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Hi. Welcome to this ELC self-study video. Today I'd like to talk about for and against essays
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In this type of essay, you have
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to present both negative and positive arguments of the topic you're discussing.
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Good planning is essential for writing a logical and convincing essay.
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In the planning stage, you should first narrow the broad topic to something specific,
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and then turn it into a question. You should ask yourself 'what is the issue?'
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and 'why is it important?' It is extremely difficult to write a deep
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and focussed essay on a general topic. The essay will be more manageable when you
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discuss a specific area. For example, if you want to write an essay
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on 'using technological devices', you could narrow your topic to 'health issues of
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using smart phones'. And you should then formulate a statement
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for discussion, like,
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Isn't that more straightforward?
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The next thing you need to do in the planning stage is find sources.
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You have to look for reliable, up-to-date and relevant information, such as journal
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articles, books and academic papers. Look for information that covers both sides of the topic.
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To make writing your essay easier, mark down
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the major points for and against your topic, as well as where you found the information.
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Use the table you have created from your sources to group similar points, as well as directly
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opposing points. This can form the basis of your paragraphs.
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This then gives you a clear picture of what you're going to write and also how many points
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you're going to discuss. You can also arrange these groups into a logical
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order so that your essay will flow better.
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Good question. The structure for a 'for and against' essay
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is actually not so different from other essays. It still has an Introduction, Body paragraphs
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and a Conclusion.
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First, try to answer the What, Why and How questions in your introduction.
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Give your readers a brief overview of the issue that the essay is going to discuss.
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A good introduction raises the readers' interest in reading the essay.
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Let's use the topic of smart phones as an example again.
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You can put the two points that support the statement first, and then the other two points
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that go against the statement next. Or you can have alternative for and against
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paragraphs, whichever fits and flows better for your topic.
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First, start with a topic sentence. Each paragraph in the body should have only
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one main idea, and you should use the first sentence to tell the reader what that is.
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Then you make the points supporting that idea, using supporting evidence for every single
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point you make. Supporting evidence is very important because
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it shows that your points are reasonable and logically correct.
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Finally, the last sentence should link the information in the paragraph back to the topic
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sentence so that the essay flows smoothly.
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In the Conclusion, you should summarise the main points in your essay and state your stance.
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Remember to explain what your own position is on the topic.
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Explain your opinion and also outline how your research supports your stance.
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Remember that there should be no new information in your conclusion, and no citations.
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Above all, try to leave your readers with a strong final impression.
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Oh, yes. Remember to write in academic style, write objectively, even if you are giving
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your own opinions and trying to persuade your readers.
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And use correct referencing when citing others' work.
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Well, that's all from me today. Bye!