Reading and Writing Skills

• pattern development - how an academic paper is put together from paragraph to paragraph so that the thesis and evidence for it are presented in a way that makes sense and easy to follow.
• narration - writer discusses real-time sequencing of a particular event, past or present.
• narrative pattern can be in a form of news report, book report, and recipe.
• format of narrative pattern - short introduction of the event, sequence of events, and a conclusion or commentary about the event.
• guidelines in narrative pattern -use verbs and verb phrases to move the story in an interesting manner, use transition words to signal time or sequence order, use descriptive language, write an introduction the grabs the attention of the reader, plan your narrative using an outline or graphic organizer
• description - tells the readers about the physical characteristics of a person, place, or thing. it appeals to the five senses- sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.
• superficial attribution - fundamental way of writing descriptive paragraphs. it pertains to physical attributes, innate values (personalities, abilities, and skills), and additional descriptions given by the other people.
• division - concept, or idea you are about to describe is a large entity to describe on its own, may opt to divide it into smaller parts and then describe them separately.
• analysis - most tedious kind of description, for all the right reasons. write such texts when you want to give an in-depth commentary about a particular object, event, or even a person. 
• types of descriptive pattern - subjective and objective description.
• subjective description - attention to both the subject described and the writer's reactions (internal, personal) to that subject.
• objective description - primarily a factual and scientific view of what is being described.
• definition - thorough explanation of a term with regard to its being, origin, purpose, and function. main purpose of this pattern is to tell what something is.
• purpose of definition pattern - clarify an unfamiliar, abstract or concept term, change the readers understanding or argue of a redefinition of a certain term; and reexamine a term and consider its significance.
• elements of definition pattern - term, genus, differentia.
• term - the word that is being defined. 
• genus - the group where the term belongs to.
• differentia - distinction of the term that makes it unique on its own.
• exemplification - main idea is explained by giving an extended example or a series of detailed examples. adds clarity to the readers to understand your ideas well. makes general ideas specific and concrete. 
• classification - relationship of subcategories is established by breaking down complex problems into smaller categories. refers to sorting or arranging subjects (e.g., persons, places, things, ideas) into groups or categories according to their common or shared characteristics.
• comparison and contrast - comparison focuses on the similarities while contrast focuses on the differences.
• two points of comparison - subject-by-subject and point-by-point comparison.
• subject-by-subject comparison - discuss one subject at a time, making all your points about subject A in the first section of your paper, and going on to make all your points about Subject B. 
• point-by-point comparison - discuss one common element in each section, making points about Subject A and Subject B in relation to that element.
• cause and effect - cause is something that makes an event or condition happen. effect is what happens as a result. primary objective of cause-and-effect in writing is to figure out how different things are related in terms of their causes and effects.
• problem-solution pattern - organizes ideas into problems and proposed solutions. problem section usually includes what, who, when, where, why, and how of the problem. other part then presents the major effects of the problem and the possible solution to address it, as well as the steps in implementing the solution.
• problem-focused paragraph - describes and discusses a problem or issue. topic sentence names the issue you will discuss. supporting sentences show why this issue is a problem.
• solution-focused paragraph - supporting sentences show how your solution will solve the problem. use details, definitions, and examples.
• persuasion - organizes ideas to show how a set of evidence leads to a logical conclusion or argument. presents the issue, the position, and the supporting evidence that supports the position.
• hook + topic - broad problem you'll be addressing (for the readers to understand the context)

  your position - thesis statement, your answer to the problem

  points - argument overview
• critical reading - process of understanding rather than just reading on the surface of the text.
• claim - an arguable statement - an idea that a speaker or writer expects an audience to accept. word claim comes from the Latin word clamare which means to cry out, shout.
• three types of claim - claim of fact, claim of value, claim of policy.
• claim of fact - type of claim that affirms or asserts that a statement is true or untrue. argues that the statement is indeed a fact.
• appropriate claim of fact - makes a claim that is debatable using factual evidence.
• inappropriate claim of fact - a statistic or fact that is not debatable.
• claim of value - can state whether the author thinks the idea is good or bad, right or wrong, ethical or unethical, or just or unjust. express the author’s approval or disapproval of an idea. it is subjective.
• claim of policy - statement proposing an action that should be undertaken as a solution to a particular problem. use of words such as should, ought to, and must.
• defending a claim of policy - state your proposal clearly. state the arguments for your proposed solution. support your claim with enough evidence.
• hypertext - a non-linear way of presenting information, rather than the traditional linear process of reading from beginning to end.