Week 4 English II Graded Assignment

The statement “A good essay needs revision” is True ✅.

The sources strongly emphasize the critical role of revision in producing a high-quality essay:

• “A good essay is not possible without revision”. This statement directly supports the truth of the query.
• Revision is necessary because writers can become “preoccupied with content” during the initial writing process, which can lead to “little things like spelling, punctuation or some minor aspects of grammar or vocabulary might be wrongly written”. These mistakes can occur due to “oversight or because of haste or because of slip of hand”.
• When you revise, “all these little things disappear”.
• It is recommended to allocate time for revision. For a 30-minute essay, 5 minutes should be spent on revision after 20 minutes of writing and 5 minutes on creating a synopsis. This time allocation is crucial for doing “a good job provided you are in control of yourself”.
• The sources state that “no first draft is perfect” and “it is seldom that the first draft itself is the best draft”. Through an iterative process, “second draft is better than the first, third is still better, fourth is still better”.
• Revision also helps in managing the length of an essay. If a first draft is too long (e.g., 300 words for a 200-word requirement), “when you start revising, you can get rid of many words that are there, that are redundant, that can be replaced by one word” or sentences can be rephrased to “reduce the number of words”. This allows the essay to be brought “within manageable limits”.
• Writing an essay, including revision, is a skill best learned “by doing things” and “by doing again and again and several times over again; until you reach perfection”. Consistent practice makes it a habit.

Therefore, revision is an essential part of writing a good essay. ✨

The statement “20-25 percent of time and words may be given to illustrations while writing an essay” is False ❌.

Here’s why, based on the sources:

• Time Allocation for Essay Writing: The sources provide a specific time management strategy for essay writing. For a 30-minute essay, it is recommended to spend 5 minutes on creating a synopsis, 20 minutes on writing the essay, and another 5 minutes on revising the essay.

  • This means one-third (approximately 33.3%) of the total time is allocated to planning (synopsis) and revising, and two-thirds (approximately 66.7%) for the actual writing.
  • The synopsis phase is where relevant points, including “instances, evidence, ideas, statistical evidence, definition of the topic, dimensions of the topic” and “stories” or “personal anecdotes,” are noted down. This planning stage for including illustrations accounts for only 5 minutes out of 30 minutes, which is about 16.67% of the total time, not 20-25%. The act of writing the illustrations themselves is part of the 20-minute writing phase.

• Emphasis on Content and Conciseness: While “relevant stories” and “anecdotes” are considered crucial for a good essay and make it “richer, better, more meaningful”, the sources do not specify a percentage of words for illustrations within the essay itself. Instead, they strongly advise writing succinctly and reducing the number of words during revision by removing redundant phrases or rephrasing sentences. This emphasis on conciseness suggests that illustrations should be integrated effectively rather than consuming a large, fixed percentage of the word count. In the context of Statement of Purpose (SOP) writing, which also involves storytelling, the importance of using fewer words than necessary is highlighted.

Therefore, the sources provide detailed guidance on how and when to incorporate illustrations (primarily during the synopsis and writing phases), but they do not suggest allocating 20-25% of the total time or word count specifically to these illustrations within the final essay. The time for planning the inclusion of illustrations is much lower than 20-25% of the total essay time, and the word count is guided by conciseness and relevance rather than a fixed proportion.

The statement “Sentences and paragraphs must not remain connected while writing an essay” is False ❌.

The sources explicitly state the opposite:

• Cohesion and Coherence are Essential: A good essay requires that “sentences and paragraphs must not remain unconnected”. Instead, “they must make a coherent reading” and “be put together in a cohesive form in a cohesive structure”.
• Logical Flow: “One sentence must lead to the other, one paragraph must lead to the next or one must follow from the previous from the preceding paragraph”. This ensures a smooth and logical flow of ideas throughout the essay.
• Thematic Connection: All sentences within a paragraph and all paragraphs themselves “must be connected thematically”. This means that everything should relate back to the main topic or argument of the essay.
• Use of Connectors and Discourse Markers: To achieve this thematic and structural connection, writers should use “words that are called connectors or discourse markers”. These include words like “as or example or for example or here or henceforth, hence or illustrating, nevertheless, regardless, however, howsoever add those words. So, thus, therefore, that is why”. Proper use of pronouns and prepositions also acts as “glues that put sentences together”.
• Analogy of a Building: The importance of these connections is likened to the construction of a building. Just as bricks need mortar and iron bars to be joined and columns need beams for support, “in an essay, these discourse markers keep sentences together, and it is the sentences that keep discourse markers together”. Without them, “the essay will become a loose body of isolated sentences like they are next to bullet points; unconnected”. The “use of cohesive devices is important”.

Therefore, for an essay to be effective and easy to understand, its sentences and paragraphs absolutely must be connected and flow seamlessly.

The statement “A good essay must not have synopsis” is False ❌.

Based on the sources, a synopsis is considered essential for writing a good essay. Here’s why:

• Necessity for a Good Essay: The sources explicitly state that “A good essay is not possible without a synopsis”. This directly contradicts the idea that a good essay should not have one.
• Purpose of a Synopsis:
  • A synopsis serves as “an overview of the essay”.
  • It is a plan for how to write the essay, similar to how one makes a budget.
  • Before writing, one should “first create a synopsis of relevant points”.
  • It helps in organizing “instances, evidence, ideas, statistical evidence, definition of the topic, dimensions of the topic”, as well as “relevant stories; stories that illustrate a particular point”.
• Time Allocation: For an essay writing task (e.g., 30 minutes), it is highly recommended to allocate specific time for creating a synopsis. For instance, 5 minutes should be dedicated to this initial planning phase. This time investment is “not a waste; it will save your time elsewhere” by enabling you to “write in a connected manner with felicity”.
• Benefits to the Writer:
  • Making a good synopsis means “half the job is done”.
  • It helps you “produce the best essay that you are capable of writing”.
  • It ensures that the essay reflects “comprehensive thought” and considers “all possible aspects of a topic” to avoid a “partisan essay”.
  • The act of creating a synopsis involves jogging your memory to recall “how much I know on this subject” and “how much of what I know is relevant,” which in turn helps you “write a great essay”.

In essence, a synopsis is presented as a foundational step for effective essay writing, ensuring organization, coherence, and comprehensiveness.

The statement “When we write to argue, the final part usually takes an overview and reaches an acceptable conclusion” is True ✅.

Here’s why, drawing on the sources:

• Structure of an Argument: When writing to argue, the structure of the argument is important. You must decide “what you are going to say first, what you are going to say next and what you are going to say last”. This “last” part inherently refers to the conclusion.
• Purpose of the Conclusion: The sources indicate that after examining “issues” and presenting “arguments and ideas and examples in support of both” sides, you should “present your conclusion, what you think will be the best to do”. This implies reaching a reasoned and well-supported conclusion that you deem “best” or “valid”.
• Aim for an Unbiased and Valid Point: An effective argumentative essay should “make the valid point and not be biased, either this side or that side”. This objective of presenting an unbiased, valid point contributes to the conclusion being “acceptable” or well-reasoned, even if it presents a particular viewpoint.
• Conclusion as an Overview/Summary: While the term “overview” is explicitly used for the synopsis (the initial plan) of an essay, the conclusion serves to summarise the arguments made and the position reached. In the context of discourse markers, phrases used to conclude or summarise include “overall, all in all, in a nutshell, or in short, at the end of the day,” indicating a final synthesis of ideas. When an essay examines different sides of an issue, the conclusion would naturally provide a final overview of the reasoned outcome.

Therefore, the final part of an argumentative essay is indeed dedicated to presenting a well-considered conclusion, which summarises the points and reflects the writer’s reasoned stance, making it an “acceptable” resolution to the argument.