說明文寫作方法與技巧

1、說明文寫作方法與技巧Writing methods & strategies1. Illustration 舉例法w Illustration is the use of example to illustrate a point. It is the most common, and often the most efficient, pattern of exposition.w Good examples help to clarify a writers thought by making the general specific, and the abstract concr

2、ete.w Good examples also add interest and help to persuade or convince the reader.Strategies 1. Establishing the writing purpose to inform to persuade 2. writing a thesis statement The thesis statement will help you develop and structure your essay. It should do one or more of the following: i) stat

3、e the central point you will discuss ii) clarify the purpose of your essayiii) Present your perspective on the topic Examples:ü Shanghai offers terrific vacation possibilities for people of all ages with activities that appeal to every taste.ü Keeping your sense of humor can help you deal

4、with almost any challenge or obstacle you will face during an ordinary day. The thesis statement should clearly indicate why the examples are being introduced. 3. Developing the content i) Examples should be related to the point being made, and they should be typical and representative of the type u

5、nder discussion.ii) The best examples are often taken from your own experience.Model essay: Friendship Friendship is a very difficult thing. It is hard to handle. It creates many different problems. In fact I would say that friendship is hard to handle as love is, or even marriage. Of course I am no

6、t talking about easy-come-easy-go friendship. I am talking about friends you can share almost everything with. My friendship with Kathy was real friendship. She made me laugh. She made me feel wanted. She was never too busy to see me. We were sixteen when we met on the local technical college and we

7、 were both doing the same course. I was very nervous the day I started and Kathy was the first person I talked to. As a result, I really enjoyed my year at the Tech. Like I say, she was fun, she was lively, she was sure of herself. And a little bit of her character rubbed off on me. However, it was

8、not a perfect friendship. There are two things I have to tell you about. Both of them together brought our friendship to an end. I learned very soon in our friendship that Kathy was jealous. She did not like to think that I had she did not have. We would have fun going out shopping. However, if I bo

9、ught , say, a dress for party, and she thought my dress was better than hers, she would start to say slightly unkind things about it. The other problem was my mother. She thought Kathy was common. She thought Kathy had a bad influence over me Thanks to Kathy I had a wonderful year at the Tech. As a

10、result I looked forward to going out to work. Perhaps I foolishly imagined that wherever I went I would meet another Kathy. But at the end of that wonderful year two things happened that destroyed our friendship. 2. 定義法 Definitionw When there are some words or expressions unfamiliar or unclear to re

11、aders, such as euphemism and typhus, you need explain these words or expressions to help the readers understand.w The purpose of providing definitions to develop essay content is to explain the meaning of a word or term in order to make a point. Types of definition 1. synonymü A dingy room mean

12、s a dirty room.ü To be courteous means to be polite. 2. functionü An agency is a place of business which usually provides a specified service.ü A toast is a call on other people to drink to a person or thing 3. negationØ A good teacher does not just teach students knowledge, but

13、teaches them how to behave.Ø A library is not a place to spend your leisure time but a place to acquire knowledge. 4. classificationu A dictatorship is a form of government in which one person has absolute control over his or her subjects.u A mule is a kind of animal that is the offspring of an

14、 ass and a mare.3. 類比與對比法 compare and contrastw Comparison and contrast are methods of developing ideas by pointing out similarities and differences between subjects. w A comparison states how things are similar.w A contrast states how things are different.We use comparison and contrast mainly for t

15、hree purposes:l To show the similarities and/or differences of things for further evaluationl To show the superiority of one thing to anotherl To explain the unfamiliar by comparing to the familiarWriting techniques 1. a dominant thesis statementü state the topic of your comparison and contrast

16、ü mention the points of comparison and contrast you will discussü explain whether you will focus on similarities or differences or both Examples:n While both swimming and running are excellent forms of exercise, each has advantages that a person planning a physical fitness program should c

17、onsider.n College students in the sixties and seventies face many of the same pressures as todays college students, but they are better equipped to withstand these pressures.Writing techniques 2. arranging details i) subject-to-subject arrangement present the complete information on one subject in t

18、he first half of your essay, then move on to the second subject in the second half of the paperThis method works well with shorter essays. Model The development of transportation and that of communication have much in common. Thanks to the industrial revolution, means of transportation makes a great

19、 leap forward. With the invention of the steam locomotive people can travel faster by trains, cars and ships. Nowadays people can travel even faster by airplanes and rocket planes. Transportation develops faster to meet peoples need for traveling quickly and comfortably. Similarly, communication goe

20、s forward remarkably with the coming of information revolution. Great progress in science and technology enables people to communicate with each other more quickly by telegram, telephone and radio. Now the use of computer helps people to gather information more efficiently by E-mail and Internet. Th

21、e development of communication is quickening in response to peoples need for efficient and convenient exchange of information. ii) Point-by-point arrangement compare or contrast a particular aspect of the subjects, usually in the same paragraph. Then move on to the next point to be compared.This met

22、hod is more useful for longer essays in which many different aspects or characteristics are being discussed. Example: There is difference between science and technology. Science is a method of answering theoretical questions; technology is a method of solving practical problems. Science has to do wi

23、th discovering the facts and the relationships between phenomena in nature and with establishing theories that help to organize these facts and relationships; technology has to do with tools, techniques, and procedures for putting the findings of science into practical use.Remember: no matter which

24、pattern you use, you should maintain a balance in the treatment of the two subjects in your writing. In other words, you shouldnt devote most of your essay to subject A, and only a small fraction to subject B. Writing techniques3. A variety of transitional devices i) by words & expressions for c

25、omparisonthe same as, similar to, likewise, so, too/also, first/second/third another, resemble, accordingly, correspondinglyExample: They did, and by a mysterious coincidence, so did she.ii) By words & expressions for contrast but, yet, however, nevertheless, on the other hand, on the contrary,

26、unlike, the opposite to, in contrast to, although, while, in spite of, morethan, not asasExample: The objective test usually consist of a large number of unrelated questions that require the student to demonstrate mastery of details. The essay exam, on the other hand, usually consist of a few broadl

27、y stated questions that require the student to organize his responses in essay form.iii) By parallelismExample: The bright child is curious about life and reality, eager to get in touch with it, embrace it, unite himself with it. The dull child is far less curious, far less interested in what goes o

28、n and what is real, more inclined to live in worlds of fantasy.4. 分類法 Classificationw To classify is to group items into categories according to some consistent principles or the characteristics those things have in common. w It is a process of bringing order out of confusion, a good way to make you

29、r point clear.4. 分類法 Classificationw College PressuresEconomic pressure parental pressurePeer pressure self-induced pressure 5. 因果說明法 Cause and effect w A cause-effect essay is a piece of expository writing showing or explaining the cause and/or effect of something.w Explaining cause: analyzing the

30、reason underlying an event that has already occurred. Why does college tuition continue to rise?w Predicting effect: gauging the consequences of an event that has yet to occur What are the positive and negative effects of legalizing lotteries? Writing techniques 1. Establishing your writing purpose

31、to inform to persuade to shareWriting techniques 2. Writing a thesis statement cover one or more of the following: i) Describe the central point you will discuss ii) Explain whether your focus will be on causes, effects or bothiii) State the basic causes or effects and the order in which they will be presente