Portfolio Entry #12 : Writing an Article

     Portfolio Entry #12

~ ARTICLES ~

Link to text: https://www.onestopenglish.com/download?ac=593

 ♦ What is an Article? ♦

An article...

• is a piece of writing usually intended for publication in a newspaper, magazine or journal
• is written for a wide audience, so it is essential to attract and retain the readers’ attention 
• may include amusing stories, reported speech and descriptions
• can be formal or informal, depending on the target audience 
• should be written in an interesting or entertaining manner 
• should give opinions and thoughts, as well as facts 
• is in a less formal style than a report  

An article can...

• describe an experience, event, person or place
• present an opinion or balanced argument
• compare and contrast 
• provide information 
• offer suggestions 
• offer advice

A realistic article should consist of:

1. an eye-catching title which attracts the readers’ attention and suggests the theme of the article. (Think about why you read a magazine or newspaper article recently - what made you read it?) Articles can also have subheadings before each paragraph.
2. an introduction which clearly defines the topic to be covered and keeps the reader’s attention. 
3. the main body of two to five paragraphs in which the topic is further developed in detail. 
4. the conclusion - summarising the topic or a final opinion, recommendation or comment.

REMEMBER!

Before you begin writing it is important to consider:

• where is the article going to appear - in a newspaper or magazine?
• who are the intended readers - a specific group such as students or teenagers, or adults in general? 
• what is the aim of the article - to advise, suggest, inform, compare and contrast, describe, etc.?

These three points are the deciding factors in the layout of your article, its style, language and level of formality.   

__________________________________________________________________

♦ Exercises and Examples ♦

Writing Titles

Match the topics (1-10) below with the titles (A-K) on the next page. There is one extra title that you do not need. 

1. A healthy diet. __F__ 

2. School Exams. __H___ 

3. Eating out inexpensively. __K__ 

4. The Internet. __B__ 

5. A famous person. __I__ 

6. Genetic Engineering. __J__ 

7. Drug-taking. __C__ 

8. An outdoor activity. __E__ 

9. How to attract a man. __G__ 

10. A successful career. __A__

Topic Sentences

Read the following paragraph:
Curling up with a good book and reading for pleasure or relaxation is less common now than it used to be. Increasingly, people are using electronic books on their home computers. There is endless choice and it saves on the expense of buying that new book you so want to read by your favourite author. This trend, though, adds a whole new dimension to reading just a few chapters before you go to sleep, snuggled up under your duvet. Difficult with a computer! 

In the preceding paragraph, the topic - reading - is stated in the first sentence and informs the reader exactly what the whole paragraph is going to continue to discuss. 

In the following paragraphs, only the supporting ideas are given. The paragraphs are followed by three possible topic sentences. Circle the letter of the sentence that would best introduce the paragraph. 

1.___________________________________________________________________________ Today, it is a science fact that technology has advanced to the point where anything is possible. Used as a means of increasing productivity, many factories are switching to automation - R2D2 does not require holidays, a bigger office, sick pay, a pension, and, most importantly, he does not go on strike. 

a. Star Wars is alive and well and living in our factories. 

b. At one time, robots were only found in science fiction books and films. 

c. Robots, once a fantasy and every housewife’s dream, have become a part of our lives. 

2.___________________________________________________________________________ Although initially building a subterranean home is more expensive than a conventional home, in the long run it can save the owner a great deal of money in heating and air-conditioning costs. These homes require much less energy, as the temperature of soil is relatively stable and concrete walls store the sun’s heat, but keep the place warm at night. 

a. Underground homes are not a new idea. 

b. Underground homes are increasing in popularity. 

c. Underground homes can be cost effective and energy efficient. 

3.___________________________________________________________________________

Two million microscopic bugs live in our beds, making a meal of our bed linen and anything else they find on the sheets. Our wardrobes support a breed of moth that not only eats through our clothes, but disguises itself by weaving a ‘coat’ from whatever it is eating at the time. This system breaks down when it moves from one garment to another, but is still extremely successful. Our eyelashes support a whole ecosystem, and these three are just the tip of the iceberg! 

a. If you think you are clean, think again. 

b. Most of the time we only worry about the insects we can see. 

c. Wherever we sit, stand, sleep or walk, we are engulfed by invisible to the naked eye mites. 

4.___________________________________________________________________________

We set so much store by it, and rush around to be in different places at the precise time we are meant to be there. Deprive people of a watch or clock, and most of them have no conception of what the time really is. It is man made and man imposed. People used to go to bed when the sun set, and rise when the sun came up. In antiquity, man had no timepieces but worked with the seasons - the flooding of the Nile meant irrigation of the crops and therefore the populace could be fed. The rural Egyptian did not care if this happened at eight o’clock in the morning or four in the afternoon; of paramount importance was the season. 

a. Have you ever wondered about time? 

b. Is time two or three-dimensional? 

c. Whether it is a Rolex or a Timex, is it really significant?

5.___________________________________________________________________________

We all want pearly white, even, straight teeth, but all eat the wrong foods and drink liquids full of sugar. How many people do you know who have actually wanted to become dentists? Yet they are everywhere and we all at some point in our lives need them, however long we put off that visit. It is usually when the pain becomes so bad that we finally venture into their surgery, quivering at the knees and shaking like a jelly. Have you ever noticed too, how that pain miraculously disappears once you are there? 

a. How many people are suffering from mercury or lead poisoning from all those fillings? 

b. They are a necessary evil but nine out of ten people are frightened to death of them. 

c. Don’t you just dread the sound of that drill? 

Planning an Article

Imagine you have been asked to write the following article:

Write your article. (250 words)

First think about:

• Where is the article going to appear? (In a magazine.)
• Who are the intended readers? (Probably a fairly wide age group.)
• What is the aim of the article? (To talk about your experiences, good and bad, while studying abroad.)

Then you need to decide:

• Which country have you studied in?
• How long were you there for?
• What did you study?
• What problems did you have while you were there?
• How have you changed?

Brainstorm your ideas and make notes of what you are going to include.

Then, after some thought, you should be able to think of a topic sentence which can be

expanded into a paragraph. 

For example, a topic sentence which could start an introduction is:

‘Studying abroad is an exciting experience, giving you the opportunity to learn more about the traditions and culture of the host country and its people.’

This could then be expanded into the following paragraph: 

‘Studying abroad is an exciting experience, giving you the opportunity to learn more about the traditions and culture of the host country and its people. Apart from the excellent education I received during three years in England, I also made a wide circle of friends and improved my language skills. I learned how to face and deal with various problems, and as a result, have become more independent and self-confident.’

If we extract the ideas out of this one paragraph, it is possible to form a plan for the article, based on the following topic sentences:

♦ INTRODUCTION - 

• Paragraph 1 - Exciting experience, learn about the host country and the people.
• Paragraph 2 - Education, friends and language skills.

♦ MAIN BODY - 

• Paragraph 3 - Various problems.

♦ CONCLUSION - 

• Paragraph 4 - Result - independent and self-confident.

With the above plan, it is now possible to proceed to write the article, simply by enlarging on each topic sentence so that you can produce a paragraph about that idea. It is also easier to think of a title. 

♦ Summary / Notes ♦

Writing an Article by María de las Nieves Bazán

Sources

• ARTICLES CAE (CPE). (n.d.). OneStopEnglish. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.onestopenglish.com/download?ac=593