Bridging Course 2015
Writing Assignment 1
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Write a short essay in response to Philip Seaton's "memo". You
can focus on any aspect of his views.
This task should give you basic practice in academic writing; it is NOT
directly linked to the term paper. Write for the reader (in this case,
your peer reviewer and me) as well as for yourself.
Instructions and advice.
1. Carefully review the material that you have been given about academic
writing. Remember that writing is a process that involves thinking, planning,
careful reading, re-reading and revising as well as the action of writing
itself.
2. Carefully re-read Philip Seaton's article. Be careful to separate his opinion from the opinions of his sources.
You may want to check his sources. Some of the links are not working. Here
are the links to the BBC articles that he cites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11998385
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3614229.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3550613.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3517957.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2465265.stm
3. Brainstorm. Do you agree with what he says? Why, or why not? Can you find examples from your own experience to support your opinion? Has he missed something out? Is there a fault in his logic? Or has the situation changed significantly since the text was written? (How?) You can respond to his main idea, to one of the points that he makes, or to the way in which the BBC writes about Japanese popular culture.
4. Arrange the points that you want to make into a logical order. (Remember
that you need an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.)
5. You may need to do some research to find evidence to support your opinion.
If you use examples from your own experience, try to support it with other
evidence as well, since your own experience is limited. If you write about
the BBC, you should look find evidence from at least two of the links above,
or find at least two more recent links from the BBC website. If you look
for other evidence, make sure that the source is reliable, and that it
supports the point that you want it to support.
6. List your main ideas and supporting points so that you have an essay
plan for peer revision in class 4. You can also get feedback from me if you want to. It does not matter
if your research is not finished at this stage, but you should have found
your main sources.
AFTER CLASS 4
5 Write your first draft. (There are some instructions for formatting with
Microsoft Word available for download from Žö‹ÆŽx‰‡.) Use the plan to help
you, but change it if necessary. The essay will probably begin with a reference
to what Seaton has written. Note that when you are explaining his ideas, you should either quote his actual words, using quotation marks, or paraphrase/summarize what he says, using your own words. (There are examples of both methods in Seaton's text.) At the end of the essay you should give a proper reference to the text.
6. Read what you have written carefully. Imagine that you are reading it
for the first time. Is the meaning clear? Are the ideas in a logical order?
Are there any obvious mistakes? Use the checklist (also available from
Žö‹ÆŽx‰‡) to help you. Remember that academic writing should be "objective".
Even if you are introducing your personal experience as evidence, call
yourself "the writer" when you first give this evidence rather
than using "I".
7. Rewrite. [If you have time, repeat 6 and 7 at least once.]
8. In class 6, a friend will read your first draft and make helpful comments. Do this
for the friend as well. Use the checklist...
AFTER CLASS 6
9. Read what you have written again, and think about the comments that the friend has made. Rewrite. Read again. Rewrite...
10. Submit the revised draft as an e-mail attachment by midnight on Saturday,
2 May. If you cannot meet this deadline, please tell me so that we can
negotiate an alternative.
11. When I return your revised draft in Class 8,(not Class 10), make sure that you understand my comments.
AFTER CLASS 8
11. Read what you wrote again, and think about my comments. Rewrite. Read again. Rewrite...
12. In class 10, submit your second draft (along with the draft that contains my comments).