English Language and Academic Literacy

English Language and Academic Literacy 15.4.10 Dr. John Masterson E-mail: john.masterson@wits.ac.za

Objectives? • Consideration of some common errors/slips found in last batch of essays and tests. • Tips on what you can do to help yourself. • Consideration of basic grammar and its critical importance. • Designed to complement next week’s essay prep sessions. • What concerns would you like to be addressed in these sessions? Feedback throughout and at close …

What is 1st Year English All About?

Close reading – this means EVERYTHING! • Texts – novels, poems, plays, short stories, newspapers, extracts, essay and exam questions, noticeboards …. • Designed to give you some of the essential building blocks for 2ndand 3rd year study – Honours and Postgraduate study – AND THE WORLD BEYOND.

Proofreading • GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME BEFORE SUBMITTING WORK. • There’s no excuse for getting author’s name or the genre of the text you’re looking at WRONG. • Put yourself in your tutor’s shoes …

The Dictionary – one of the most important books of all • Consulting a dictionary is NOT an admission of defeat but of STRENGTH AND SCHOLARLY MATURITY. • “My father still reads the dictionary every day. He says that your life depends on your power to master words.” Arthur Scargill, Sunday Times (1982) • Discuss …

Make the most of the help that’s available to you • Tutors and their consultation times. • Draft introductions or thesis statements. • Get into the habit of writing – practice makes, if not perfect, certainly better … • Speak to consultants at the Writing Centre in the Library (visit the library or look at web-pages for more details).

Key thing to remember • Writing and reading go hand in hand. • Why? Discuss …

The (ab)use of Language • The more you read, of some of the finest writers, critics, journalists, cultural commentators, maybe even politicians, the more you will learn about the importance of being SENSITIVE TO AND WITH LANGUAGE.

Grammar – The Basics • How to keep your reader onside. • What is the difference between ITS and IT’S? • Learn this rule now (and impress your friends) • Similar rules – possession. • ‘Bosman’s short story collection …’ • Other rules - what does the apostrophe stand for in the following? • Examples – couldn’t, they’ll, you’re, don’t, can’t, haven’t, they’re et al. • Another key one – THERE vs. THEIR vs. THEY’RE.

Grammar – the building blocks of your writing • Sentences – paragraphs – introductions – conclusions – PRESENTATION. • Again, put yourself in your tutor’s shoes … • Critical to keep in mind – NOT JUST WHAT YOU SAY BUT HOW YOU SAY IT. • For the sake of another couple of minutes, think about how it looks on the page.

The function of the comma • And breathe – you’re not writing a stream of consciousness, modernist experiment in your essays or exams. • Again, you’ll learn the FEEL for commas by reading more – quality newspaper articles, critical commentaries etc.

Exercise – SPOT THE GRAMMATICAL SLIPS when the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved yes we can she was there for the buses in Montgomery the hoses in Birmingham a bridge in Selma and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome“ yes we can a man touched down on the moon a wall came down in Berlin a world was connected by our own science and imagination and this year in this election she touched her finger to a screen and cast her vote because after 106 years in America through the best of times and the darkest of hours she knows how America can change yes we can america we have come so far we have seen so much but there is so much more to do so tonight let us ask ourselves if our children should live to see the next century if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper what change will they see what progress will we have made

Correct version When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can. She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can. A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can. America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

Punctuation and Sentences • Major frustrations for readers – WHERE DOES ONE SENTENCE END AND THE NEXT BEGIN? • Don’t end an essay with an incomplete sentence. • What is the function of a sentence? • Ideal length? Discuss

Function of the Paragraph • Giving your argument room to breathe. • How many paragraphs in an essay of approx. 1500 words? • Intro and conclusion – they need their own paragraphs. • Function in the main body of your argument? • Structure – point made. • Again, read more and you will start to ‘feel’ when and where one paragraph should end and another begin. • Think of your reader – intimidating sight of an essay without paragraphs. PRESENTATION.

Keep a copy of the marking criteria with you as you write • Some of you may have had these attached to your last essay. It’s entitled ‘Essay Analysis Sheet.’ • There are 4 sections – CONTENT, FORM, STYLE, PRESENTATION. • You’re graded from 1 (Excellent) through to 5 (Inadequate). • Please take a moment to read through this carefully.

Examples from the Essay Analysis Sheet • CONTENT – ‘Evidence of critical analysis i.e. going beyond mere description and paraphrase to fully develop ideas.’ • FORM – ‘Argument presented in a clear and logical manner.’ • STYLE – ‘Use of language is appropriate to context, function, and intention, i.e. avoidance of colloquialisms, inappropriately pretentious language, and unnecessary jargon.’ • PRESENTATION – ‘Mechanics of writing do not interfere with, but rather enhance understanding.’

Essential Things to Remember • As English students, you’re required to be and do many things. • You are READERS AND WRITERS. • Again, proficiency at both go hand in hand. • Put yourself in the position of the person reading your work. • If you get the basics right, you’re well on your way.

Comments, Questions, Feedback?

The (ab)use of Language • The more you read, of some of the finest writers, critics, journalists, cultural commentators, maybe even politicians, the more you will learn about the importance of being SENSITIVE TO AND WITH LANGUAGE.

How does this man use rhetoric?

Excerpt’s from Barack Obama’s Election Night Address – 5.11.08 “This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing – Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old. She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons – because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

Obama cont. And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America – the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can. At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can. When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

Obama cont. When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can. She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can. A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes we can. America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves – if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

Conclusion of Speech This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.”

If this is effective, why? • Look up your own definition of RHETORIC. • From the Compact Oxford English Dictionary. • Rhetoric - /rettrik/ • • noun1 the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing. 2 language with a persuasive or impressive effect, but often lacking sincerity or meaningful content. • — ORIGIN from Greek rhetoriketekhne ‘art of rhetoric’

“your life depends on your power to master words.”

English Language and Academic Literacy