Communication and Presentation Skills Bs (CS) /It-Ii&Iii: Essay Writing

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Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Baig Email ID: abdullah.baig@biit.edu.pk Whatsapp # 03012851530

Dr. Mirza Naveed Baig Email ID: naveed.baig@biit.edu.pk Whatsapp # 03335158678
Ms. Kainat Anjum Email ID: kainat@biit.edu.pk Whatsapp # 03215023609
Communication and Presentation Skills

BS (CS)/IT-II&III
Note:
1. The attendance of the students will be marked on receipt of assignment.
2. Marks of the assignment may be deducted on emailing irrelevant
material to respective teacher(s).
3. Email IDs of concerned teachers are mentioned in the Header of each
page (on the top of each page).
4. In case of any query, contact you teacher through email or cellphone.
5. The mode of communication would be English only.
Objectives of Lecture 17&18
Essay Writing
The learning objectives of these lectures are:
(a) To highlight the significance of essay writing in the process of

communication.
(b) To create awareness among the students regarding their weaknesses in this
regard.
(c) To furnish guidelines for the students for better essay writing.
(d) To clarify their various concepts in this regard.
Coronavirus Holidays’ Compensatory Lecture Scheme

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(Week 9) Lecture 17
How to Write an Essay?

Essays are common in middle school, high school and college. You may even need to
write essays in the business world (although they are usually called "reports" at that
point). An essay is defined as "a short piece of writing that expresses information as
well as the writer's opinion."
7 Steps to Writing an Essay
For some, writing an essay is as simple as sitting down at their computer and
beginning to type. But, a lot more planning goes into writing an essay successfully. If
you have never written an essay before, or if you struggle with writing and want to
improve your skills, it is a good idea to follow a number of important steps in the
essay writing process.
For example, to write an essay, you should generally:
 Decide what kind of essay to write
 Brainstorm your topic
 Research the topic
 Develop a thesis
 Outline your essay
 Write your essay
 Edit your writing to check spelling and grammar

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While this sounds like a lot of steps to write a simple essay, if you follow them you
will be able to write more successful, clear and cohesive essays.
1. Choose the Type of Essay

The first step to writing an essay is to define what type of essay you are writing. There
are four main categories into which essays can be grouped:
 Narrative Essay: Tell a story or impart information about your subject in a
straightforward, orderly manner, like in a story.
 Persuasive Essay: Convince the reader about some point of view.
 Expository Essay: Explain to the reader how to do a given process. You could,
for example, write an expository essay with step-by-step instructions on how to make
a peanut butter sandwich.
 Descriptive Essay: Focus on the details of what is going on. For example, if you
want to write a descriptive essay about your trip to the park, you would give great
detail about what you experienced: how the grass felt beneath your feet, what the park
benches looked like, and anything else the reader would need to feel as if he were
there.
Knowing what kind of essay you are trying to write can help you decide on a topic
and structure your essay in the best way possible. Here are a few other types of
essays:
 Argumentative Essay: Take a position on a controversial issue and present
evidence in favour of your position.
 Compare and Contrast Essay: Identify similarities and differences between two
subjects that are, typically, under the same umbrella.
 Problem Solution Essay: Describe a problem, convince the reader to care about
the problem, propose a solution, and be prepared to dismantle objections.
2. Brainstorm
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You cannot write an essay unless you have an idea of what to write about.
Brainstorming is the process in which you come up with the essay topic. You need to
simply sit and think of ideas during this phase.
 Write down everything that comes to mind as you can always narrow those
topics down later.
 Use clustering or mind mapping to brainstorm and come up with an essay idea.
This involves writing your topic or idea in the centre of the paper and creating bubbles
(clouds or clusters) of related ideas around it.
 Brainstorming can be a great way to develop a topic more deeply and to
recognize connections between various facets of your topic.
Once you have a list of possible topics, it's time to choose the best one that will
answer the question posed for your essay. You want to choose a topic that is neither
too broad nor too narrow.
If you are given an assignment to write a one-page essay, it would be far too much to
write about "the history of the US," since that could fill entire volumes of books.
Instead, you could write about a specific event within the history of the United States:
perhaps signing the Declaration of Independence or when Columbus discovered the
Americas.
3. Research the Topic

Once you have done your brainstorming and chosen your topic, you may need to do
some research to write a good essay. Go to the library or search online for information
about your topic. Interview people who might be experts in the subject. Keep your
research organized so it will be easy for you to refer back to. This will also make it
easier to cite your sources when writing your final essay.
4. Develop a Thesis
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Your thesis statement is the main point of your essay. It is essentially one sentence that
says what the essay is about. For example, your thesis statement might be "Dogs are
descended from wolves." You can then use this as the basic premise to write your
entire essay, remembering that all of the different points throughout need to lead back
to this one main thesis. You should usually state your thesis in your introductory
paragraph. The thesis statement should be broad enough that you have enough to say
about it, but not so broad that you can't be thorough.
(Week 9) Lecture 18
5. Outline Your Essay
The next step is to outline what you are going to write about. This means you want to
essentially draw the skeleton of your paper. Writing an outline can help to ensure your
paper is logical, well organized and flows properly.
Start by writing the thesis statement at the top, and then write a topic sentence for each
paragraph below that. This means you should know exactly what each of your
paragraphs is going to be about before you write them.
 Don't jumble too many ideas in each paragraph or the reader may become
confused.
 Ensure you have transitions between paragraphs so the reader understands how
the paper flows from one idea to the next.
 Fill in supporting facts from your research under each paragraph. Make sure
each paragraph ties back to your thesis and creates a cohesive, understandable essay.
6. Write the Essay

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Once you have an outline, it's time to start writing. Write based on the outline itself,
fleshing out your basic skeleton to create a whole, cohesive and clear essay.
You'll want to edit and re-read your essay, checking to make sure it sounds exactly the
way you want it to. Here are some things to remember:
 Revise for clarity, consistency, and structure.
 Support your thesis adequately with the information in your paragraphs. Each
paragraph should have its own topic sentence. This is the most important sentence in the
paragraph that tells readers what the rest of the paragraph will be about.
 Make sure everything flows together. As you move through the essay,
transition words will be paramount. Transition words are the glue that connects every
paragraph together and prevents the essay from sounding disjointed.
 Reread your introduction and conclusion. Will the reader walk away knowing
exactly what your paper was about?
In your introduction, it's important to include a hook. This is the line or line that will
lure a reader in and encourage them to want to learn more.
7. Check Spelling and Grammar

Now the essay is written, but you're not quite done. Reread what you've written,
looking out for mistakes and typos.
 Revise for technical errors.
 Check for grammar, punctuation and spelling errors. You cannot always count on
spell check to recognize every spelling error. Sometimes, you can spell a word
incorrectly but your misspelling will also be a word, such as spelling "from" as
"form."
 Another common area of concern is quotation marks. It's important to cite your
sources with accuracy and clarity.

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 You might also want to consider the difference between quoting, paraphrasing,
and summarizing. Quoting is reserved for lines of text that are identical to an original
piece of writing. Paraphrasing is reserved for large sections of someone else's writing
that you want to convey in your own words. Summarizing puts the main points from
someone else's text into your own words.
Example of Argumentative Essay

Topic: Students Who Study Abroad Achieve Greater Success
Much of our learning takes place outside the classroom. We learn how to maintain
budgets, forge friendships, develop business relationships, and more. Imagine extending those
skills on a global level. We would immediately cease to believe the world only contains the
people and things we can see but, rather, a wide variety of opinions, customs, beliefs, and ethics.
This is why every college-level student must study abroad during their undergraduate years.
They will learn more in that semester abroad than in any other academic year.
According to IES Abroad, a company that encourages students to become international
leaders, students who study abroad are more likely to be accepted into the graduate degree
program of their choice. In fact, 90% of students who studied abroad with IES are admitted to
their first or second choice for graduate school.
Imagine walking into an interview and being able to discuss preparing the most popular
dish in India or organizing the best route to take from Sydney, Australia to Perth. Not only does
this strike up a memorable conversation, but it also demonstrates a student's fierce independence
and determination. All this makes someone who has studied abroad a more desirable candidate
for their dream job. As if IES Abroad's statistic above was not astounding enough, it has been
proven that 97% of students who study abroad find employment within 12 months of graduation
(Smith, 2019, p. 17).
Beyond college, students who study abroad will be better equipped to succeed in the
workplace. Their broadened worldview will help them relate to their co-workers, especially in a
worldwide organization. This increased scope of knowledge allows 25% of students who study

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abroad to receive higher starting salaries. That is clear evidence that their experiences and views
are valued by employers.
In spite of all these benefits, some parents simply will not allow their children to study
abroad. A portion will argue that it is not safe. Others will argue that studying abroad costs too
much money. In these cases, it is important to take a look at one semester's financial aid
statement. How much does it cost to be a student at a local university? When tuition, housing,
textbooks, transportation, and meal plans are considered, it becomes difficult to argue that there's
a stark difference in the cost of a semester at home versus a semester abroad.
Studying abroad will have long-lasting, positive implications on a student's future as an
academic and a professional. New windows of opportunity will be flung open the moment an
undergraduate boards a plane. Why not make an appointment with the study abroad centre at
your university? You have nothing to lose by starting a conversation today.
Topic: Without Alcohol, The World Would Be a Better Place

It was 8:54 p.m. on a warm Sunday evening in mid-July. Westlake Middle Schooler
Abigail Parnas was walking home from her Nana's house alongside her mother. Engrossed in her
new iPad, they didn't hear the speeding car. Both she and her mother were mowed down by a
2018 Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV. They died instantly.
A 32-year-old woman who was upset over an argument she had with her husband
proceeded to drink two bottles of wine and then get behind the wheel to buy a third. She took
their lives in less time than it takes to say, "Cheers." If alcohol was banned, there would be a
reduction in violent crimes and a diminished number of vehicular manslaughter cases. More to
the point, the ever-popular Abigail would still be alive.
Every day, nearly 30 people die, thanks to drunk-driving crashes (Wilson, 2019, p. 45).
That equals one person every 48 minutes. In less time than it takes someone to watch the latest
episode of Game of Thrones, someone will be killed due to drunk driving.
If a high school student begins drinking alcohol during these formative years, they
become five times more likely to drop out of school (Perry, 2018, p. 13). Worse, since alcohol
lowers one's inhibitions, it is likely to lead to even greater disasters, including drug abuse and
unsafe sexual encounters.

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People all over the world drink to celebrate happy occasions. They also drink with friends
after a difficult day. Social drinkers ingest wine or beer while preparing dinner, watching a
movie, sitting out on the back patio, enjoying a picnic, dining downtown, and more. Why is
alcohol so pervasive if it is a choice? Why do so many people choose to drink it? Are more
people dependent than they realize?
Over 17 million Americans have alcohol use disorders (Legg, 2019, p. 78). Not every
heavy drinker will become a full-fledged alcoholic, but alcoholism is a progressive disease. So,
the more people rely on it "in good times and in bad," the more likely they are to develop a
dependency.
It's easy to argue that the entire population does not have to be restricted from alcohol
simply because certain people cannot control their intake. However, what if the gateway to bad
decisions was removed? After all, alcohol is an addictive substance. Why should it be placed in
anyone's hands as a tempting invitation to death's door? Even if someone is a moderate drinker,
alcohol serves no health purposes. With every sip, partakers are ingesting ethanol, the same thing
that is pumped into the gas tanks of cars.
That 32-year old woman went from a life of luxury to life in prison with only one hour of
sunlight. She eats slosh for breakfast, unidentifiable meat for lunch, and soggy potatoes for
dinner. No one comes to visit her. She hasn't laid eyes on her husband or children in over a
decade. Prison psychologists can't break her of her self-imposed silence.
Her father died of cirrhosis of the liver. Her father's father fell off the back of a pickup
truck in a drunken stupor, cracked open his skull, and died before his legs hit the ground. Every
day, she lies in bed wondering when she'll die, too. In a world without alcohol, she still would
have made plenty of bad decisions, but she never would have landed in a prison cell because she
took the lives of sweet Abigail and her loving mother.
Example of Informative Essay

How to Travel Solo Successfully
James Baldwin said it best. “I met a lot of people in Europe. I even encountered myself”
(Baldwin, 2014). Solo travel will not only reveal colourful new heights, it will also introduce you

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to yourself - your resiliency, your sense of adventure, your independence. Learning how to travel
solo is as intrinsic as tying your shoes, and it is something that can be learned today.
The first, most obvious, way to travel solo successfully is to research your area. The
number one indicator of a tourist is someone stopped in the middle of the sidewalk scanning the
GPS on their phone. According to World Travel News Report, four in fifteen tourists will be
pickpocketed if they stand still on a busy street (Parker, 2019). Arrive well-informed on the area.
Understand the public transportation system to the point where you can blend in as a local.
Also, in line with safety, you may want to splurge on accommodations. You can stay
alone in a hostel, but read the reviews carefully. Make sure it is in a safe area and security is a
priority for them. You might even want to consider a private room, some of which include a
private bath.
In terms of fun, pack for your lack of companionship. Bring a blank journal to record
your adventures. Pack a paperback to enjoy while you wait out a rainstorm in a coffee shop.
World traveller Samantha Byrnes says, “I never travel with friends. When I’m exploring a new
continent, my journal is my only sidekick” (Byrnes, 2018).
This allows her to absorb her new surroundings, make new acquaintances, and focus on
the act of encountering herself. Byrnes continues, “We lost sight of ourselves in the day-to-day.
We focus on work, family, to-do lists, chores. Solo travel allows us to return to ourselves so that,
when we resume our day-to-day activities, we can give our all” (Byrnes, 2018).
Learning how to travel solo successfully is an achievable feat. You can stay safe if you remain
knowledgeable on the area and choose your accommodations wisely. Beyond that, you can
experience true transformation through the simple act of carrying a tattered old journal. What do
you say? Will you explore solo travel? Choose wisely, for it just might change your life forever.
Instructions for Assignment No. 7:
(a) Write an essay of 300 words on the significance of networking in the

development of Information Technology.
(b) Submit your assignment to your concerned teacher only.
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(c) Attach title page to your assignment and mention your name,
registration no, class, section and semester on it.
(d) Name the document of your assignment on the following pattern:
Sec_Sub_FullAidNo_Name_AssgnNo
(e) Do not share your assignment with other students.
(f) Two similar assignment will be considered a case of cheating.
Therefore, be careful in this regard.
(g) Submit your assignment as early as possible.

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Dr. Muhammad Abdullah Baig Email ID: abdullah.baig@biit.edu.pk Whatsapp # 03012851530