Answering
The Question / Questioning The Answer
Essays, exams, and all the rest.
Some innovative techniques which help students to make a thorough,
coherent response in essays, reports, exams, dissertations, presentations,
etc. Includes: getting to grips with what you want to say and summarising
your ideas effectively (Core Statement); making sure you answer a
question suitably and thoroughly (Black-Red-Green); finding a strong
and viable structure for your answer (the 13 Ways).
These handouts, seminars and exercises can form the core of lectures
and guided work on the subject. Also, they can (mostly) be used by
students independently.
Summary
Handout/OT:
Overview of the various ideas in this section.
Answering
/ Questioning - A
The Core Statement (or: what are you trying to say?)
Main handout:
What is a 'Core Statement' and why is it useful? Building an essay
around it.
+ Support handout/OT:
A further example of a good Core Statement.
+ Support handout/OT:
Summary/recap of issues around the Core Statement.
Instructions:
Seminar The Core Statement 'Swap'.
Take an old (or current) essay and work in pairs to improve it;
1-1.5 hours.
Answering / Questioning
- B
Black-Red-Green + ShadoW-WordS.
Handout:
Introduction. An epidemic: why people don't answer the question.
Handout:
Black-Red-Green Method. How to make sure you do answer the
question.
Handout/OT:
Summary version of previous handout on Black-Red-Green.
Handout/OT:
ShadoW-WordS. When it comes to 'Green' (above) see how certain
words in the question drop definite hints on how you should answer.
Handout/OT:
An example of how to use Black-Red-Green to generate a full essay
plan. This is an advanced example, so do discuss it with peers and
tutors.
Answering
/ Questioning - C
Building an Argument: the 13 Ways.
Handout:
Every argument needs a logical structure. This sheet describes 13
types of structure, the '13 Ways'. So, what are the 13 Ways? How can
they help you? This section will need a little time and in-depth study.
Read this sheet in conjunction with the 13 Ways chart (next) .
Handout/OT:
13 Ways Chart. Visual representation of 13 possible structures (essays,
etc).
Handout/OT:
Performing the same task using different Ways (Example 1: Beckham).
Handout/OT:
Performing the same task using different Ways (Example 2: Job interview).
There's usually more than one 'Way' of answering a question. The 13
Ways are flexible, and you can choose which approach you prefer. However,
some Ways may be more suitable than others for a given task (see seminar
later).
Handout/OT [optional]:
Discussion: where does 'Beginning-Middle-End' fit in to all this?
Handout/OT [optional]:
Building an Argument: the 3 Types.
A simpler (but far more general and less complete) set of essay structures.
Essay
Plans and the '13 Ways': a Seminar
Advance preparation + 1 hour seminar.
This is an important activity, if students are to fully understand
the various methods in this section. The aim is to practise the Black-Red-Green
Method, create a Core Statement and produce (and improve) an Essay
Plan. This is the exercise where all the relevant ideas come together.
Can be used for group work (tutor-led) or in self-directed study (students
working alone or in pairs).
Preparation sheet [in advance]:
This sets up the seminar (see next). You require two questions [A
& B] to work with. Typical examples of A & B are given, but
you should substitute your own. All students work through this sheet,
well ahead of the seminar.
Seminar handout [on day]:
2 sheets of instructions (with discussion) + another copy of the 13
Ways chart.
Will help you: answer the question, plan your essay, improve its
structure.
+ Alternative Seminar:
Uses the 13 Ways to tackle more varied writing tasks. Needs 13 Ways
chart.
Helps develop useful structuring skills for all kinds of assignment.
Handout/OT [optional]:
Essay Plans/4 Steps, follow-up for seminar.
A summary of outcomes from the Essay Plans/13 Ways seminar (above).
4 Steps to answering a question.
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