EN101: Lec 1- Writing

Page 1: Introduction

• Title: EN101 - College English

• Lecture 1: An Introduction - Writing

Page 2: Course Overview

• Attendance/ Course Outline

• Late arrivals allowed within 5 minutes (for technical issues).

• Attendance will be taken twice.

• Grading Percentages:

• Quiz: 10% (Due Week 3 before midnight)

• Summary: 5%

• Outline/Reference: 10%

• Midterm: 25%

• Essay: 20%

• Final: 30%

Page 3: Responsibility and Readings

• Students must manage their own studies:

• Review class readings and notes.

• Review slides posted on CampusLogin after each lecture to prepare for assignments.

Page 4: Key Learning Objectives

• Identification of main/subordinate ideas.

• Understanding Rhetorical Modes.

• Patterns of Development.

• Development of Critical Thinking Skills.

• Evaluation of Arguments and Viewpoints.

Page 5: Main Clauses

• Definition: A main clause expresses a complete thought and can stand alone as a sentence.

• Structure: Subject + Predicate = Complete Thought.

• Examples:

• "Dad laughs."

  • Dad = Subject

  • laughs = Verb

• "The children eat popcorn."

  • children = Subject

  • eat = Verb

Page 6: Subordinate Clauses

• Definition: A subordinate clause has a subject and a predicate but cannot stand alone; it requires a main clause.

• Importance: Adds information to the main clause.

• Example: "When they go to the movies."

  • they = Subject

  • go = Verb

• Subordinate clause placement:

• Can be positioned before or after the main clause.

• Example: "When they go to the movies, the children eat popcorn."

• Note: Every sentence must contain at least one main clause.

Page 7: Types of Conjunctions

• Coordinating Conjunctions (F.A.N.B.O.Y.S.): for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

• What is coordinating conjunctions? W

• Subordinating Conjunctions: after, although, as, because, before, if, until, whenever, whereas, while, etc.

• Correlative Conjunctions: either...or, not only...but, neither...nor, both...and, etc.

Page 8: Main and Subordinate Clauses Practice

• Exercise: Identify MC and SC in sentences and circle the conjunction.

  1. Canada provides aid to other countries in the world if they are in need (SC).

  2. Because I am interested in global issues (SC), I watch the news every day (MC).

  3. Whenever I look at a map of the world (SC), I think about how big Canada is (MC).

  4. She is flying back to Toronto, where she works with a global medical organization (SC).

  5. After he finished his research project on climate change (SC), Michael joined an environmental organization (MC).

Page 9: Main and Subordinate Clauses Identified

1. Canada provides aid to other countries (MC) if they are in need (SC).

2. Because I am interested in global issues (SC), I watch the news every day (MC).

3. Whenever I look at a map of the world (SC), I think about how big Canada is (MC).

4. She is flying back to Toronto (MC), where she works with a global medical organization (SC).

5. After he finished his research project on climate change (SC), Michael joined an environmental organization (MC).

Page 10: Descriptive Writing

• Purpose: To describe an idea enabling visualization through sensory details.

• Focus: Using the 5 Ws - Who, What, When, Where, Why.

• Examples: Poetry, journal entries, nature writing, descriptive passages in fiction.

Page 11: Expository Writing

• Purpose: To explain, inform, or analyze without opinion.

• Most common form of writing.

• Examples: Textbooks, how-to articles, scientific/technical writing, news articles, recipes.

Page 12: Narrative Writing

• Purpose: To tell a story through characters and events.

• Point of view: Often told in first-person narration.

• Examples: Novels, short stories, autobiographies, anecdotes.

Page 13: Persuasive Writing

• Purpose: To convince the reader with justifications and arguments.

• Contains author's opinions and biases unlike expository writing.

• Examples: Opinion pieces, advertisements, reviews, cover letters.

Page 14: Patterns of Development

• Cause and Effect: Explains the causes and effects of events.

• Classification and Division: Groups items based on characteristics.

• Compare and Contrast: Discusses similarities and differences.

• Definition: Clearly explains what something is within its class.

Page 15: Additional Patterns of Development

• Description: Visual details and characteristics.

• Exemplification/Illustration: Provides examples to support arguments.

• Narration: Details of what and when something happened.

• Persuasion/Argumentation: States an issue with a personal position.

• Process analysis/Causal analysis: Explains how something works or is created.

Page 16: Critical Thinking Skills

• Ability to:

• Think clearly and rationally.

• Understand logical connections between ideas.

• Engage in reflective thinking.

• Solve problems and create valued products.

• Be flexible and original in thought.

• Capture and transmit knowledge effectively.

Page 17: Evaluating Arguments and Viewpoints

• Identify author’s purpose and biases in articles.

• Critical thinkers systematically question assumptions.

• Importance of evaluating varied viewpoints for coherent communication.

Page 18: Guidelines for Critical Thinking

• Clarity: Need for elaboration or examples.

• Accuracy: Methods to verify claims.

• Precision: Demand for specifics and details.

• Relevance: Connection to the problem at hand.

• Depth: Complexity consideration of issues.

• Breadth: Awareness of multiple perspectives.

• Logic: Ensure coherence throughout writing.

• Significance: Focus on central ideas and importance.

• Fairness: Justifiable thinking and acknowledgment of other viewpoints.

Coordinating ConjunctionsDefinition: Coordinating conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses that are of equal grammatical rank.Common Coordinating Conjunctions:

• For

• And

• Nor

• But

• Or

• Yet

• SoUsage Example:

• "I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain."In this example, the coordinating conjunction "but" connects two independent clauses: "I wanted to go for a walk" and "it started to rain".Coordinating conjunctions help in structuring sentences clearly and enhancing readability.

Coordinating ConjunctionDefinition: A coordinating conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses that are of equal grammatical rank. Common examples include:

• For

• And

• Nor

• But

• Or

• Yet

• SoUsage: Coordinating conjunctions are used to join sentences or parts of sentences, enhancing the flow and readability of the text.Example: "I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain." In this sentence, "but" connects two independent clauses, showing contrast.