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Level 10: Paragraphs that justify an approach--and how to use words correctly

Some types of paragraphs are actually blends of other types of paragraphs. One example are paragraphs that are written to justify some approach or perspective.  In essence, these paragraphs often blend paragraphs that summarise drawbacks with paragraphs that define concepts.

Here is an example

The traditional model of lectures in which the lecturer summarises the key material within the lecture hall generates several complications.  First, students can learn the material more efficiently by reading textbooks at home.  Second, the activities in which supervision is most helpful—the application of this material—is completed at home without a supervisor.  Third, the activities in which collaboration amongst peers is useful—also the application of this material—is completed alone.  Consequently, many educators advocate the flipped classroom, in which students learn the material at home and apply the material in a classroom setting.

To write these paragraphs, follow these suggestions

Suggestions

Example

Write sentences that outlines the drawbacks of some approach, as discussed previously

The traditional model of lectures in which the lecturer summarises the key material within the lecture hall generates several complications.  First, students can learn the material more efficiently by reading textbooks at home.  Second, the activities in which supervision is most helpful—the application of this material—is completed at home without a supervisor.  Third, the activities in which collaboration amongst peers is useful—the application of this material—is completed alone. 

Then, write sentences that resemble a paragraph that defines some approach or perspective, but in less depth than usual

Consequently, many educators advocate the flipped classroom, in which students learn the material at home and apply the material in a classroom setting.  

Exercise

10.1 Identify one or more examples in which you want to first denigrate other approaches to justify your approach—such as a theoretical perspective or method

Exercise

10.2  Utilise the previous suggestions to write a preliminary version of these paragraphs.  That is

  • indicate that many problems can unfold when some alternative method is used
  • outline these problems
  • then indicate that your approach solves these problems
  • if you like, include or adapt relevant sentences you have already written

Improving these paragraphs

Exercise

10.3  Some readers are obsessed with grammar and vocabulary.  So, to satisfy these readers, you need to write grammatically and use words correctly.  For example, you need to know the difference between which, that, who, affect, and effect.  To learn about these grammatical principles

  • improve the sentences that appear in the left column of the following table
  • the rationale appears in the middle column
  • the solution appears in the right column

Incorrect sentence

Explanation

Corrected sentence

John Smith was a scholar that showed 1 = 2

  • Use who whenever you are referring to humans
  • Use that when referring to animals or objects

John Smith was a scholar who showed 1 = 2

The kangaroos which are in my backyard look appetising

  • Writers use that to restrict the scope of nouns, in this instance kangaroos.
  • That is, the word that would restrict the kangaroos only to examples in the backyard
  • Writers use which to describe nouns in general, in this instance kangaroos.
  • In this example, the word which indicates that all kangaroos on the planet are in your backyard.  

The kangaroos that are in my backyard look appetising

Coffee effects his mood

  • When referring to the impact of some object or event, use affect as a verband effect as a noun

Coffee affects his mood

The affect of coffee is enormous

  • See above

The effect of coffee is enormous

A own less shoes than her

  • If you are able to count the number of objects, use fewer rather than less

A own fewer shoes than her

A drank fewer beer than him

  • As above

A drank less beer than him

Purple is different than violet

  • The correct phrase is different to or different from

Purple is different to violet

A deck of cards includes four suits

  • Use comprises when the examples represent all the possibilities—as in this example
  • Use includes when the examples do not represent all the possibilities

A deck of cards comprises four suits

A deck of cards comprises of four suits

  • The correct phrase is comprises or consists of but not comprises of

A deck of cards consists of four suits

The data was examined

  • The word data is actually a plural—representing more than one data point
  • So you would write the data were examined similar to the data points were examined

The data were examined

The data prove that people like carrots

  • In research, you can never prove anything definitively
  • So refrain from the terms prove, proof, or disprove

The data indicate that people like carrots

A child should be told they are special. 

  • Do not use plural pronouns, like they, to represent singular nouns, like one person
  • To avoid this problem, you should often use plural nouns in general—such as children should be told they are special

Children should be told they are special

Exercise

This document summarises principles this program recommends.  To improve the sentences you have written, apply all the recommendations that correspond to Levels 9 or below in this document
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