English

• Conflict


  A struggle or problem faced by the characters
• Types of conflict


  • Internal conflict
  • External conflict
• Internal conflict


  When characters struggle with their own opposing desires or beliefs. It happens within them, and it drives their development as a character.
• Internal conflict (Man vs. Self)


  • A character experiencing conflict within his or her own mind
  • A character facing mixed emotions over his or her actions
  • A character facing a decision that has to be made/has been made
  • A character facing mental illness
  • A character unable to forgive himself or herself over past actions
• External conflict


  Sets a character against something or someone beyond their control
• Types of external conflict

  • Man vs. Man
  • Man vs. Society
  • Man vs. Nature
  • Man vs. Technology
  • Man vs. Fate or the Supernatural
• Man vs. Man


  Conflict between a protagonist and his or her antagonist, or between friends or acquaintances
• Man vs. Society


  Conflict where a protagonist is at odds with a ruling body, or social or cultural norms
• Man vs. Nature


  Conflict where the main character must face some sort of storm or event that happens as a force of nature
• Man vs. Technology


  Conflict where a protagonist is facing machines or technology and must prevail against it
• Man vs. Fate or the Supernatural


  Conflict where the protagonist finds himself or herself pitted against a vengeful god or powerful supernatural force
• Fact


  A statement that can be verified
• Opinion


  An expression of belief about something
• Facts rely on observation or research and generally involve the use of empirical data and information
• Ways to resolve conflicts

  • Talk directly
  • Choose a good time
  • Plan ahead
  • Don't blame or name-call
  • Give information
  • Listen
  • Show that you are listening
  • Talk it all through
• Facts also involve our physical senses, like hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, or tasting
• Opinions


  Based on assumptions that cannot be proven and reflect somebody's views, beliefs, personal perspectives, or values
• In a news story, all opinions must be quoted from a source, and sources from both sides should be cited
• Even a statement like "it is too hot outside" can be an opinion
• Opinions cannot be verified
• Fact clues


  • The research confirms...
  • The doctors recently discovered that COVID-19 is airborne..., COVID-19 is...
  • "According to [source]"
• The source of a fact has to be credible. It cannot simply be your mother or your relatives-unless they are a recognized authority
• Opinion clues


  • I think, I believe, I feel, In my opinion, Some people think, My friends think, My parents think, Some people claim, He/she claims, Always/Never, Awful/Wonderful, Beautiful/Ugly, Better/Best/Worst, Delicious/Disgusting, Enjoyable/Horrible/Favorite, For/Against, Oppose/Support, Terrible/Unfair, Worthwhile Good/Bad., Inferior/Superior
• Fact


  Something that can be verified, based on research or observation, verification possible, universal, not debatable
• Academic writing


  • Impersonal tone
  • Conveys a logical argument from an objective standpoint
  • Avoids emotional, inflammatory, or otherwise biased language
  • Presents ideas accurately and objectively regardless of personal agreement or disagreement
• Opinion


  A belief or judgement about something, based on personal view, cannot be verified, varies from one person to the next, debatable, has power to influence
• Academic writing


  • Formal
  • Avoids colloquial words and expressions
• Academic writing


  • Complex
  • Has longer words
  • Is lexically more dense
  • Has more varied vocabulary
• Academic writing


  • Objective rather than personal
• Academic writing


  • Accurate
  • Requires choosing proper words
• Academic writing


  Any formal written work produced in an academic setting
• Common forms of academic writing

  • Literary analysis
  • Research paper
  • Dissertation
• Literary analysis essay


  • Examines, evaluates, and makes an argument about a literary work
  • Goes beyond mere summarization
  • Requires careful close reading of one or multiple texts
  • Often focuses on a specific characteristic, theme, or motif
• Research paper


  • Uses outside information to support a thesis or make an argument
  • May be evaluative, analytical, or critical in nature
  • Common research sources include data, primary sources, and secondary sources
  • Involves synthesizing external information with your own ideas
• Dissertation


  • A document submitted at the conclusion of a Ph.D. program
  • A book-length summarization of the doctoral candidate's research
• Academic papers may be done as a part of a class, in a program of study, or for publication in an academic journal or scholarly book of articles around a theme, by different authors
• Features of academic writing


  • Clear and limited focus (clarity)
  • Logical structure
  • Evidence-based arguments
• Clear and limited focus (clarity)

  • The focus of an academic paper-the argument or research question-is established early by the thesis statement
  • Every paragraph and sentence of the paper connects back to that primary focus
  • While the paper may include background or contextual information, all content serves the purpose of supporting the thesis statement
• Logical structure


  • Academic writing includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion
  • The introduction provides background information, lays out the scope and direction of the essay, and states the thesis
  • The body paragraphs support the thesis statement, with each body paragraph elaborating on one supporting point
  • The conclusion refers back to the thesis, summarizes the main points, and highlights the implications of the paper's findings
  • Each sentence and paragraph logically connects to the next in order to present a clear argument
• Evidence-based arguments


  • Statements must be supported by evidence, whether from scholarly sources, results of a study or experiment, or quotations from a primary text
  • The use of evidence gives credibility to an argument