A Recommended 3-Step Approach to Preparing for Essays for Class Discussion

(“Think-Outline-Practice”)

Your work that you bring to class should consist of the following parts

I. Questioning as a form of thinking using the W-H Approach – a reflection of

your thought processes
The Questions (Some examples) The Cognitive Ability Level
Skills illustrated
• What are the key words or Knowledge Level 1
concepts?
• What event/phenomenon is Comprehension
being presented or described?
• What is the main issue? Level 2
• What are the unstated
assumption(s)?
• What aspects of Analysis &
economics, ie. Application
 Topics or themes
 Theories and framework
 Other real-life examples
can I relate the issue at hand to?
• What diagrams or tools of
analysis can I use to illustrate the
accuracy of my understanding?
• How should I
present/organise my ideas as a Level 3
coherent whole?
• Are there different sides to the Evaluation &
issue? Judgment E1 or E2
• What is my stance or position Problem-solving
pertaining to the issue? & creativity
• Is there a problem that needs to be
resolved? Have I presented a solution?

II. Essay Plan/Approach/Outline/‘Skeleton’ (with brief points) – a reflection of

organization & coherence
• Introduction – key ideas
(i) Restating the key issue in question
(ii) Definition of key concepts
• Body – key ideas (See table in the next page)
(i) Point #1
(ii) Point #2
(iii) Point #3, etc.

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 • Conclusion – key ideas
(i) Summary of key points raised in relation to issue
(ii) Alternative viewpoints

III. Practice in Economic Literacy – Elaboration of a relevant portions of the

outline
• To write out a one paragraph length discussion including the relevant
framework pertaining to one key point of argument to the issue at hand.

• Key elements to be included in each paragraph for the body portion

(i) Topic sentence or  Illustrates knowledge
main point of argument for the & comprehension skills
paragraph
(ii) Elaboration or
explanation of the topic sentence or
main point raised
(iii) Substantiation or  Illustrates analysis &
supporting theory, framework or tool application skills
of analysis with real-life evidence or
examples.
(iv) Explicitly linking
ideas raised here to the key issue of
the given question
(v) Exploring  Illustrates skills of
assumptions made underlying the evaluation & creativity
abovementioned analysis*
* The necessity of this component depends on the issue and may not be
required for all arguments raised.

• Feedback would be given on the quality of the work done for this portion.

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