Writing (28 January 2011)

28 January 2011
Today I learn about writing in my BEL 260 class at U 214..

WRITING

Pre-Writing Techniques
a)Brainstorming
b)Mind-mapping
c)Freewriting
d)Quickwriting

Writing Process
1)Brainstorming
   >Brainstorm ideas, points and how to organise a piece of writing.

2)Planning
   >Careful planning eliminates possible problems and helps you to write a clear, well-focused piece of writing
     with reasonable ideas and a meaningful presentations.

3)Writing
   >Involve creative and critical thinking in this process.
   >Creative and critical thought processes will result in sentences and paragraphs that are well developed and
     attract the attention of the reader.

4)Editing / Reviewing
   >Enables the writer to detect errors.
   >To refine and "polish rough spots".

EXTENDED WRITING

Definitions
Extended writing means writing an essay that is more than 250 words.

Outlines of Extended Writing

 1)Introductions
    >Opening sentences
    >Thesis Statement (main ideas that will be developed in the essay)


2)Body Paragraph 1 
   >Topic sentence 1 (main point of the paragraph)
   >Supporting details
   >Concluding sentence (optional)

3)Body Paragraph 2
   >Topic sentence 2
   >Supporting details
   >Concluding sentence

4)Body Paragraph 3
   >Topic sentence 3
   >Supporting details
   >Concluding sentence

5)Conclusion
   >Reaffirm thesis statement
   >Summary of main points

DEVELOPING THESIS STATEMENT
>Thesis statement
   A sentence that shows the controlling idea of a piece of a writing.
>It have to be specific because it acts as the ' focus ' of the writing.
>Poor thesis statement  - too general or ambiguous.
>Normally comes at the end of the introductory paragraph.

PARAGRAPH


Definition
>Short essay
>Contain all aspects of an extended essay
>Average paragraph - about 150 to 200 words 

Outlines of A Paragraph 

1) Topic Sentences (TS)
     >Usually written as the first sentence of a paragraph.
     >In some cases, it is also written in the middle or at the end of the paragraph.
     >Always stated in a complete sentence.
     >Verifies or supports a thesis statement. It informs the reader of the content or ideas to be discussed in  
        the paragraph.

2) Supporting Details (SD)
    >Supporting sentences need to be about the idea presented in the topic sentence.
    >Ways to support topic sentence are:
       a) Giving examples and illustrations
       b) Presenting statistics
       c) Evaluating causes and effects
       d) Making comparisons and contrasts

3) Concluding Sentence (CS)
     >Summary of a paragraph.
     >Final remark on the main idea of the paragraph.
     >Examples:
       a) As we can see
       b) Hence
       c) As a result
       d) These examples shows that
       e) Therefore
       f) Consequently

Determiners(25 January 2011)

25 January 2011
On this date, also, another group present their presentation in class about determiners..


DETERMINERS

DEFINITIONS
A determiner qualifies a noun. It makes the reference of the noun more precise.

GROUPS OF DETERMINERS

1)GROUP ' A ' DETERMINERS
   >Articles, demonstrative and possessive are often called group A determiner.
   >They are used to identify things.
   > a)Articles - a, an , the
      b)Demonstrative - this, that, these, those
      c)Possessive - my, our, your, their, her, his, its, one's, whose
  >Two group A determiners cannot be put together.
     Example:
     We can say my car but not the my car.
  >If we have to put the two group A determiners together, we have to use the structure
    a / this  +  noun  +  of mine / yours.
    Example:
    a) this book of mine.
    b) a friend of yours.

2)GROUP ' B ' DETERMINERS
   >Indicate something about quantity.
   >Examples are:

• some, any, no
• each, every, either, neither
• much, many, more, most
• a little, less, least
• a few, fewer, fewest
• all, both, half
• what, whatever, which, whichever
• one, two, three, etc.

  >We can put group B determiners together when the combination makes sense.
     Example:
     a)We meet every few days.
     b)Have you got any more rice?

GROUP A  +  GROUP B
Group B determiners can be used directly before nouns without of.

• Have they got any children?
• Most people love children.

But if we want to put a Group B determiner before a noun with a Group A determiner, we have to use of.
Compare:

• some children
• some of the children
• neither method
• neither of these methods
• most plants
• most of the plants

IMPORTANT POINTS

We can leave out of after all, both and half when they are followed by nouns.

• all my friends OR all of my friends
• both (of) my parents
• half (of) her income

But note that we cannot leave out of when all, both and half are followed by pronouns.

• all of us (NOT all us)
• both of them (NOT both them)

No and every are not used before of; instead we use none and every one.

• no children
• none of the children
• every child
• every one of the children

GROUP ' A '  +  GROUP ' B '

Certain Group B determiners can be used after Group A determiners. They are: many, most, least, little and few.

• a little time
• his many ideas
• a few questions
• the most money

Pronouns(25 January 2011)

25 January 2011
Today I learn about  pronouns in my english class.. Actually, it is a group presentation that my lecturer, Miss Zu assign for me and my group whose consists of my group leader, Azura, Aini and me..

PRONOUNS

DEFINITIONS

Pronouns take the place of nouns in sentences.

TYPES OF PRONOUNS

1)PERSONAL PRONOUNS
   a) Subjective Personal Pronouns
      >To replace nouns as the subjects of sentences
      >Subject pronouns(I, you, he, she, it, we, they)
      >Example:
        We will meet at the library at 3.00 p.m.
  b)Objective Personal Pronouns
     >To replace nouns as objects of verbs and prepositions
     >Object pronouns(me, you, her, him, it ,us, them)
     >Example:
       Lisa and Evan will meet us at the newest cafe' in the shopping mall.
 c)Possessive Personal Pronouns
    >To replace nouns to indicates possession or ownership.
    > Possessive pronouns(mine, yours, his, hers, its, theirs, ours)
    >Example:
      The smallest gift is mine.

2)DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUNS
   >Identifies a noun or pronouns
   >Demonstrative pronouns(this, these, that, those)
   >Examples:
     I'll take these.


3)INTERROGATIVE PRONOUNS
   >To replace nouns used to ask questions.
   >Interrogative pronouns(who, whom, which, what, whoever, whomever, whichever, whatever)
   >Examples:
     Who usually helps you?   

4)RELATIVE PRONOUNS
   >Used to join two sentences, take place of nouns and / or pronouns in a sentence and refer to nouns or 
     pronouns which come before any relative pronouns.
  >Relative pronouns(who, whose, which, that, whoever, whomever, whom)
  >Example:
    People who smoke should quit now.

5)INDEFINITE PRONOUNS
   >Refers to general categories of peoples or things.
   >Indefinite pronouns(all, another, any, anybody, anyone, anything, each, everybody, everyone, everything,
     few, many, nobody, none, one, several, some, somebody, someone)
  >Example:
    Anyone can do that.

6)REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS
   >Are used when a person or thing acts on itself.
   >Reflexive pronouns(myself, yourself, herself, himself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves)
   >Examples:
     All of you must do your homework yourselves.


7)INTENSIVE PRONOUNS
   >Used to emphasise its antecedent.
   >Identical in form to reflexive pronouns.
   >Example:
     The Prime Minister himself said that he would lower the taxes.
 

Outcome Based Education(OBE) - 4 January 2011

4 January 2011
Today is the first day I start my BEL 260 class in the morning at Cyber Lingua Lab 2.. On this day, I have learn about the Outcome Based Education(OBE) which is the method that focus on what students can actually do after they are taught... There are also the programme outcome and course outcome..

Programme Outcome 

• Specific and general knowledge, skill, attitude and abilities demonstrate by graduates or students.
• Expect to have mastered the outcomes by the time they finish all coursework in their program.

Course Outcome
Describe what students or graduates should know, understand and can do upon the completion of course based on analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Also, I have learn about the " 9 Ministry Of Higher Education(MOHE) Attributes " . They consists of

• Knowledge - Bloom Taxonomy
• Practical Skills
• Critical Thinking & Scientific Skills
• Communication Skills
• Social Skills, Teamwork & Responsibility
• Values, Ethics, Moral & Professionalism
• Information Management and Lifelong Learning Skills
• Managerial and Entrepreneurial Skills
• Leadership Skills

At the end of this class, I think I need to instil the " 9 MOHE Attributes " in  my life or as a self-assessment as a person or student in daily activities..