ACADEMIC WRITING: IMPROVING YOUR WRITING SKILLS

1. PART I
HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES, ETC.
We can write different kinds of articles depending on the target readers.
Read the article below and answer the following questions:
1. Who are the target readers?
2. Why is HLK writing this article?
3. What does he hope to achieve?
4. Have you learned anything from this article? What?
5. What is your opinion about this article? Discuss with your partners.
PART I: ARTICLE ON TREKKING
Write an article for your local newspaper on “How to be safe when you go trekking in the
countryside”. (200 words)
Introduction
Are you thinking of taking your family or going on a leisurely walk at the countryside any
time soon? Or could it be you are going on a bike ride? Whatever be the case, you should
follow some safety measures.
The past
Going on a trek to the countryside has always been a great source of pleasure in the past.
According to some newspaper reports, a lot of these trekking experiences have ended in
tragedies. In my article, I am going to outline some useful advice to guide interested
trekkers in the countryside.
The present: Preparation I
The first thing is to choose the place you want to go trekking. After that, you need to
prepare your backpack with all the necessary items: Such as compass, torchlight, food,
drink and a first aid kit. These will be useful in case you get lost. If you want to spend the
night in the country, it is important to have a good tent and a sleeping bag because it gets
quite cold at night. You should wear comfortable clothes and boots. Do not forget to check
the weather forecast for those days. Take your mobile phone and, above all, make sure the
batteries are operational.
Preparation II
If you decide to go alone, then you should tell someone where you going to. The route you
are going to take and when you expect to be back. On the other hand, if you are in a group/
family, then you must stick together especially if there are children with you.
To avoid getting lost
Once you are fully engaged in this exciting activity you should always follow the signs, use
the stones and trees marked as reference points to guide and orient your team. In case you
get lost, you could find your path back with the help of the sun and those points of
references.
The future
Technology wise, hiking has become easier. At present, GPS systems are replacing human
guides and maps. The tents and equipments are light and easily transportable. Some of the

2. clothes react intelligently to the degree of temperature, humidity and other environmental
factors. If you can afford to include any of these items in your pack in future, that will come
in handy.
Conclusion
On balance, enjoying nature is a pleasurable activity that must go hand in hand with our
respect for the environment. So follow these guidelines and have fun.
PREPARED BY HLK
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PART II
HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE FOR NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES
We can write different kinds of articles depending on the target readers.
Read the article below and answer the following questions:
1. Who are the target readers?
2. Why is HLK writing this article?
3. What does he hope to achieve?
4. Have you learned anything from this article? What?
5. What is your opinion about this article? Discuss with your partners.
6.
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PART II : ARTICLE ON HOW TO AVOID FAMILY "FIGHTS"
Write an article on how to avoid unnecessary family quarrels. (200 words)
INTRODUCTION
It is inevitable that members of the same family sometimes have explosive rows. Have you
ever had unexpected “fight” in your family? If so, it’s quite likely you are not the only one.
The point is: “How can we avoid these conflicts?” In my article, I am going to outline some
tips which could help you to have a better relationship with your family.
THE PAST
Not long ago, stormy family brawls didn’t exist. Why? It was simply because in a typical
patriarchal society the father was the maximum authority in the house. Therefore, he was
always right. Nobody could dispute or challenge what he said.
THE PRESENT
At present, the situation has changed drastically. The authority of the father has decreased
significantly. The mother, the father and the children enter into a kind of family
discussion/negotiation to resolve their problems or differences. Despite this friendly
approach, quite often the discussion becomes uncontrollable, tempers flare, and it is
inevitably transformed into an explosive family fight. This can irreversibly destroy the
family. Hence, we need to learn the art of arguing.
TIPS

3. Occasionally, arguing is a healthy thing to resolve a conflict. But you do not need to shout
(to every action, there is a reaction) so the others begin to shout as well. To be effective in a
communication, you needn’t raise your voice to get your ideas across. Try not to insult or
offend the others. Control your thoughts as much as possible. When you are emotionally
upset, you might say things you wish you hadn’t said then. Try to examine your own
situation: Are you under stress and angry for other reasons? Try to be reasonable. Put
yourself in the other person’s shoes and see if you understand him/her. This way, you
could modify your own point of view. Last but not least, always show respect for the others.
Good manners- well applied can mitigate the scathing effect of family skirmishes. The
truth is, mutual respect is an essential ingredient to prevent the argument going out of
control. Finally, all the people involved should try to say sorry if something is their fault.
THE FUTURE
“Family scuffles” will still persist in the future. Soon our rights will be constitutionally
protected. Therefore, to defend our individual rights, it will be unavoidable that minor
conflicts will lead to clashes. The ideal solution would be to take part in group therapies to
learn how to avoid them.
CONCLUSION
To sum up, we should bear in mind that if you are a good listener, if you do not blow your
top unnecessarily and if you are observant of body language, then you will definitely have
better chances of cooling down these squabbles and bring them to a happy end.
PREPARED BY
HLK
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GRADING ASSIGNMENT
In mini-groups, read each of the text above and apply the marking criteria to
discuss and grade the essay.
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