article is about:
There are many ways for you to start caring for your liver, and
here are some easy tips:
Body
There are altogether six “body paragraphs” with six different topics—one topic for
each paragraph.
Topic sentence 1 Although there is no topic sentence, the topic is for this
paragraph is stated clearly in bold: Start your day right!
Supporting The next two sentences are the supporting sentences:

sentences
1. Upon waking up, drink a glass of warm water to flush
your toxins.
2. Alternatively, you can consume drinks with citrus fruits

like lemons that are high in vitamin C to help lighten the
detoxification load of the liver.
Topic sentence 2 The topic is Consume more veggies, followed by two
supporting sentences.
Supporting
sentences
Topic sentence 3 The topic is Milk thistle for liver regeneration, followed by two
Supporting
sentences
Topic sentence 4 The topic is Get vaccinated, followed by one supporting

sentence.
Supporting
sentences
Topic sentence 5 The topic is Live healthy lifestyle, followed by three
Supporting
sentences
Topic sentence 6 The topic is Limit alcohol intake, followed by three
Supporting
sentences
Conclusion
The conclusion of this article is different from the ones you usually see in essays. Here,
the conclusion does not sum up the piece of writing, but offers more information
about your liver. After all, this is an advertorial, not an academic essay!
Activity 1.22
Based on the essay below, identify the various types of sentences.
Introduction What is the most dangerous animal in the

world? If you think it is some fierce jungle beast,
you are wrong. According to many scientists,
the most consistently dangerous animal in the
world is the common housefly.
Body The housefly carries millions of germs. Because
Paragraph 1 of its habit of feeding on excrement and
rubbish, and any form of filth, a single housefly
can harbour thirty-three million germs in its
intestines and more than five hundred million
germs on it body and legs.
Body The housefly is dangerous to people because
Paragraph 2 it spreads diseases. Being a carrier of germs,
it is not surprising that it is the bearer of
such dreaded diseases such as typhoid fever,
tuberculosis and diarrhoea. These diseases kill
people.
Conclusion These are the reasons why the housefly is
considered dangerous. To reduce the problems
caused by houseflies, we should always cover
food, and ensure that all rubbish bins are
covered with lids.
UNIT 1 51
The writing process
1. Introduction
Opening sentence/Hook:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Thesis statement:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
2. Body Paragraph 1
Topic sentence:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Supporting sentence:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. Body Paragraph 2
Topic sentence:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
4. Conclusion
Restatement:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Advice:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Elements of a good paragraph

Two elements of a good paragraph are unity and coherence.
Unity
Unity means the whole paragraph discusses one single idea, and only that idea. The
idea in the paragraph is found in the topic sentence:

I took up running because it is an inexpensive sport.
Every sentence that follows this single controlling idea explains why running is an
inexpensive sport, or backs up the idea with supporting information. This is why
those sentences are called supporting sentences.
Each of the four supporting sentences below explains why running is an inexpensive
sport.
1. I do not need to buy special equipment for running except shoes, a pair of
shorts, and a T-shirt.
2. I do not need to splash out money for equipment like rackets for badminton,
tennis or squash.
3. I do not need to purchase shuttlecocks or balls.
4. I can run anywhere for free, unlike the racket games where I need to regularly
pay for rental of courts.
Notice how the four supporting sentences use words like buy, splash out money for,
purchase, free and regularly pay. These words provide proof to the idea that running
is indeed an inexpensive sport.
UNIT 1 53
The writing process
Activity 1.23
Check the paragraph below for unity by doing the following:
1. Underline the topic sentence.
2. Circle the controlling idea.
3. Cross out the sentence that is not related to the topic
I choose running because it is an activity I can carry out alone

without the need for a partner. In many sports, a team is needed.
For example, I need two teams of eleven players each if I want to
play a proper game of football. If I cannot round up the required
number to play an informal game, I still require two teams. Even a
simple game of badminton requires at least a partner. This is why
I choose running, for I can begin the sport anytime even if no one
wants to join me. I can watch other sports on television with my
friends.
Coherence
The next element in a good paragraph is coherence. This basically means the
sentences of the paragraph must be linked logically and sensibly. We make use of
cohesive devices or ways to achieve cohesion:
Cohesive devices Examples

Connectors Look at the earlier supporting sentences rewritten as a linked
paragraph. The sentence connectors are in italics
I took up running because it is an inexpensive sport. It is

cheap as I do not need to buy special equipment except
shoes, a pair of shorts, and a T-shirt. Furthermore, I do not
need to splash out money for rackets, shuttlecocks and
balls for sports like badminton, tennis or squash. Moreover,
I can run anywhere for free, unlike the racket games where
I need to regularly pay for rental of courts.
Here is a list of a list of connectors you can use to link ideas

within and between sentences. These connectors are also
known as cohesive devices or transition signals.
Function Connectors
To add ideas in addition, furthermore, moreover,
besides, too, also, and
To give an for example, for instance, such as, as an
example illustration
To show but, however, on the other hand,

contrast nevertheless, in spite of, nonetheless,
on the contrary, in contrast, instead,
although, though, even though,
whereas, while
To give an or, if, unless, otherwise
alternative or
choice
To show result as a result, consequently, as a
consequence, therefore, thus, hence,
so, due to
To emphasise more/most importantly, to repeat, to
emphasise, above all, most of all, of
course
To show order first(ly), second(ly), third(ly), fourth(ly),
next, then, after that, following, last(ly),
last of all, finally
To show next, after, before, after, soon, until,
sequence since, during, immediately, meanwhile,
subsequently, at the moment, in
future,
To conclude or in conclusion, finally, in brief, in short,
summarise to sum up, in summary
To compare similarly, also, in the same way,
likewise, as…as, more…than
Key words Note key words related to running as a sport: running, sport,
sports, run, and the pronoun it.
The use of words like buy, splash out money for, purchase, free
and regularly pay give coherence to the paragraph.
Consistent Note that the pronoun I is used throughout the paragraph.
pronoun Students frequently mix pronouns such as we, you, it and they
in their paragraphs.
Pronouns related to I such as me, mine, my and myself can be

used.
Activity 1.24
Read the concluding paragraph below:
I choose running because it is an easy sport to take up. It is

an inexpensive sport because you do not need to buy special
equipment except for shoes, a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.
Furthermore, we can run by ourselves or with friends. Moreover,
he or she can run at any time and almost anywhere.
UNIT 1 55
The writing process
1. The pronouns are not consistent. Correct them so that the above
paragraph is more coherent.
2. Identify the two transition signals:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Writing the first draft

A paragraph cannot solely contain just a single topic sentence. It needs to be developed
by explanations, descriptions, arguments, comments, opinions or examples. At this
stage of developing your paragraphs, your main concern is to write your first draft.
Do not be concerned about grammar, spelling or punctuation just yet. You make
the necessary corrections after you have produced your draft.
In Activity 1.19, you were asked to come up with a thesis statement and three
topic sentences based on the topic “The English language will lose its prominence as
a world language soon”.
Based on the above topic, here is one possible topic sentence:
English is losing prominence because other languages such as Mandarin and

Japanese are gaining popularity.
The paragraph with the above topic sentence can be developed by explaining what the
sentence means. To develop the topic sentence, you can consider giving explanations
and examples. An example is given as follows and the topic sentence is in bold print:
Another reason why I believe English is losing prominence is because other

languages such as Mandarin and Japanese are gaining popularity. (1) More
people from the Western world are attracted to cultures other than their own. Their
fascination with non- Western cultures has prompted many to pick up Mandarin and
Japanese as a means to better understand a foreign world. (2) In addition, China
and Japan are two Asian economic superpowers resulting in many people wanting
to learn Mandarin and Japanese so that business transactions can be done better.
Supporting sentences (1) and (2) explain the reason Mandarin and Japanese are
gaining popularity  i.e., to allow learners access into a different culture and to
make business dealings easier.
Activity 1.25
This is an extension of Activity 1.19. Based on the topic “The

English Language will lose its prominence as a world language soon”,
here is a possible thesis statement with three subtopics:
There are reasons for this loss of status: They include detachment
from colonial identity, a rise in interest in other languages and
also trade and business interests.
Based on the thesis statement above, write an introductory

paragraph:
Introduction
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
There are reasons for this loss of status: They include detachment
from colonial identity, a rise in interest in other languages and
also trade and business interests.
Now write three topic sentences for three body paragraphs based
on the thesis statement. After that, add supporting sentences to
complete the body paragraphs:
Body Paragraph 1
Topic sentence:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Supporting sentences:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
UNIT 1 57
The writing process
Body Paragraph 2
Topic sentence:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Body Paragraph 3
Topic sentence:
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Activity 1.26
Now that you have written your introduction and body of your
essay in Activity 1.24, write the concluding paragraph:
Conclusion
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Reminder
The main objective at this stage is to write your first draft. Do not
think of the grammar, spelling and sentence structures just yet. Leave
them to the next stage of the writing process because your intention
here is to put in writing your points and content in paragraph form.
Once you have written down

the paragraphs for each part of the You need to read through
essay, you have completed your your draft and that is the
first draft. However, this is not the next stage of the writing
end of your work on the essay. process  i.e., revising and
editing the text.
Summary
In this section, you learnt about writing paragraphs for the different
parts of the essay  i.e., the introduction, the body, and the
conclusion.
You also learnt about the two important types of sentences in essays
 the thesis statement in the introduction, and the topic sentences
in the body paragraphs.
You have learnt that the thesis statement tells the readers what
the essay is about. The topic sentences tell the readers what the
paragraph is about.
Once you have written the thesis statement and the topic sentences,
you can proceed to draft and develop your paragraphs by giving
explanations, examples, opinions, descriptions, arguments or
comments.
UNIT 1 59
The writing process
Self-test 1.2
You are asked to write an essay about women in our modern society.
1. Narrow down the topic so that you have a more specific topic
to write on.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
2. Generate ideas and content for the topic. What method will
you use to generate them?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. Look at the ideas that you have. Choose the ones that are relevant
and organise them accordingly.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
4. Write a thesis statement.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
5. Write three topic sentences based on the thesis statement. If

necessary, regenerate ideas and content. Remember that the
writing process is recursive.
Topic sentence 1:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Topic sentence 2:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Topic sentence 3:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
6. Write a body paragraph based on one of the above topic

sentences by adding supporting sentences.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
7. Write an appropriate conclusion.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Feedback
Activity 1.10
1. Body paragraph 2
2. Conclusion
3. Introduction
4. Body paragraph 3
5. Body paragraph 1
UNIT 1 61
The writing process
Activity 1.11
Answers will vary.
Opening sentence or hook Strategy

I first saw her outside the Penang Library Anecdote/Story/
on a rainy day… Personal experience
I don’t believe in love at first sight. Refutation/Denial
“Mum, I fell in love today.” “It won’t last,” Dialogue
said my mum.
I believe in love at first sight. Statement/
Announcement
“Love at first sight is often cured by a Quotation
second look.”
A young couple jumped off from the Shocking/surprising
Penang Bridge last night… statement
Love can be defined as a strong feeling of Definition
affection.
Do you believe in love at first sight? Question
Activity 1.12
Answers will vary.
“Examinations”
Statement Examinations in schools should be
abolished.
Refutation/Denial Examinations in schools should not be
abolished.
Question Should examinations in schools be
abolished?
Shocking/surprising In one country, public examinations were
statement manipulated to help those who had paid
bribes.
Quotation According to Charles Caleb Colton,
“Examinations are formidable even to the
best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask
more than the wisest man can answer.”
Dialogue “Have you completed your preparations
for the examination?” my father asked me.
“I’m afraid I have not started yet,” I replied
sheepishly.
Anecdote/Story/ I can still remember very clearly what my

Personal experience father said when he saw my examination
results.
Definition An examination is a formal test of a
person's knowledge or proficiency in a
subject or skill.
Activity 1.13
Answers will vary.
1. Good leaders have the following qualities: confidence,

commitment, and the ability to inspire.
2. Students plagiarise because they are lazy, they procrastinate, and

because they do not know how to cite sources.
3. The benefits of reading are many: it increases your knowledge,

develops your analytical skills, improves your vocabulary and makes
you a better writer.
4. University students need smartphones to access the internet for

research, snap pictures of class presentations, and record lectures.
5. Getting a university degree is a good investment for three

reasons: employability, income, and personal growth.
6. Living in a city is better than living in a kampong because

of better public transportation, job opportunities, medical care, and
entertainment.
7. To lead a healthy lifestyle you must eat nutritious food, exercise,

and get enough sleep.
Activity 1.14
What is poetry? (Hook) In English Literature, writers make use of

a variety of mediums to convey to convey their thoughts, feelings,
ideas, and experiences. (General statement) The most common ways
to communicate these ideas are novels, plays. Short stories, essays,
and poems. (More specific) The novel is the lengthiest medium while
the poem is the shortest. (Most specific) This essay will analyse the
various elements of a poem. (Thesis statement)
UNIT 1 63
The writing process
Activity 1.15
Introduction A
Introduction B has unnecessary explanation, and the example of

Christopher Reeve is more suitable for the body of the essay.
I believe the negative aspects of this technology outweigh the positive

aspects for the three main reasons which I will discuss here.
Activity 1.16
An introduction for the topic “Is there a future for the hard sciences
in this modern world?” can be as follows:
The hard sciences such as physics, biology and chemistry have

contributed greatly to the progress of modern society. Much of
what we have today can be attributed to the discoveries made by
scientists in past years. Yet, many students do not seem to want to
enrol in courses in the hard sciences because they believe that there
are no career paths for graduates of such courses. Consequently, very
few students opt to do these courses in the universities. With such
low enrolment, is there a future for such sciences in our modern
society? I believe there are and that there is still a need for the hard
sciences in our society.
Activity 1.17
1. During my semester break, I met many interesting people.
2. Another benefit of the smartphone is to take a snap of their

tutor’s PowerPoint presentation.
3. The housefly is dangerous because it spreads diseases.
4. Another advantage of an ODL student has is that he can study

anytime convenient to him.
5. One problem city planners have to look into is the issue of

housing.
6. Plagiarism is the most common form of academic dishonesty.
7. Another problem caused by the World Cup is the drop in

productivity among employees.
8. The local food makes Penang a tourist paradise.
9. Another factor you need to think about before buying a car is

the monthly instalments you are going to pay.
10. To stay healthy, you need to exercise regularly.
Activity 1.18
Sentence C is inappropriate because it is about financial gains which

do not match the thesis statement which is on cultural enrichment.
Activity 1.19
Thesis statement:
The English language is losing its status as a prominent world

language because of a rise in interest in other languages, detachment
from colonial identity, and also trade and business interests.
Topic sentence 1 (for body paragraph 1):
People are getting more interested in other languages such as

Mandarin, Japanese and Arabic so much so those languages may
overtake the status of English as the most prominent language.
Native people tend to equate English with colonialism. Thus, they

want to detach themselves from colonial ties by improving the status
of their native tongues instead of promoting English.
Business opportunities are available in rising countries such as China,

Japan and the Arab countries. As such, it is more advantageous to
learn their native tongues to conduct business transactions in those
countries.
UNIT 1 65
The writing process
Activity 1.20
Thesis statement:
There are two ways that married people can consider in order to
have a long-lasting marriage  go for holidays and have family time.
Body paragraph 1:
Going for holidays as a family is one of the ways for couples to

keep their marriages alive. This is because when the family is away
on a holiday, they will be leaving their commitments and routine
behind. So, they have some time to relax and talk about family
issues. Spending time talking about these issues will help to bond
the family together. In addition, going on a holiday can help the
family members to de-stress as they set aside their everyday pressures
to give them time and space to develop and grow as a family unit.
Body paragraph 2:
The other way to maintain one’s marriage is to spend time with the
family. Too many working fathers and working mothers spend their
time on their career. This leaves a strain on their spouses to take
care of the house and the family. By spending more time with the
family, the spouse will be relieved of family burdens and this can
help to keep the family closer together. This family time of being
together can be in the form of eating, shopping or walking in the
park as a family.
Activity 1.21
“Examinations”
Advice My final advice: Have confidence in yourself!
Solution or Start early and be well prepared.
recommendation
Prediction Examinations will continue to exist until a
better way to assess students is found.
Ask a question Do you want to do well?
Results or Procrastinate, and you will find you that you
consequences do not have enough time left to study.
Quotation I would like to conclude with William A. Ward’s
recipe on examination success: “Study while
others are sleeping; work while others are
loafing; prepare while others are playing; and
dream while others are wishing.”
Activity 1.22
1. Introduction
Opening sentence/Hook:
What is the most dangerous animal in the world?
Thesis statement:
According to many scientists, the most consistently dangerous animal

in the world is the common housefly.
2. Body Paragraph 1
Topic sentence:
The housefly carries millions of germs.
Because of its habit of feeding on excrement and rubbish, and any

form of filth, a single housefly can harbour thirty-three million
germs in its intestines and more than five hundred million germs
on it body and legs.
3. Body Paragraph 2
Topic sentence:
The housefly is dangerous to people because it spreads diseases.
Being a carrier of germs, it is not surprising that it is the bearer

of such dreaded diseases such as typhoid fever, tuberculosis and
diarrhoea.
These diseases kill people.

UNIT 1 67
The writing process
4. Conclusion
Restatement:
These are the reasons why the housefly is considered dangerous.
Advice:
To reduce the problems caused by houseflies, we should always cover

food, and ensure that all rubbish bins are covered with lids.
Activity 1.23
I choose running because it is an activity I can carry out alone without

the need for a partner. In many sports, a team is needed. For example, I
need two teams of eleven players each if I want to play a proper game of
football. If I cannot round up the required number to play an informal
game, I still require two teams. Even a simple game of badminton
requires at least a partner. This is why I choose running, for I can begin
the sport anytime even if no one wants to join me. I can watch other
sports on television with my friends.
Activity 1.24
1. I choose running because it is an easy sport to take up. It is an

I
inexpensive sport because you do not need to buy special equipment
I
except for shoes, a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Furthermore, we can
myself I
run by ourselves or with friends. Moreover, he or she can run at
any time and almost anywhere.
2. Identify the two transition signals:
Furthermore
Moreover
Activity 1.25
All possible answers are acceptable. Ensure that your paragraph

contains supporting sentences such as explanations, descriptions,
examples, etc., that are related to your topic sentences.
A sample answer is as follows:
Introduction
The English language is losing its status as a prominent world

language today. The proportion of people who speak English as
their mother tongue is falling fast and this trend contradicts the
19th-century notion that one day the whole world would speak the
language of the British Empire. In a study published today in the
journal Science, David Graddol who is an expert in the development
of languages calculates that by 2050 the number of native English
speakers will have fallen from about 9 per cent in 1950 to about 5
per cent of the world’s population. There are reasons for this loss of
status: They include detachment from colonial identity, a rise in
interest in other languages and also trade and business interests.
Body Paragraph 1
The first reason is that people who have had colonial masters in
their countries tend to equate English with colonialism. (Topic
sentence) The spirit of nationalism has resulted in their detaching
themselves from colonial ties, culture and language. Instead, they
have gone to great lengths to improve the status of their native
tongues instead of promoting English in order to create a new
identity for themselves and their nations. They perceive that such
actions will reduce the dominance of colonialist countries in world
affairs through cultural and linguistic imperialism. (Supporting
sentences)
Body Paragraph 2
Another reason why I believe English is losing prominence

is because other languages such as Mandarin and Japanese
are gaining popularity. (Topic sentence) More people in the
Western world are attracted to cultures other than their own. Their
fascination with non-Western cultures has prompted many people to
pick up Mandarin and Japanese as a means to better understand a
foreign world. China and Japan are two Asian economic superpowers
resulting in many people wanting to learn Mandarin and Japanese
so that business transactions can be done better. Businesses
where employees are not multilingual are finding themselves at a
disadvantage. In fact, employers in parts of Asia are already looking
UNIT 1 69
The writing process
beyond English. In the next decade, the new must-learn language

is likely to be Mandarin. (Supporting sentences)
Body Paragraph 3
The third reason is that population growth amongst speakers of

other languages has been greater. (Topic sentence) China remains
the world’s fastest-growing nation followed by India, Indonesia and
Latin America. That is why today Mandarin is well-established as
the world’s largest language in terms of native speakers and the
next few major languages are Hindi/Urdu, Arabic and Spanish.
(Supporting sentences)
Activity 1.26
All possible answers are acceptable. Ensure that your concluding

paragraph is related to your thesis statement and topic sentences.
Do not include unnecessary new information that has not been
covered by the preceding paragraphs into the conclusion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be reiterated that the English language in this

era of globalisation is losing its status to other languages because of
various reasons. Due to globalisation and the demographic change
it has caused, new cultural and linguistic identities are emerging
and soon it will become accepted that a few major languages and
not just one will become the lingua franca of the world.
UNIT 1 71
The writing process
1.3 Revising, Editing, and Proofreading

the Essay
Objectives
1. Explain what revising, editing, and proofreading an essay means.
2. Revise the first draft of an essay.
3. Edit the draft of an essay.
4. Proofread the final draft of an essay.
Introduction
In the last section, we looked at writing paragraphs for the various parts of the essay
 i.e., the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. In this section, we will look at
revising the content to ensure that the paragraphs form a coherent piece of essay; and
finally editing the text to ensure the grammar and spelling are correct and that the
choice of words is appropriate. More importantly, you need to read the entire draft
to ensure that there is a flow from the introduction right through to the conclusion.
Revising the essay

After you have written your first draft, the next stage of your writing process is to
revise it. It is very unlikely you will produce your best work with your first draft.
When you revise, you make changes to the content to improve it.
Write comments or notes or comments on the parts of your essay that need to be
rewritten or improved.
When you revise your essay, do not focus on the spelling, punctuation, or grammar—
this is editing or proofreading, which you will work on at the next stage.
Here is a checklist of what you should do when you revise your draft. Put a check
mark in the box £ after you have checked for the following:
£ The most important thing when looking at your draft is this: Does your essay
answer the question? If it is completely out of point, you will need to re-examine
the question to see what is required. If necessary, you might need to re-do your
essay, or go back to one of the earlier stages of the writing process. Remember
that the writing process is recursive and not linear. This means that you can and
should always go back to an earlier stage to redo what you have done.
£ Look at your draft. Can your reader tell which paragraphs are the introduction,
the body, and the conclusion? Are the paragraphs divided clearly? How do you
indicate the division of one paragraph from the next? Are the various paragraphs
separated by a blank space?
£ Is the thesis statement stated clearly in the introduction? Will the readers be able
to tell what the essay is about from the thesis statement? What kind of hook did
you use? Is there any background or general information on the topic?
£ Do all the body paragraphs have a topic sentence each? Will your readers be
able to tell what the paragraph is about from the topic sentence?
£ Is your topic sentence well developed with supporting sentences? Did you provide
sufficient information for your readers to understand your topic sentence?
£ Does your conclusion have a restatement, summary, and a closing statement?
£ Check your paragraphs for unity. Are they related to the topic sentence? Cross
out the sentences that are obviously out of point.
£ Check your paragraphs for coherence. Are the sentences in your paragraph linked
logically and sensibly? Is your pronoun consistent?
£ Do you have in-text citations and a reference list? Are the quotations introduced
correctly, and are they accurate?
Activity 1.27
The paragraph below lacks unity. The content is about two different
individuals:
Academic dishonesty can get people in trouble. One well-known

example is the case of KaavyaViswanathan. Kaavya was a student at
Harvard University. It is a prestigious university. She was an Indian-
American. She was accused of plagiarism. Another example is the
case of Dr Hwang Woo-Suk. He was a professor of theriogenology
and biotechnology at Seoul National University. In 2006, Kaavya
wrote a novel with a long title. The novel call “How Opal Mehta Got
Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life.” The novel was plagiarised from
the works of Megan McCafferty, Meg Cabot and Salman Rushdie.
Dr Hwang was accused of fabrication. Fabrication means the
inventing false information or data and then presented it as factual
information. He announced that he had achieved several amazing
breakthroughs in the field of stem cell research.
UNIT 1 73
The writing process
Revise the paragraph by separating the content above into two

different paragraphs about two different individuals. Do not worry
about grammar or organisation at this stage.
KaavyaViswanathan:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Dr Hwang Woo-Suk:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Editing the essay

Once you are satisfied with the changes to your draft, you need to edit your
assignment. When editing, you ask this question: Will my readers understand what
I have written? So you look at everything  the paragraphs, the sentences, the words
used, and even your punctuation. Even something small like a comma or a full stop
can change the meaning of what you are trying to communicate.
To edit, therefore, is to polish the text, correct errors in grammar, spelling,

punctuation, and sentence structure. Here is a checklist of what you need to edit.
Put a check mark in the box £ after you have checked for the following:
£ Keep your sentences simple. Keep your explanations simple. Do not use
unnecessary words. Do not write extremely long sentences that sound highly
intellectual and academic. Make sure that your readers can understand what
you write. Remember the acronym KISS  Keep It Short and Simple.
£ Check your sentences for ambiguity. Do the sentences have two possible
meanings? What does words like It, They, This, That, etc. refer to?
£ Are your pronouns consistent? Do you switch from I to you and then we?
£ If you use technical terms, make sure your readers understand them. Provide a
definition or explanation if necessary.
£ Use the active voice as far as possible. Instead of the passive “The package was
delivered by the postman,” use the active “The postman delivered the package.”
£ Do not use bombastic words when simple words will be more effective.
£ Vary your sentence length. There should be a variety of long and short sentences.
£ Check your tenses.
Here are some examples of the editing process:
1. Read the sentences to ensure that they are complete and can be easily
understood. There should be no ambiguities so the reader can readily
understand the text.
Ambiguous:
In conclusion, the radio is not relevant. Today’s society places emphasis

on the latest inventions that allow faster and more convenient forms of
communication.
Reason for ambiguity: “Relevant” for whom? What sort of “inventions”?
Revised:
In conclusion, the radio is not relevant for today’s society that places emphasis
on the latest electrical gadgets that allow for faster and more convenient
forms of the communication and dissemination of information.
2. Read the sentences to ensure that the grammatical tenses used are correct.
Ensure that there is agreement of subject and verb  i.e., plural subject-plural
verb and singular subject-singular verb.
Incorrect tenses:
The current market has saw a boom in the communications industry which
resulted in a proliferation of electrical items which the older generation
would deem as wasteful and unnecessary.
Revised:
The current market has seen a boom in the communications industry which
has resulted in a proliferation of electrical items which the older generation
would deem as wasteful and unnecessary.
3. Check the mechanics of writing  i.e., punctuation and spelling.
Note: Turn your spell check on if you are using the computer to type your
essay. Do note that the spelling facility in the computer usually follows
UNIT 1 75
The writing process
the American spelling system. You can change the default setting to U.K.
English. Always use a good dictionary. The official dictionary that is used
at WOU is the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary.
Incorrect:
The television, is still a very important elektrical item in many households

today. However the young seem to be more interested in the Internet than
television programmes.
Revised:
The television is still a very important electrical item inmany households

today. However, the young seem to be more interested in the Internet than
television programmes.
4. Check to see if there are words that are being used repeatedly. If there are,
replace them or change the sentence structure. Use a thesaurus to help you
find alternative words.
Repeated word:
Parents have a responsibility to keep track of what their children are doing
when they are in cyberspace. Some people may argue that keeping track of
what their children do is invasion of the children’s privacy.
Note: Apart from the repeated word, there is also ambiguity here  “what
their children do” may mean anything that the children do and these may
not necessarily be related to what the children do in cyberspace.
Revised:
Parents have a responsibility to keep track of what their children are doing
when they are in cyberspace. Some people may argue that this form of
surveillance is an invasion of the children’s privacy.
Note: The word “this” specifically points to the earlier-mentioned item  i.e.,
what the children do in cyberspace. As a result, the ambiguity is removed.
A good practice is to have a friend edit the text for you. This is because you as the
writer may become too familiar with your work. Consequently, you may miss out
on spotting some of your own mistakes. Your friend has not seen your work. With
a fresh mind, he or she can be more able to spot your mistakes faster.
Activity 1.28
The following conclusion is based on an essay about the radio in

today’s modern society. Your friend who has written the essay asks
you to edit the concluding paragraph. There are several errors in
the spelling, punctuation and word choices. Spot and correct them.
In light of the above, it seems that the radio is irreverent for today’s
society. As more and more electrikal utensils are invented that
allows for faster, clearer and more convenient communicating and
disseminating of information, the older gadgets such as the radio
will lose out in popularity, and usage. Furthermore the market is
driven by current trends which is a factor why the radio is quickly
being overtaken by hand phones with 3G and Wimax technology.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Proofreading the essay

The terms editing and proofreading are often used interchangeably, but they are not
the same. After you have completed the editing stage as discussed above, you are
now ready for the proofreading stage.
Just before you submit your assignment to your lecturer or tutor for evaluation,
you need to proofread your essay  the final stage of the writing process. Here, you
give a final check for typos or typing errors. You might want to write about “a live
telecast” of the football match you watched on television, but ended up typing “a
life telecast.” The Spell Check tool in your Word processor will not be able to detect
this wrong choice of word because “life” is spelt correctly!
Next check the layout of your essay. Is your essay presented professionally? Will
your tutor, lecturer or examiner be pleased with the way you presented your essay?
Look at the Guardian advertorial “Care for Your Liver” on page 48. It is very well
presented and appealing to the reader. Now look at your essay. Is it pleasant to look
at? Do you think your readers will enjoy reading it?
Here are some tips on improving the layout of your essay. Put a check mark in the
box £ after you have checked for the following:
£ Is your essay typed double-spaced or 1.5 as specified in the assignment sheet?
£ Are you using the correct font and font size as specified in the assignment sheet?
UNIT 1 77
The writing process
£ How do you indicate the beginning of a new paragraph? Do you start your new
paragraph on a new line? You need not need to indent the first sentence of your
paragraph if it is clear to your reader that it is a new paragraph.
Activity 1.29
The four-paragraph below is badly presented. It is difficult to see

at a glance that there are four paragraphs in this essay. Improve
the layout of the essay retyping it. Make use of the tips given for
improving the layout. Use 1.15 spacing for this particular activity.
What is the most dangerous animal in the world? If you think it

is some fierce jungle beast, you are wrong. According to many
scientists, the most consistently dangerous animal in the world is
the common housefly.
The housefly carries millions of germs. Because of its habit of
feeding on excrement and rubbish, and any form of filth, a single
housefly can harbour thirty-three million germs in its intestines
and more than five hundred million germs on it body and legs.
diarrhoea. These diseases kill people.
These are the reasons why the housefly is considered dangerous.
To reduce the problems caused by houseflies, we should always
cover food, and ensure that all rubbish bins are covered with lids.
Summary
In this section, you learnt that all essays need to be revised and
redrafted. Many people are contented with working on an essay
topic and handing it in to their tutor without taking a second, third
or fourth look at the essay. You have not completed your writing task
once you have put everything on paper. Remember that you need
to re-read it over and over again and make the necessary changes
to improve your essay.
Self-test 1.3
The two paragraphs below were rewritten from the content in

Activity 1.26 and have not been proofread. Correct mistakes in
grammar, articles, punctuation and sentence structure.

example is the case of KaavyaViswanathan who was a student at
prestigious Harvard University. She was an Indian-American. She
was accused of plagiarism. In 2006, Kaavya wrote a novel with a
long title call “How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got
a Life.” Her publisher Little, Brown and Company published the
novel in April and is reported to have pay her an advance of around
US$500,000. The novel receive good reviews. And a movie studio
acquire the movie rights. However, when it was report that she
plagiarised from the works of Megan McCafferty, Meg Cabot and
Salman Rushdie, her problems started. Her publisher took of the
novel from the market and cancel the contract for the next book.
She also faced disciplinary problem from her university. Plagiarism
can land people in trouble.
Another example of academic dishonesty that got someone in to

trouble is the case of Dr Hwang Woo-Suk. He was a professor of
theriogenology and biotechnology at Seoul National University.
Dr Hwang was accused of fabrication and falsification. Fabrication
means the inventing false information or data and then presented it
as factual information. He became world famous when announced
that he had achieved several amazing breakthroughs in the field of
stem cell research. His team said that they had created stem cells
that match the DNA of their patient donors’ cells. This mean
such cells can be used to repair or replace diseased organs, injured
spinal cords, or even brain cells damaged by Alzheimer’s disease.
He was also famous for two scientific article published in Science
magazine. He become a national hero. When discovered he has
falsify the information, the articles retracted. He was dismissed
from univerisity. Criminal charges against him.
UNIT 1 79
The writing process
Feedback
Activity 1.27
(The activity at this stage is about organising the content, and is

not concerned about grammar at the moment.)
KaavyaViswanathan:

example is the case of KaavyaViswanathan. Kaavya was a student at
Harvard University. It is a prestigious university. She was an Indian-
American. She was accused of plagiarism. In 2006, Kaavya wrote
a novel with a long title. The novel call “How Opal Mehta Got
Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life.” The novel was plagiarised from
the works of Megan McCafferty, Meg Cabot and Salman Rushdie.
Dr Hwang Woo-Suk:
Another example is the case of Dr Hwang Woo-Suk. He was a

professor of theriogenology and biotechnology at Seoul National
University. Dr Hwang was accused of fabrication. Fabrication means
the inventing false information or data and then presented it as
factual information. He announced that he had achieved several
amazing breakthroughs in the field of stem cell research.
Activity 1.28
All possible answers are acceptable.
(You may wish to submit your answers to your tutor for evaluation.)
In light of the above, it seems that the radio is irrelevant for today’s
society. As trendier electrical gadgets that allow for faster, clearer and
more convenient communication and dissemination of information
are invented in larger quantities, older gadgets such as the radio will
lose out in popularity and usage.
Activity 1.29
What is the most dangerous animal in the world? If you think

it is some fierce jungle beast, you are wrong. According to many
scientists, the most consistently dangerous animal in the world is
the common housefly.
The housefly carries millions of germs. Because of its habit of feeding

on excrement and rubbish, and any form of filth, a single housefly
can harbour thirty-three million germs in its intestines and more
than five hundred million germs on it body and legs.

diarrhoea. These diseases kill people.
These are the reasons why the housefly is considered dangerous. To

reduce the problems caused by houseflies, we should always cover
food, and ensure that all rubbish bins are covered with lids.
UNIT 1 81
The writing process
1.4 Evaluating the Essay

Objectives
1. Explain what evaluating an essay means.
2. Apply the criteria learnt in evaluating the various aspects of an essay
Introduction
Evaluation of an essay means to apply some criteria to determine how good an essay
is. After several rounds of revising, editing, and proofreading your text, you are ready
to submit your assignment for evaluation by your tutor or lecturer.
However, you can do a self-evaluation of your essay. Yes, you can evaluate your own
essay. By doing so, you will be able to know which parts of the essay can be improved.
Consequently, you need to correct the mistakes. For those of you who have never
evaluated an essay, this section will guide you on how to do it.
You can also hand your essay to your coursemates or your colleagues to read it. Be
open to their suggestions and ideas. Sometimes, there may be things that are not
clear in the essay which you may have taken for granted or that you might not have
realised.
Evaluating the format

Here is a checklist of what you should do when you evaluate the format. The checklist
below is for a five-paragraph essay. By adapting it, it can be used to evaluate essays
of different formats. Put a check mark in the box £ after you have evaluated the
various aspects:
Title
£ The essay has a suitable title.
Introduction
£ Opening sentence/hook: Identify the type of hook: _________________
£ General or background information
£ Thesis statement
Body Paragraph 1
£ Topic sentence
£ Supporting sentences: Number of supporting sentences: _______________
Body Paragraph 2
£ Topic sentence
Body Paragraph 3
£ Topic sentence
Conclusion
£ Restatement
£ Summary
£ Closing statement
Layout
£ Font: E.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, etc.
£ Font size: 11 or 12
£ Spacing of paragraphs: Single space1.15, 1.5 or double-spaced
£ Clear separation of paragraphs: A blank line in between paragraphs, Indentation

of the first sentence of a new paragraph, or a combination of both (a blank line
and indentation)
Evaluating the essay

Here is a checklist of what you should do when you evaluate the essay. The checklist
below is also for a five-paragraph essay. You can adapt it to evaluate other essays. Put
a check mark in the box £ after you have evaluated the various aspects:
UNIT 1 83
The writing process
Title
£ The essay has a suitable title.
Essay Question
£ Is it clearly stated which question is answered?
£ Does the essay answer the question?
£ Are all the sentences in the essay related to the question being answered?
Introduction
£ Opening sentence/hook: Is the hook appropriate to the topic?
£ Does it provide sufficient general or background information?
£ Is the thesis statement clear and appropriate?
£ Does the thesis statement list the subtopics?
Body Paragraph 1
£ Topic sentence:
£ Is it related to the essay topic?
£ Is the topic sentence related to the thesis statement?
£ Identify the topic and controlling idea: ___________________________
£ Supporting sentences:
£ Do the supporting sentences provide supporting information to the topic

sentence?
£ How many supporting sentences are there? ________________________
£ What types of supporting sentences are used  facts, examples, summarised

information, quotations, paraphrased information, statistics, etc?
£ Unity: Are there any sentences that are unrelated to the topic sentence?
Identify it: ____________________________________________________

£ Coherence:
£ Do the sentences flow smoothly from beginning to end?
£ What key nouns are repeated? __________________________________
£ What pronouns are used? _____________________________________
£ Are the pronouns consistent? __________________________________
£ What transition signals are used here? _______________________________
Body Paragraph 2
£ Topic sentence:

sentence?
£ How many supporting sentences are there? ________________________

Identify it: ____________________________________________________
£ Coherence:
£ Are the pronouns consistent? ___________________________________

UNIT 1 85
The writing process
Body Paragraph 3
£ Topic sentence:

sentence?
£ How many supporting sentences are there? ____________________

Identify it: ____________________________________________________
£ Coherence:
£ Are the pronouns consistent? ___________________________________
Conclusion
£ Does the restatement paraphrase (use different words) the thesis statement?
£ Is there a summary of the information provided in the three body paragraphs?
£ What type of closing statement ends the essay  advice, recommendation,

prediction, question, quotation, etc?
Word Length
£ Does the essay keep to the specified word length?
Activity 1.30
Based on the criteria given above, evaluate the following introductory

paragraph for the topic “Improving Work Quality through Music.”
Managers and business gurus have come up with different ways

and approaches to improve work quality in various places of
work: coffee breaks, exercises, incentives, naps and dances. One
innovative suggestion to improve the quality of work is to play
piped-in music. According to some researchers, music helps to
relax a person, induce the brain to think and allow the brain to
receive messages subconsciously.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Web References
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/write-evaluate-essay-14853.html
http://www.cccu.org/~/media/filefolder/TEA
http://www2.ivcc.edu/rambo/eng1001/evaluation_criteria.htm
http://www.smarrpublishers.com/rhetoric01.html
UNIT 1 87
The writing process
Summary
It is important to have your essay evaluated by a friend, a colleague

or even by yourself before you hand it in to your lecturer. In
evaluating any form of written text such as an essay, it is imperative
to ensure that your intended reader understands what you have
written. Hence, it is a stage in the writing process that should not
be overlooked.
Self-test 1.4
Read the following short text about the feminist movements. Based
on the criteria you have learnt, evaluate this text:
The feminist movements cover a wide range of concerns and issues, a

sample of which is women in politics, women as victims of domestic
violence, women in prostitution, women and equal rights and also
equal opportunities in the workplace for women.
Firstly, what exactly are “the feminist movements”? de Gay (1988)

explains that feminism is an umbrella term that cover a wide range
of ideologies and theories of emancipating women from a deadly
misogynistic societies. Spender (1986) adds that these feminist
movements advocate a way of living and working that allows for
gender parity. Consequently, it is not surprising that many people
have branded these women’s movements as a political movement
(Harding 1997 and Connell 1988).
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Suggested answers to activity
Feedback
Activity 1.30
1. The opening sentence/hook states clearly and to the point that

managers and business gurus have come up with different ways
and approaches to improve work quality in various places of
work
2. The opening sentence/hook also lists out these different ways:

coffee breaks, exercises, incentives, naps and dances.
3. The next sentence provides the general information about the

innovative suggestion: to play piped-in music.
4. The introduction ends with the thesis statement and three

subtopics listed: music helps to relax a person, induce the brain
to think and allow the brain to receive messages subconsciously.
UNIT 1 89
The writing process
Summary of Unit 1
Summary
In this unit, you learnt about the different stages of the writing
process  i.e., choosing a topic, generating ideas, organising the
ideas into paragraphs, planning, and drafting the essay. These
stages are recursive. This means that you can always move back to
a previous stage so as to redo what you have done. You learnt about
the importance of unity and coherence in a paragraph.
When your first draft was completed, you learnt about revising,
editing, and proofreading your essay. And before you submitted
your essay, you learnt how to evaluate the essay  both yours and
your friend’s.
UNIT 1 91
The writing process
Unit Practice Exercise

Your lecturer gives you an assignment (a 200-word essay) to express your opinion
about having literature studies for science students in the universities. Write the
steps you will take to produce the essay.
Using these steps, write the essay.
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UNIT 1 93
The writing process
Suggested Answers to Self-tests
Feedback
Self-test 1.1
1. Topic chosen:
M-commerce
Method used for choosing the topic:
Through reading and discussing with friends
2. Method used for narrowing the topic:
Freewritng
Topic:
Is there a future for M-commerce in Malaysia?
3. Method for generating ideas:
Mind-mapping
Mobile phones
Readiness
Licenses
Business Definition Factors Interest
Government
Mobile technology support
Self-test 1.2
1. How women have contributed to the development of modern

society.
2. Freewriting.
3. Introduction:
Women have contributed greatly to the development of modern

society in the fields of science, politics and education.
Science:
In the field of science, an example was Marie Curie. Many

women have excelled and supported men in their discoveries of
medicine. Women have also contributed to biology, chemistry
and computer science.
Politics:
Indira Gandhi, Gloria Aquino and HillaryClinton have

been examples in politics. Theyhave led well and shown
similar capabilities asmen. Women have become leaders of
politicalorganisations.
Education:
Speaking of education, many teachers were and still are women.

Two university vice-chancellors in Malaysia are women. The
Montessori method was pioneered by a woman.
Conclusion:
Women ought to be respected for their contributions to modern

society. They should not be forgotten.
4. Women have contributed greatly to the development of modern

society in the fields of science, politics and education.
5. Topic sentence 1:
Although many scientists are men, women scientists have also

contributed greatly to the modernisation process of our society.
UNIT 1 95
The writing process
Topic sentence 2:
Another area where women have contributed much to is the

field of politics.
Topic sentence 3:
Women have also played a pivotal role in educating the masses

and ultimately changing the course of history.
6. Body paragraph based on topic sentence 3:
Women have played a pivotal role in educating the masses

and in ultimately changing the course of history. Men once
dominated the education field but it soon became a domain for
women. Currently in Malaysia, most teachers in both primary
and secondary schools are women. Their sacrifice and their work
commitment as teachers and educators have helped to mould our
young minds into useful citizens of the country. Women have
not only been teachers; they have also been theoreticians and
educational administrators. One notable example of a woman
theoretician was Maria Montessori who pioneered a method of
teaching young children. Women in Malaysia have shown their
capabilities as educational administrators as exemplified by our
two women public university vice-chancellors.
7. Conclusion:
The vast contributions in various fields by women in the past

that have helped to shape the structures of modern society
should not be relegated to the periphery of our historical
records. On the contrary, these women should be celebrated,
their contributions to developing modern society should be
centralised and appreciated, and also their work should be
remembered. It is by doing so that we ensure that our present
and future society will continue to respect women.
Self-test 1.3

example is the case of KaavyaViswanathan, an Indian-American
student at the prestigious Harvard University, who was accused of
plagiarism. In 2006, Kaavya wrote a novel called “How Opal Mehta
Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life.” Her publisher published
the novel in April and was reported to have paid her an advance of
around US$500,000. The novel received good reviews and a movie

studio acquired the movie rights. However, when it was reported that
she plagiarised from the works of Megan McCafferty, Meg Cabot
and Salman Rushdie, her problems started. Her publisher took the
novel off from the market and cancelled the contract for the next
book. Furthermore, She also faced disciplinary problem from her
university. Plagiarism can land people in trouble.
Another example of academic dishonesty that got someone in to

trouble was the case of Dr Hwang Woo-Suk who was a professor
of theriogenology and biotechnology at Seoul National University.
He was accused of fabrication and falsification. Fabrication means
inventing false information or data and then presenting it as
factual information. The professor became world famous when he
announced that he had achieved several amazing breakthroughs in
the field of stem cell research. His team said that they had created
stem cells that match the DNA of their patient donors’ cells. This
meant that such cells can be used to repair or replace diseased organs,
injured spinal cords, or even brain cells damaged by Alzheimer’s
disease. Dr Hwang was also famous for two scientific articles
published in “Science” magazine. As a result, he became a national
hero. When it was later discovered he has falsified the information,
the articles were retracted. He was also dismissed from university
and criminal charges were filed against him.
Self-test 1.4
Evaluation of text:
1. The thesis statement is clearly stated and it is related to the text

about “ feminist movements. There can be an improvement
2. The thesis statement can be improved by deleting unnecessary

repetitions:
The feminist movements cover a wide range of concerns

andissues: a sample of which is women in politics, women as
victimsof domestic violence, women in prostitution, women and
equalrights, and also opportunities in the workplace.
3. The topic sentence is also clearly stated in the first line of the
second paragraph. Definitions by scholars are given.
4. The organisation is clear. The mechanics of writing such as

punctuation and capitalisation are appropriate.
UNIT 1 97
The writing process
5. A grammatical mistake is the word “cover” which should be

“covers” as the subject “umbrella term” is in the singular.
6. The article “a” in “a deadly misogynistic societies” should be

deleted.
7. Another grammatical error is as follows: “a” in “as a political

movements”should be deleted so that it reads “as political
movements.”
UNIT 1 99
The writing process
Suggested Answers to Unit Practice

Exercise
Feedback
The following steps are taken to produce the essay:
1. Narrow down the topic through brainstorming so that I can

decide on a specific topic such as “Literature for Science Students
 The Pros and Cons.” I will familiarise myself with the topic
and the issues concerned.
2. Do a mind-map to generate ideas.
3. The ideas are organised. Main ideas are organised into main
groups. Ideas that support these main ideas are categorised into
these respective groups.
4. The thesis statement is written.
5. The topics sentences  all of which should complement the

thesis statement  are written down.
6. The thesis statement and topic sentences are developed to

produce paragraphs.
7. The conclusion is written.
8. The first drafts is read and revised. Ideas may be added or

deleted.
9. The draft is then edited and proofread.
10. The essay is given to a coursemate or friend for evaluation and

constructive comments so that further improvements can be
made in the writing of the essay.
UNIT 1 101
The writing process
References
Brannan, B (2003) A Writer’s Workshop: Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays, Boston:
McGraw-Hill.
Clouse, B F (1996) The Student Writer: Editor and Critic, 6th edn, New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Humphrey, D and Conklin, R (2005) Connections: Writings for the World, Ohio:
South-Western Educational Publishing.
Oshima, A and Hogue, A (2006) Writing Academic English, 4th edn, New York:
Pearsons Longman.
Willis, J (1981) Teaching English Through English: A Course in Classroom Language

and Techniques, Essex: Longman.
Additional references
http://eslbee.com/index.htm
http://www.studymore.org.uk/gloess.htm
http://www.gradesaver.com/writing-help/academic/
http://www.e-booksdirectory.com/listing.php?category=273
http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/writing/writing-resources/writing-essays

Writing Skills For Uni Studies U1

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Writing Skills For Uni Studies U1

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UNIT 1 i

The writing process

The Writing Process

EXTERNAL COURSE ASSESSOR

© 2014 Wawasan Open University

Wawasan Open University

1.1 The writing process, choosing a topic and 5

The writing process 6

Suggested answers to activities 21

1.2 Planning the essay and writing the first draft 25

The essay outline 26

The three parts of an essay 28

Elements of a good paragraph 52

Writing the first draft 55

Suggested answers to activities 60

1.3 Revising, editing, and proofreading the essay 71

Revising the essay 71

Editing the essay 73

Proofreading the essay 76

Suggested answers to activities 79

1.4 Evaluating the essay 81

Evaluating the format 81

Evaluating the essay 82

Suggested answers to activities 88

Unit practice exercise 91

Suggested answers to self-tests 93

Suggested answers to unit practice exercise 99

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of writing academic essays.

2. Identify the stages involved in the writing process.

3. Explain the fundamental principles of writing an essay to produce a well-

4. Produce a well-written piece that is accepted at university level can be

5. Apply the basic writing concepts to produce reports and proposals.

2. Choose and narrow the topic of an essay.

4. Organise information in an essay to produce clear, logical and coherent text.

6. Revise and edit an essay.

7. Explain what evaluating an essay means.

8. Apply the criteria learnt to evaluate an essay.

1.1 The Writing Process, Choosing a

1. Discuss the basic steps involved in the writing process.

2. Choose the topic of an essay using strategies learnt.

3. Narrow the topic of an essay.

4. Generating ideas for an essay by applying different techniques.

However, academic writing is different. Here are the major differences:

1. Academic writing follows a certain structure or pattern: There is an

3. In academic writing, you are required to follow the rules of grammar,

The writing process

The Writing Process

5. Proofreading and handing in

Before you read further, complete the following exercise.

Read the following jumbled-up instructions on the writing process

• Write about something you know.

• Pay attention to grammar, punctuation and spelling as you

• Note down your thoughts.

• Select the ideas that you want to include.

• You should choose a topic that interests you.

• Proceed to prepare an outline.

• It is like a roadmap to keep you headed to your destination.

• Do not worry about grammar at this point.

The Writing Process

1. Brainstorming ideas for a topic

An effective way of generating ideas for a topic is by brainstorming, i.e.,

Brainstorm ideas related to the following topic.

The advantage of the Internet for the business community.

2. Choosing and narrowing a topic

a. What is it that interests me?