ENG1515 2024
ASSIGNMENT 3 PREPARATION
DATE
Purpose of the session
• To share information related to the ENG1515 Ass 03.
• To discuss the structure of the assignment.
• To offer guidance on how to answer Ass 03 questions.
The structure of the question paper
• The question paper has TWO questions.
• Question 1: Short answer questions (20 Marks)
• Question 2: Essay Writing (30 Marks)
• Answer both questions (1&2).
• Total = 50 marks
QUESTION 1
• Based on the ff. cartoon:
QUESTION 1: SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
• There are FIVE sub-questions (1.1 – 1.5)
• They are all based on the cartoon.
• Before you attempt the questions, study the cartoon carefully.
QUESTION 1
CARTOON QUESTIONS
• 1.1 Name and explain the purpose of the punctuation
mark at the end of "DON'T YOU HATE" in the
cartoon. (3 marks)
• 1.2 What is happening in the cartoon? Write a short
storyline of the cartoon. (5 marks)
• 1.3 What message do you think the cartoon is trying
to convey? (2 marks)
• 1.4 In a paragraph of 5 sentences, tell us about an
instance in which you or someone else found
themselves in a similar situation to the one portrayed
in the cartoon. (6 marks)
• 1.5 Mention and explain at least 2 things a student
should do or actions one may take to avoid finding
themselves in a similar situation to the one portrayed
in the cartoon. (4 marks
How to answer questions based on a cartoon?
• You can detect meaning from setting,
• Characters
• Emotions
• Actions
General advice
• Read your questions carefully – underline important words in
questions and focus on addressing those
• Check and adhere to answer length requirements
• Use allocated marks as a guide for length
• Proofread and edit your work carefully
• If asked to engage with a text, make sure that you provide
evidence from that text/refer to that text in your answer
• Remember to show your own ideas and evidence of your own
understanding – use your own words and do not plagiarise
CARTOONS
• They often highlight a social or political issue
• To interpret cartoons, use:
• Verbal clues and visual clues
• Sometimes there would be no verbal clues.
• Speech bubbles - solid lines.
• Thought bubble - dotted line.
• Movement lines – show when a character is moving/walking/running
CARTOON (EXAMPLE)
Setting: Place and time
Who are the two characters?
How do you know?
What has happened?
How do we know that the baker is
shocked?
How do we know that the other man is
a thief?
What do the lines above each loaf of
bread suggest?
Paragraphs/stories
• Topic sentence • Introduce what your
paragraph will be about.
➢ Supporting sentences ➢ elaborate the topic sentence
further;
➢ give examples, descriptions,
etc.
● wrap up each of the
● Concluding sentence
paragraphs.
Story
• Clear storyline
• Characters
• Should answer ‘wh- questions’ (Who; what; where; when;
how)
• Coherence
https://www.gre.ac.uk/articles/ils/academic-writing
Question 2
• This is an essay-type question
• Read the question carefully.
• Analyse what you are expected to do.
• Read units 5 and 6 of your study guide.
• Familiarise yourself with the conventions of writing an academic
essay.
Question 2
One of the purposes of Unit 5 and 6 of Tutorial letter 501, the study guide, is to
introduce conventions of academic writing and enhance student writing skills. In an
essay of about 500 words (about a page-and-a-half) discuss how plagiarism affects
students’ competence in real life.
Make sure your essay covers the following:
• Mentions and discusses 3 possible effects of plagiarism in one’s life.
• Suggests at least 3 measures that could be taken to deal with plagiarized work.
• Cite at least 3 academic sources in the body-text of your essay. (30 marks
WHAT IS ACADEMIC WRITING?
● Academic writing is a style of writing that is formal, non-fictional, well-
planned, well-structured and evidence-based.
Some of the conventions of academic writing
● Brainstorm ideas.
● Draft an outline by using mind maps or diagrams.
● Introduce the topic.
● Engage with the topic and provide scholarly evidence.
● Summarize key ideas or argument about the topic.
● Write in clear and concise language.
● Write in a coherent and logical manner (see slides on connectives at the
end of this PowerPoint presentation).
HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR RESPONSE
• Introduction – one paragraph
• Body – 3 paragraphs
• Conclusion- One paragraph
• NB: Your essay must contain 5 paragraphs and must not have
sub-headings.
Introduction
• Start with a broad general statement about the topic of the
essay.
• Demonstrate understanding of the key word/concept.
• Indicate your thesis statement (i.e. a sentence that captures the
main point of an essay).
• Outline the structure of your presentation.
Body
BODY PARAGRAPHS
Each paragraph should:
• Start with a topic sentence (i.e. a sentence that introduces the
main idea in a paragraph).
• Follow-up with relevant supporting sentences.
• A closing sentence that wraps up each of the paragraphs
TYPICAL BODY PARAGRAPH
Firstly, helping learners develop reading skills as early as possible helps
them with vocabulary development. According to xxx (2023:9) it is through
reading that learners gain exposure to vocabulary which helps them master
content in other learning areas. This means that if learners read a lot, they
gain vocabulary that they subsequently need in other subjects.
Furthermore, reading serves as an important precursor to effective writing
(xxx 2021:4). For learners to develop good writing skills, it is important that
they learn to read well. Reading is thus an indispensable skill that helps
ensure successful learning.
CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
One or two sentences that reiterate/s the focus of the essay.
Three sentences that summarize the key ideas discussed in the
body of the essay.
A closing sentence that ends the essay.
TYPICAL CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH
• In conclusion, language teaching and learning is central to
successful learning. Teachers need to pay special attention to
the effective teaching of reading, writing, listening and speaking
skills. Effectively developed language skills help learners thrive
in all areas of learning while poorly developed language skills
affect learning in all other areas.
USING SOURCES IN AN ACADEMIC ESSAY
● Why should you refer to sources when you write an
essay?
• It is an academic requirement.
• It strengthens the validity of your argument/discussion.
• It will help you get better marks.
USING SOURCES IN AN ACADEMIC ESSAY
• How should you use academic sources?
● First read and make sure you understand the essay instruction
clearly.
● Doing so, will help you understand what information to look for
from the sources.
● Then skim (i.e. read for a general idea) and scan (i.e. read for
specific details) the sources for sections that might contain
useful/relevant information.
HOW TO USE THE SOURCES IN YOUR ESSAY
• Must be integrated into the relevant paragraphs.
• Strike a balance between your own voice and the voices from the
sources. That is,
➢ Your paragraphs must not only contain your views which are
unsubstantiated;
➢ Your paragraphs must not just be a lump of information cited from
sources;
➢ Integrate your voice with the views from the sources.
HOW TO INTEGRATE SOURCES IN THE ESSAY
• Keep the basic structure of the paragraph in mind
Topic sentence [your voice]
Supporting sentences [sources and your voice]
Concluding sentence [your voice]
• Following this pattern will ensure that you strike the
required balance between the two.
TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF A PARAGRAPH
Reading is one of the key language skills that determines academic
success. According to xxx (2017:5), reading is central to helping
students develop critical thinking skills. This means that…/ Not only
does it help students appreciate…but will also encourage…among
learners as argued by (xxx, 2022:18). xxx(2019) and xxx(2021) are
of the view that helping students develop academic reading skills, is
critical…This implies/suggests that…/ Therefore, teaching reading
skills should…
NB: Text in yellow signifies author’s voice (you as the writer)
Text in black signifies sources that have been cited.
Conclusion
• Proofread and edit your work.
• Convert your document to PDF.
• Make sure you have correctly named it so that you do not
upload a wrong document.
https://www.grammarbank.com/connectives-list.html
https://www.grammarbank.com/connectives-list.html
THANK YOU
• Good luck!!!
