Reading & Writing Skills Handouts/Reviewer
Classification
This pattern allows you to either divide a topic into its component parts, or to categorize (or classify) a group of
related items or events.
Classification is sorting. - focus is on similarities
Division is breaking into parts. - focus is on differences
Compare and Contrast
Compare and contrast is a common form of academic writing, either as an essay type on its own, or as part of a
larger essay which includes one or more paragraphs which compare or contrast.
To compare is to examine how things are similar, while to contrast is to see how they differ.
Cause and Effect
A cause is what makes a particular thing happen.
An effect is what results from a particular situation, activity, or behaviour.
You write cause-and-effect paragraphs when your purpose is to help readers understand why something happened or is
happening, or when you want to show readers how one thing affects something else. You can also use cause-and-effect
writing to predict future events.
When planning a cause-and-effect paragraph is making sure that causal relationship exist---that one event caused
another event and did not just precede it in time.
A cause-and-effect paragraph can be organized in two ways: (1) Identify the effect in the topic sentence and write about
its cause; or (20 write about the cause in the topic sentence and write about its effect.
Transitional Devices for Cause and Effect
To Show Causes To Show Effects
1. The first cause(second, third) 1. One important effect
2. The first reason (second, third 2. Another result
3. Yet another factor 3. A third outcome
4. Because 4. As a result
5. Is caused by 5. Consequently
6. Results from 6. Then, next, therefore, thus, so
Persuasion
Persuasion means to convince someone that your opinion on a subject is the right
one. There are many forms of persuasion, you might not even know you are being
persuaded
Methods of Persuasion
•Facts- A statement of what is.
•Referring to authority- An expert who can be relied on to give unbiased facts and information.
•Examples- An example should clearly relate to the argument and should be typical enough to support it.
•Predicting the consequence- Helps the reader visualize what will occur if something does or does not
happen.
• Answering the opposition- Answering possible critics shows you are aware of the opposing opinion and
are able to respond to it.
Transitional Expressions for Persuasion Paragraphs
1. Give Reasons b. some may say
a. first (second, third) c. nevertheless
b. another, next d. on the other hand
c. last, finally 3. Draw Conclusions
d. because, since, for a. therefore
e. although b. thus
2. Answer the Opposition c. hence
a. of course d. Consequently
