Appendix 2
Tips for Writing an Essay
What is an essay?
An essay is a piece of writing done by students at different levels of education. An essay is longer than a composition, more serious and includes hundreds or even thousands of words.
An essay is made up of a group of paragraphs about one subject which are organized into three parts:
An introductory paragraph(s) – Introduction
Body paragraph(s) – Main Part
Concluding paragraph(s) – Conclusion
How to organize an essay?
The Introductory Paragraph(s) – Introduction
This paragraph consists of two parts: a few general statements about your subject to attract your reader’s attention and a thesis statement to state the specific subdivision of your topic and / or the “plan” of your paper. The thesis statement (or main idea) should be developed in the body paragraphs.
The Body Paragraphs – Main Part
The body consists of one or more paragraphs. The number of paragraphs in the body depends on the number of ideas or points you want to discuss. Each paragraph develops the subdivision of your topic is related to your thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. The body is the longest part of your essay.
You can organize the paragraphs by chronological order, logical division of ideas, and comparison/contrast, etc.
The Concluding Paragraph(s) – Conclusion
This paragraph comes at the end of the essay. It restates your thesis statement in the introduction and summarizes the main points made in the body. In fact, the concluding paragraph acts as a reminder to the reader and is also the place to add some personal views.
Hints for Success
Use normal word order
Write sentences of 12-25 words
Use parallel structure
To achieve coherence and ensure a smooth forward movement from one piece of information to the next use transitions: conjunctions and linking words.
Build each paragraph around a central idea. This idea is expressed in a topic sentence – often the first sentence – and developed in supporting sentences.
Check your essay carefully for correct spelling, good style, clear thesis and strong supporting details.
Appendix 3
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Group Charter Samples
Appendix 3
Tips for Making a Presentation
What is a presentation?
A presentation is an academic skill which is usually designed to inform the audience on the subject, or to persuade the listeners, or to entertain. Frequently it will be a mixture of some or all of these.
Making the presentation includes two stages:
Preparation for the presentation.
Delivery of the presentation.
Preparation for the presentation
A successful presentation must be prepared carefully and in an intelligent way. When preparing for a presentation it is important to think about:
purpose,
audience,
structure,
communication aids.
Delivery of the presentation
1. Address the audience. Speak to them directly. Try to locate one or two friendly faces in the crowd, people whose eyes and smiles tell you that they are favorably disposed towards you. That does you some good, by boosting your confidence.
2. Maintain the eye contact. Let your eyes move over the audience as you speak, focusing briefly on individuals and addressing that part of your speech to them, before moving on again. The purpose of this is that every member of the audience should feel that your words are intended for them personally.
3. Speak, don’t read. Practice before your performance. Make the presentation a part of you. Reading suggests uncertainty, speaking assets confidence.
4. Be logical. Organize the presentation with some logic in mind. Don’t skip randomly from one thought to another.
5. Use graphics wisely. Audiovisual aids should support the presentation and should be used more to tease than to provide full information.
6. Stop! A short, buttoned-up presentation is much more effective than one that goes on and on.