Reading and Writing L: 1, 2 & 3

• Evaluative statement


  Formed as you reason out your own beliefs according to your own set of criteria through critical reading
• Types of assertion

  • Fact
  • Convention
  • Opinion
  • Preference
• Fact


  A type of assertion that can easily be verified through various sources such as direct experience, testimonies of witnesses, verified observations, and results of research
• Convention


  A type of assertion that is socially accepted at a certain place during a certain period of time, depending on existing laws, rules, usage, customs, traditions, and norms
• Opinion


  A type of assertion that must have packs as its foundation, is commonly open to arguments, and is harder to verify as compared to facts
• Preference


  A type of assertion that is very subjective in nature, early based on the choice of a certain person or a group of people, and does not require any evidence or proof as it may vary from one person to another
• Formulating assertions


  1. Examine which ideas are facts and which are opinions

  2. Make inferences or conclusions

  3. Assess the overall quality of the text
• Counterclaim


  Claims made to offset or oppose the claims presented in a text, supported by evidence to disprove or rebut the claims
• Hedge


  A word or a phrase that serves the purpose of minimizing the negative impact of a criticism stated in a counterclaim, such as modals, adverbs of frequency, and adverbs of probability
• Textual evidence


  A set of information that is true and serves as grounds for belief to prove something, from valid and reliable sources or references
• Characteristics of textual evidence

  • Specific, accurate, precise, unified, relevant, and containing statistical data
• Types of textual evidence

  • Statistical
  • Testimonial
  • Anecdotal
  • Analogical
• Statistical evidence


  Data that present numbers to prove a point, usually the results of surveys
• Statistical evidence


  • The current population of the Philippines is 108,371,679 as of Tuesday September 3, 2019, based on the latest United Nations estimates
• Testimonial evidence


  Data that present authorized and professional testimonies about a certain topic from the people who are experts on the related field of the subject
• Testimonial evidence


  • According to Dr. Allison A. Buskirk-Cohen, an associate professor in the Counseling Psychology Department of Liberal Arts at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, the best way to approach learning is to realize that it is an active process which involves asking questions, making personal connections to the material, and reviewing information
• Anecdotal evidence


  Data that present a person's experience or observation, used with another type of evidence to support the observation stated
• Anecdotal evidence


  • Most of the foreigners I have lived with during my two years of missionary service do not take a bath on a daily basis
• Analogical evidence


  Data that present a comparison of two different things to prove a certain point, the weakest type of evidence as it only shows a parallel between the two things being compared but does not usually serve as a hard proof and can be misinterpreted when poorly presented
• Analogical evidence


  • Depression is more than just being deeply sad and lonely. It is like being in a prison without bar and you are trapped by invisible weights tied around your arms and legs that prevent you from being happy; and like any prisoner, a depressed person wants nothing but freedom from that kind of situation and struggles to find a way out
• Standards in determining textual evidence

  • Sufficient, relevant, and representative of the claims
• Book review


  A type of academic paper that goes beyond summarizing the content of a book, and extends to the analysis and evaluation of the content of a book and the articulation of comments that may raise arguments or points to consider about the book itself
• Tips to Remember in Writing a Good Book Review

  • Be honest
  • Focus on the book and not the author
  • Review the content of the book not the cover
  • Do not provide a mere summary of the book
  • Do not be a spoiler
  • Be specific
• Steps in Writing Each Part of a Book Review

  1. Introduction - Provide a brief description of the book, including the name of the author, the title of the book, its theme, plot, and genre. It may also include a thesis statement, as long as it is supported with arguments

  2. Body - Begin with a short summary of the content of the book. Then, critique the content by presenting personal reactions and opinions about the book. Include your analysis and evaluation of the book

  3. Conclusion - Include your opinion on whether the readers will have a worthwhile time in reading the book or not. Discuss about the strongest and weakest points of the book
• Position paper


  A type of academic paper that presents an arguable opinion on a certain issue and tries to defend the side or position chosen by the writer. Its main purpose is to express support or opposition on the topic presented.
• Steps in Writing a Position Paper

  1. Select the topic - Make sure it is an arguable one

  2. Conduct preliminary research - Ensure you have enough evidence to support your claims or counterclaims

  3. Challenge own topic - Consider the probable counterarguments that might be raised by the readers

  4. Collect supporting evidence - Use different resources

  5. Create an outline - To serve as a guide when writing the position paper
• Components of a Position Paper

  • Introduction - State your side or position on the topic
  • Body - Explain why you choose to agree or disagree with the claims presented about the topic. Present your evidence, various researches, and other factual information to strengthen your position
  • Conclusion - Summarize all the points presented in the body and make your position clear
• Tips in Writing an Effective Position Paper

  • Choose a well-defined controversial topic - Assures that there would be enough information and evidence to support your arguments and counterarguments
  • State a clear position on the topic - Stay with the chosen side and do not switch sides in the middle of the paper
  • Provide a convincing argument - Make sure they are convincing enough to persuade the reader that your point is right, valid, and reasonable
  • Maintain a reasonable tone - Express respect in the readers' own beliefs while maintaining confidence in your own beliefs
• Fact


  There are about 175 languages spoken in the Philippines.
• Fact


  Japan has the third largest economy in the world.
• Fact 


  The largest country in Western Europe is France.
• Convention 


  France has weird laws such as posthumous marriage which allows a person to legally marry a dead person
• Opinion 


  Some people are scared to go to Japan because of the existence of yakuza