Week 3 – Lesson 3 (Lab)

Agenda
1. Warmer – using a hedge
2. Critical Reading – Argumentation –
specific information, facts & opinions
3. Language Analysis – hedging, complex
noun phrases
4. Analyzing Thesis Statement
5. Listening Activities
6. Google Scholar
7. Your Essay Plan & T.S.
Turn-it-in workshop for students

Date: October 4, 2016 (Tuesday)

October 11, 2016 (Tuesday)
Time: 3:45 pm – 4:45 pm
Venue: Rm. 703 (TY campus)
 Speaking Activity
using a hedge - used to lessen the impact of an utterance
“The third and most important reason why I am against the death penalty is
that the government sometimes makes mistakes and executes innocent
people.”

Discussion (5 mins)
What have
happened?
 Refer to notes p.5
Reading Activity #4a
Vegetarians - Precursors of a better life!
1. Purpose: to inform, explain, describe, entertain,
engage, or request action or a combination of these??
2. Audience: _________
3. Paragraphing Structure:
1. Background (issues) + Writer’s Stance
2. Topic Sentence #1  argument #1  supporting
3. Topic Sentence #2  argument #2  supporting
4. Topic Sentence #3 argument #3  supporting
(Counter Argument + Refutation)
6. Conclusion
 Analyzing writer’s claims (view point)
Read the Thesis Statement:
communicated in a subtle / explicit way
- citing sources  favorable to his arguments
- commenting positively on those sources
- use of hedging:
- verbs: can / could / will / would…
- adverbs: considerably, clearly, apparently
- impersonal phrases: it seems that; it is likely that
- use of boosting
- is, must be, should be
- undoubtedly true, brilliant, …
- it is obvious/clear/possible that, I strongly believe,

Remark: Objective viewpoint (facts rather than emotion)

 Analysing claims
Assess the Strength/Validity of Arguments

Academic Texts employ Hedging Technique

• To avoid making claims or statement that
are too direct and assertive
• To appear more cautious and careful
• To avoid making any strong conclusions
without having enough evidence from the
writer’s research
 Hedging & Boosting
Hedging Technique
Which one is more academic?
• The study found that in some cases, there
may be a link between children’s school
achievement and parenting style.
• The study found that the link between
children’s school achievement and parenting
style is undeniable.
 Hedging Structure

Verbs – suggest, appear

Modal verbs – would, can
Adverbs – possibly, largely
Nouns – one of the reasons, probabilty,
Approximators – usually, often
Adjectives – certain, possible
 Analyzing Thesis Statement (claims)
Fact: Steve Jobs was an American businessman, designer
and inventor and is best known as the co-founder, chairman,
and chief executive officer of Apple Inc..

Thesis: It is undeniable that Steve Jobs revolutionized

Apple and the history of technology by creating ingenious
innovations, planning for the future, and inspiring almost
everyone along the way.
 Common functions and structures
in Academic Writing
1) Complex noun phrases
2) Complex sentences
3) Hedging:
modal auxiliary
adverb
verb
quantifier
4) Linkers and signposts
 Reading Activity #4c
Texas Death Penalty Moratorium
Refer to notes.
Language Analysis
– complex noun phrases
[packing a number of concepts into a single noun phrase]
• a small room dominated by a reclining table
• so many deaths over so many years

Structure/Layout
Determiners & Pre-modifiers Head noun Post-modifiers
(descriptive words before (descriptive words after the
the head noun) head noun)
Quiz on identifying Complex Noun Phrases
• September 28, 2016
 Refer to notes p.9

Reading Activity #4b

Texas Death Penalty Moratorium
1. Structure analysis
• Hooker?
• Thesis Statement?
• Topic Sentences? Supporting? Concluding sentences?
2. Language analysis
• informal/formal? facts/opinions?
• complex noun phrases used:
[packing a number of concepts into 1 single noun phrase]
• a small room dominated by a reclining table
• a lethal combination of various poisons
• ____________
• ____________
 Reading Activity #4c
Your thesis statement
Topic + Claims + Arguments

Argument #1
_____________________________________
Argument #2
_____________________________________
Argument #3
_____________________________________
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie0xedn-eO8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBNEVXg2C
NU
Evidence – Google Scholar

The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make

You Happy, but Doesn't, What ...

Hedonic adaptation
 Take-home Assignment (3)

1) Write the introduction

2) Revise and edit your Thesis Statement
3) Write the outline plan and re-organize your
collected ideas

• Next week:
Body paragraphs
– differences of opinion about this topic
– objective valid evidence to prove a point
– paraphrasing & summarizing