Academic Writing
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一、题型分类
- 第一步：读题：简单地提炼两位Student的观点
Category 1: Comparison
Sample 1
Which approach do you think is better: assessing students based only on their performance, or also based on their effort?
Student 1
I believe grading shall primarily be based on students’ performance, but hard effort should also be considered. Students learn something from their hard work even if they do not score so well in tests, which will benefit them in their future life.
Student 2
Well, only performance should be considered. It is the only fair solution. Why should those who submit incorrect answers on their homework get the same score as I do? The so-called hard work is not relevant.
Category 2: Evaluation
Sample 2
Write a post responding to the professor’s question.
In your response, you should:
- express and support your opinion.
- make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor Today, we are going to discuss the transition of new graduates into university. Many new high-school graduates work, travel, or just relax for some time before they attend university, and some even take a whole year – namely the gap year. Some say they have benefited greatly from their gap year, while others say it is a waste of time. What is your opinion on gap year? Does it bring more advantages of disadvantages to students?
Student 1 I am completely up for gap year. It is a great chance for students to reflect on what they are going to study in the future. They can have hands-on experience of different fields and witness the world in their own eyes.
Student 2 We need to finish university as soon as possible or we are wasting money. Tuition, rent, books, and everything are becoming more expensive every year. The money students can make in a gap year will not be able to cove the extra money to be paid later.
Category 3: Argument & Solution
Argument - Yes? No?
do you think ongoing job training is the most important investment a business can make?
Will people have more free time and be able to enjoy more leisure activities in the future?
Sample 3
Write a post responding to the professor’s question.
In your response, you should:
- express and support your opinion.
- make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor Today we will cover the business concept of employment retention and training. Even if we are able to hire the best skilled workers from the job market, businesses still need to help them develop their skills in this fast-paced society. So managers usually need to decide on what and how much training to be given to the employees. In your opinion, do you think ongoing job training is the most important investment a business can make?
Student 1 I totally disagree with such a statement. Companies can simply find and hire the best employees from the job market. There are many aspects in which companies need to spend their money on, and we need to save money from training.
Student 2 Training is essential to employment retention. In other words, we need to make every effort to make employees stay. Through training, employees will feel that they are valued by the company, and will thus want to stay.
Category 4: Solution 类
Sample 4
Write a post responding to the professor’s question.
In your response, you should:
- express and support your opinion.
- make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Professor In this lecture, we will look into how modern consumers buy tech products. Today, when people need a tech product, such as a tablet or mobile phone, they usually find that they do not have adequate information to make the purchasing decision. In this discussion, please let us know what do you think is the biggest mistake that people make when it comes to the purchase of tech products. Please explain what this mistake is and why.
Student 1 The biggest issue is that people do not match what they need and what they buy. For example, my friend got the latest release of a laptop but found that he did not need much of the fancy functions. He actually paid for what he does not need.
Student 2 I think people tend to forget about the software. When people buy tech products, they might ignore the software that come with the hardware. For example, it might be challenging to learn a new operating system on a laptop.
二、文章结构
Structure 1 : Elaboration + Example + Concession
比较泛的议题，可以more specific.
Structure 1:
- Point & Elaboration
- Further Elaboration
- Example
- Consession
例子
I believe grading shall focus on students' performance on assignments and tests （观点）, since it is the most effective way to measure the progress in their study. （解释）(27)
进一步解释：
To be more specific, performance on assignments and tests best reflect students' understanding of academic concepts and their problem-solving skills, which are also the objective of most courses. (29)
举例：
For example, the score on a mathematics test indicates if the student has completely understood formulas and theories, and if they can apply them in various conditions. (27)
构建一个让步：
Still, some might claim that students learn something beneficial to their life through their hard effort regardless of the performance. However, we all need to learn from our mistakes and correct them in time, instead of persisting on wrong ideas or approaches. （20+22）
\(\rightarrow\) 需要说明“更好”
Structure 2 : Two points & Elaboration
Structure 2: Point & Elaboration + Further Elaboration + Second Point & Elaboration + Further Elaboration
例子
Point 1:
I believe gap year will greatly promote students' academic development as students can deepen their understanding in their future field of study. (23)
To elaborate, practical experience during the gap year will help students witness the true nature of a job instead of developing impractical imagination based on their limited experience, building a real passion in their future pursuit. (36)
Point 2:
Moreover, the experience of communicating with people from various backgrounds through a job or during a trip will greatly enhance students' social skills, which are essential in their future study. (31)
To be more specific, students will be able to exchange ideas accurately and smoothly with other students and professors in lectures, group discussions and projects, which promotes an effective learning experience. (32)
Structure 3 : Comparison and Contrast
结构：Point + Elaboration/Example（往往是Substantion） + （相反的）Point + Example + (Conclusion)
Example 1
I agree that the Internet has brought great convenience for individuals to get access to large amounts of information. It becomes extremely convenient for travelers, for example, to search information about local cuisine by logging on the Internet when they first visit a city. Local residents can also be greatly benefited from the Internet by knowing the closest community center and hospitals. By contrast, all the convenience were impossible before the Internet first came into our daily life. Travelers had to carry with them a load of travel information and local residents had to ask other people for the information. Without the Internet, it will be much troublesome for people to obtain the information they need.
Example 2
- change 不一定是improve 或者 decline
I think the working conditions for workers has been remarkably changed in recent years. Traditionally, workers were permanently employed. They were valued for their adequate knowledge of their work and rewarded with steady salary raises and favorable medical insurance. In contrast, in today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, employers are less interested in having their payrolls burdened by paying top salaries to their long-serving employees. As a result, workers always sign temporary contracts, struggle with the sharp decline in their social welfare benefits, and prepare for layoffs, all of which lead to their precarious situation.
三、具体写法 - 以Structure 1为例
3.1 Point & Elaboration
Common Points in Education:
1. Academic development / Effectiveness of study — 学业
2. Personal development / Career development — 发展（个人、职业）
3. Teamworking and communication skills — 团队合作、沟通
思考角度可以参考：
- 由小到大
- 社会、经济、文化、教育
- individual – community – society
- Social – economic – cultural
- Social development – science & technology
- Physical – psychological/ mental/ spiritual
- Public – personal/household
- Career – family – personal fulfillment
- Colleagues – friends – family members
- 人和物
- 个人本身
- 人和团体
- 人和社会
| ⅘ | 5/5 |
|---|---|
| Well, I am in favor of performance grading because good score is what college students truly need. To be more specific, grading performance indeed offers students increasingly strong motive to learn, which enables them to manage their time more efficiently when they have various subjects. For example, it is common in the process of study that students cannot master all the courses they have, but with performance grading they can pay more attention to the subjects they are weak at. |
In my opinion, performance grading is what college students truly need since it provides them with a stronger motive to learn. To be more specific, performance grading enables students to manage their time more efficiently with various subjects. For example, it is common in the process of study that students cannot master all the courses they have, but with performance grading they can pay more attention to the weakness. |
Point
- I think ______ has made a good point on ______ /that ______. From my perspective, ....
- I believe that … / I firmly hold the idea that … / In my opinion, … / As far as I am concerned, … / It is obvious that …
构建让步：
- While I agree with David's optimistic assessment that AI is fundamentally a powerful tool for progress, I believe its true impact extends beyond merely analyzing data and identifying patterns.
正述观点后置论据
1. Practical experience will greatly promote / hinder students' academic development as they can deepen their understanding in their field of study. (25)
2. The overuse of technology will have a positive / negative impact on our personal development since it will hinder our independent thinking. (29)
3. We shall definitely prioritize economic development over environmental protection due to the fact that a stable economy is the very foundation of social, scientific, and industrial development. (31)
前置论据后述观点
4. The fact that discussion involves active exchange of ideas between participants indicates that such style of learning drives us to strengthen our communication skills. ( )
例如：
I think score is good for students because they learn knowledge.
\(\downarrow\)
I believe grading shall focus on students' performance on assignments and tests since it is the most effective way to measure the progress in their study. (27)
I believe effort is important because experience is good.
\(\downarrow\)
In my opinion, effort is an important element to be considered in study and grading due to the fact that students learn from both what they have done right and what they have done wrong. (31)
Elaboration
- To be more specific / To elaborate / In other words / More specifically / To explain it further...
Why effective? How effective? What effective?
To be more specific, during a discussion, students not only have to come up with their own thoughts but also consider those from others, which stimulates an active way of thinking.
To elaborate, practical experience will help students witness the true nature of a job instead of developing some random imagination based on their limited experience, developing a real passion in their field of study.
In other words, it is only in a prosperous, stable, and developed society that we can allocate extra resources to implement the protection of the environment.
More specifically, instead of thinking and analyzing a problem, people might rely on technology to search for quick answers to every question they have in life and study.
例子：
Grade
I believe effort is important because experience is good.
\(\downarrow\)
In my opinion, effort is an important element to be considered in study and grading due to the fact that students learn from both what they have done right and what they have done wrong. (31)
\(\downarrow\)
To elaborate, students not only gain academic knowledge from a correct understanding of class materials, but also obtain a stronger resilience and judgment power through their mistakes, developing both technical and life skills. (35)
Gap Year - more advantages / disadvantages
I believe gap year will greatly promote students' academic development as students can deepen their understanding in their future field of study. (23)
To elaborate, practical experience during the gap year will help students witness the true nature of a job instead of developing impractical imagination based on their limited experience, building a real passion in their future pursuit. (36)
Mistake in the purchase of tech products
The biggest mistake in the purchase of tech products is that consumers almost always pay for what they do not need since people are easily misled by advertisements. (28)
To elaborate, TV and internet commercials usually illustrate the most sophisticated and powerful functions of high-tech products in an exaggerated manner, which are unfortunately rarely needed. (26)
Ongoing Job Training
Do you think ongoing job training is the most important investment a business can make?
\(\downarrow\)
Is ongoing employee training very very good for a company?
It is certain that ongoing job training is an essential part of business because it helps employees to stay competitive in today's rapidly changing world. (27)
To be more specific, instead of relying on outdated skillsets, ongoing job training not only provides employees an insight into advanced strategies but also equip them with competitive technical skills, which in turn helps the company to keep vibrant. (39)
3.2 Example
Topic: Electronic devices help students on their study.
Example 的 三个要点
- Focused on topic
- Factual illustration
- Good language
Type 1 - Substantiation
For example, the score on a mathematics test indicates if the student has completely understood formulas and theories, and if they can apply them in various conditions.
Type 2 - Story Telling
起因+经过+结果 - for more detail
Example
For instance, one of my best learning experience was an internship before college with the Ford Car Company. The experience from the manufacturing floor helped me understand key concepts in car production and problems to be solved. (18+18)
For instance, last week, my little niece had a homework from her biology class .
She used her mobile phone to search for diverse information on the internet.
Finally, she got a good grade for the excellent work.
还可以改善:
For instance, last week, my little niece had a homework from her biology class about animal behaviors. (17)
Instead of relying on limited knowledge on books, she used her mobile phone to search for diverse information on the internet, including why and how animals play, which earned her a good grade for the excellent work. (37)
Exercises
Ongoing job training:
For example, the company I work for occasionally organize training on how to use the ERP (enterprise resource planning) system. Through utilizing ERP, different departments get a much better understanding of the operation of the whole organization, thus building a stronger synergy between departments and individuals. (20+26)
Buying tech products:
The biggest mistake in the purchase of tech products is that consumers almost always pay for what they do not need since people are easily misled by advertisements. (28)
To elaborate, TV and internet commercials usually illustrate the most sophisticated and powerful functions of high-tech products in an exaggerated manner, which are unfortunately rarely needed. (26)
For example, commercials may demonstrate how a powerful laptop may solve all problems in our work and life, while we end up just using the expensive laptop with basic jobs such as editing texts and PowerPoint slides. (37)
3.3 Concession
组成：concession+refutation
Example
Still, some might claim that students learn something beneficial to their life through their hard effort regardless of the performance. However, we all need to learn from our mistakes and correct them in time, instead of persisting on wrong ideas or approaches. (20+22)
Example
Still, a voice arises that the cost of attending college rises each year, and we need to start college life as soon as possible. Ironically, such cost is nothing compared with the life-long regret of studying a wrong major. (24+15)
Example
Nevertheless, some might claim that students learn something beneficial to their life through their hard effort regardless of the performance. However, we all need to learn from our mistakes and correct them in time, instead of persisting on wrong ideas or approaches. (20+22)
Example
Still, a voice arises that the cost of attending college rises each year, and we need to start college life as soon as possible. Ironically, such cost is nothing compared with the life-long regret of studying a wrong major. (23+15)
Example
Still, a voice arises that businesses can save money from training by recruiting new employees. Ironically, even the most talented and skilled new employees will need time and training to best adapt themselves to a new environment, which is a lot of times more expensive than ongoing job training. (15+34)
Slightly Different Example
I understand Rachel's concern over the funding of the libraries but I believe she misses a critical point. A strong and healthy body is the prerequisite for students to make full use of the resources in libraries and study concentratedly, which means that the significance of sports and athletic programs cannot be neglected.
Example
In conclusion, while sports programs have their place in promoting physical health and fostering school spirit, universities should prioritize funding for academic facilities to ensure that they fulfill their primary mission in education. This approach will benefit the entire university and contribute to the institution’s overall success.
四、Language
4.1 General
4.1.1 表示重要的词汇
- be decisive in ...
- prioritize sth
4.1.2 导致/因果
- will inevitably lead to...
- enable him to overcome the fear of...
- contribute to
4.1.3 动词
① 提升/进步
- enhance ... skills
- master the skills of
- cultivate students’ overall ability
- make them more refreshed and energetic to immerse themselves in study and finally have better performance in school work
② 想要做/去做
- have the inclination to do ... 想要/倾向去做
- seive an opportunity to ...
③ 放松
- ease the financial burden
4.1.4 社会 / Background
- In such a fiercely competitive society...
- The intensifying pressure
4.1.5 一些负面词汇/影响
- are deprived of the opportunities to do
- get distracted from
- it will be much troublesome for sb to do
- avoids the possibility of excessive exhaustion and sleep deprivation in order to balance the job and study
4.1.6 一些积极影响
