'Test' in test

After had learnt the entire syllabus, finally we end it with a test. The test is about the entire topic we cover start from paraphrasing, summarising, citing, synthesizing and write the essay.

We were provided with two articles from different sources. We need to write a new essay about the topic sentence given and use the idea from both articles to write it. All the information are given in the article but what we had to do is, find out, and use all the technique such as paraphrase, summarise, synthesise, using citation, to ensure that we were not copying or plagiarism others work.

We were given about 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete an essay. All the sources need to cite and put it in references part. The most challenging part in this test is, we had to memorise all type of references style since we do not know which one will be used as our article sources. Difference source have different style such as books, journal article, newspaper, magazine, all of this have its own style of writing the reference.

Basically, the article is talk about Genetic Modified Organism (GMO) that has been used in agriculture field to increase the profits and production. other that its help in provide better production, it is also give more advantages to the crop which is it is prove that more safe to consume and environmentally friendly rather than other product that did not used GMO technique. Research found other alternative for the plant to resist external intervention such as insect attack and climates change. This finding was helping farmer reduce their capital for buy pesticides and it help to reduce use of pesticides on crops. Indirectly, risk of eaten chemical food can be reduced and risk to the environment effect of chemical usage in pesticide can be minimized.

Honestly, I am a bit frustrated because I cannot do well in my test last week. Since it is already done, I just hope that all my effort for this semester will be rewarded. It may not this time, but maybe in next task. Let bygone be bygone.

“Keep going. You're almost there and remember, the sun is most beautiful as it's going away.” 

― Yasmin Mogahed, Reclaim Your Heart

write an essay

Hai and hello friends!

Today i want to share some knowledge that i get from Academic Skill class. Basically, we learnt same thing but in different ways. 

Since last week we learnt about how to write essay, so here some tips that I learnt. 

Basically, in essay writing it is important to have these three parts; introduction, body content and conclusion. For each part have another important points which are general statement and thesis statement in introductory paragraph, topic sentence, supporting details and concluding sentence in each body paragraph and summary of main points, restatement of thesis statement and concluding statements.

Writing an introductory part as simple and short can attract reader intention to read it. We can use any style of writing such as using situation or dialog related to the topic, using statistic or general information where it is give reader preview about the whole essay. The thesis statement is compulsory in introductory part which it is shall in complete sentences and it is prohibited to use question and thesis statement. This thesis statement will contain all the main idea for the essay.  It is good if we can write an interesting and catchy introduction.

In body part, it is containing our thesis statement that already state in introductory part. It will be our main idea. The main idea of the body part is not necessary to be at the first sentences, it may at any part. If we have more main idea stated in the thesis statement, it is mean that we will have more body paragraph. It is important to separate each of the main idea in the different paragraph to make in organized. Same paragraph have more than one main idea will cause lack of information for certain main idea or make the paragraph to long. It will cause reader felt bored to read it. Usually, we used five paragraph essays outline which three paragraphs for body and one for introduction and conclusion part. 

source from internet

To elaborate the main idea, supporting details is the sentences where it will give explanation more by provide examples, facts or description about the main idea. To make the body paragraph more organized, in sequence, we can use any transition marker such as nevertheless, accordingly, for example, next and many more. Lastly, complete it using concluding sentence at the end of each paragraph.

After state all the thesis statement in each body paragraph, conclude it in the conclusion part. Restate the thesis statement and we can put any suggestion, quotation relate with the topic as it gives a great impact to the reader. It should simple and short but concise. To show it is a conclusion paragraph, we can start with any discourse markers for conclusion such as in conclusion, in a nutshell, overall, in summary and to sum up. 

Knowledge is my companion, it is with me wherever I go. My heart is its container, not the bookshelf.

–Ali RA

synthesising those articles?

Hai and hello! 

We meet again and for sure for the new topic of lecture. 

This week we finally learnt the last chapter which is SYNTHESISING. 

What is synthesising?

Is it something important in our academic writing?

Is it familiar?

source from internet

At first, i feel unfamiliar with this word, but that is actually what we always do when doing our assignment. Usually we will find many sources of information for our assignment right? Then we will list out the similarities or the differences of each sources of information that we desired to. After get the all information, we will start doing our assignment. The process of collecting and combining the information from different sources is known as synthesising.

Generally synthesis is combination, a shortened version of several texts made into one written in own words. It draws on two or more sources and combines the ideas into a coherent whole.

In any academic writing, it is important to fulfil some requirement to ensure the writing is correct. In synthesis essay, atleast these four things might help to get the successful synthesis essay.

1. Read accurately and objectively,

2. See relations among different viewpoints,

3. Define a thesis based on these relations,

4. Support the thesis effectively.

From four things above, we able identify the idea for writing the synthesis essay. The idea can be developed and varied by several ways. Usually 3 methods below might help.

Thesis supported by examples: this method using common point of each sources and supports it with examples.

Comparison and contrast: we can draw our own conclusion based on the writer’s viewpoints after compare the similarities and differences.

Argument: we can collect all the opinion from the selected writers’ viewpoints to support our solid/strong point than compare or show the weakness of the others point that we feel are not valid.

By identifying the thesis statement of the essay, it will help us easier to develop the idea. From the thesis statement, we will know which method of that we would like to choose to develop our essay. It will guide us in identifying the point from our sources and easier us to construct the essay.

Synthesise is not that difficult to do, but there are some method and techniques that we should learnt and practice. Those method and technique will guide us to get correct synthesise essay and easier our work.

This class really helping me in improving my writing and enhancing my knowledge about writing.

“The first step in knowledge is to listen, then to be quiet and attentive, then to preserve it, then to put it into practice and then to spread it.”

 -Sufyan Ibn ’Uyainah, rahimahullah, [Reported in Hilyah Al-Awliya Vol.3 p.283]-

Amazing Summarising!

Hello everyone!

Today our class has a new chapter which is summary. Summary can be defined as condensation or shortened version of a text. Summary usually used for summarize, simply or short the text. It is helping us to get the information directly rather than need to read in detailed. From the text given, we need to identify necessary and important information to construct a summary. In summary should include the main points and the major supporting details of the whole text. It is important to exclude any opinions, background knowledge and personal information in the summary. If we include any one of it, our summary considered poor summary writing since the objective of writing summary to give important point of the original text.

Before this we already learnt about paraphrase right? Basically, summary might look like a paraphrase but there are the different between them.

source form internet

In summary, there two types of summary we can used which are 

1) one sentence summary: commonly used in academic writing where more concern about thesis statement of the author’s idea and 

2) informative summary: consist of author’s main ideas, main supporting details, data and arguments where more longer.

In writing, we should know how to get the maximum mark or have a good writing. Writing summary also has its own characteristic to have a good summary. There are four characteristics of summary that I’d learnt in the class.

FIRST: proper citation

•   State the title, author and source of the text

SECOND: main ideas

•   Clearly stated the thesis statement
• Exclude the additional personal opinions, views and judgement except key ideas from author
•   Exclude the examples, illustrations, descriptions and detailed explanations

THIRD: paraphrase

•  Rewrite using own words and sentence structure of author’s ideas
•  Ensure did not unchanged the original ideas of author when paraphrase

FOURTH: length

•   Should shorter than given text
•   Depends on summarise attention either for one-sentence summary or informative summary

That’s all about the topic this week, hopefully for better writing in future we are able to apply it in our writing. The most important thing is we are able to write better than before and able to write in proper, appropriate and improve our writing skills. 

"The capacity to learn is gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice."

via- Islamic Thoughts

Documenting Evidence

hai everyone!

We meet again this week. Almost 2 week we have not a class due to some event in our faculty. This week we continue with documenting evidence. What it is? Is it really important for us? Yes, it is really important. It is really important especially for students and those who like doing a research or report. 

Basically, documenting refer to sources that we used for our writing where we acknowledge them. Documenting can occur in two ways which citation and references.

Citation we can found in the text that we wrote while references usually located at the back of the report or paper. References appear more information rather than citation.

Oh ya, before we continue about citation and references, there are several type of style in writing citation and references and the commonly use is APA style (American Psychological Association). And yes, we currently use it.

Citation usually involve in the text of the paper. Which means we show the information that we wrote are from the others idea. Citation usually contain name of author and the year of the source published. An example of citation is

According to Crystal (1985),………………………………………..

………………………………………. (Cohen, 1996).

Citation can be either at the beginning or at the end of the sentences and it can be written as above.

While for references, it is the information that enables reader to find the sources we use. It is consist of all the citation information that we had use in our writing. Besides references, we also use bibliography as the information collection at the end of our paper. There is some different between references and bibliography which is references consist all of the citation we had use or stated in our writing but bibliography consist of all the information obtained either from proper or non-proper sources such blog. All the information is stated in the bibliography eventhough we did not use it as our citation in our paper. It is considered as all the material we used in our writing.

There are different in citing style for each type of sources we used. Books, journal, newspaper, websites or any others sources have its own style in writing it. Below is the example of writing the references and citation for different type of sources.

Both source from  internet

After learning it, we should able to use it in our assignment and it is important for thesis writing. I hope that we able to practice it and expert and more familiar with it.

See you again later with new lesson. Bye!

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” – Rumi

Life lesson from Kung Fu Panda 2

Hi everyone!

Actually this is my reflection for Academic Skill subject, but I found out that this story was really interesting. And yeah, I want to share it others :)

So, I wrote some life lesson that I got from Kung Fu Panda 2.

source from internet

            In short, this movie is told about journey of Po (a panda) and his friends in the journey against enemy, Lord Shen. Po also had some conflict which his father which is a goose. His father told that he was found Po in the vegetable basket behind his restaurant and raised him until now. Po really wants to know about his background and who is his parent. As he fights for justice and peace, little by little he remembers what the past happened to him. Lord Shen was the one who responsible separated him with his parent. Inner peace that had mention by his Master Shifu really helps him to remind his past memory. It is also was help him to win against Lord Shen.

            The journey of Po against his enemy was bringing many lessons in this movie. There are 6 life lessons that I can find which are the inner peace, teamwork, appreciate what we have, affection of others, past doesn't make who we are and life is the real teacher.

The inner peace is the difficult phase of peace that can be achieved. It is not like physically peace, but it is totally inside us. Like what was happen with Po which he only found it when he get real calmness, accept what happen in the past and appreciate what he have now. With that, he found his strength, confidence and happiness that brought to victory against his enemy. Contras with Lord Shen, even though he has powerful weapon and strong wolf, he frets inside. He was full of revenge, fear and greedy. It is caused he was defeated by Po.

Po was really lucky, he has a good friends. Even Po always not take serious in what he does, his friend always beside him. Tigress is the one who always patient with Po’s behaviour. Although Po always careless, clumsy and annoyed them, his friend always support him. It can be seen when his friend always worried about him when they at the Gongmen City. Po suddenly disappears and become a Dragon disguise in order to hide himself. When his friend found out Po in the dragon disguise and he was in danger, they quickly come to Po and together pass the danger (Wolves) to find the jail (which their mission). It is impossible for Po to do his own since he was alone in the dragon disguise. He cannot see clearly the road and the enemies, but with his friend they able to do it. It is possible for us to do thing own, but sometimes we don’t know where the danger come. It may saw by our friend. It is call team work. We are helping each other to achieve successful.

This movie also teaches me to appreciate what we have. We may imperfect, have weakness, lacking in certain things but we actually have others strength. Po was curious about his background, who was his parent where he come from and how he was adopted by Mr. Ping. Po sad when Mr. Ping told that he was found behind Mr. Ping’s restaurant, but he was raised by Mr. Ping with a bulk of love. It may doesn’t have by others even they have a real parents. Like Lord Shen, because of his greediness and revenge, we lost his parents even he had power. It is important for us to live our life with appreciation. Anything can be lost, but if we able to appreciate everything we have, each losing will become a good memory. Even Po lost his parents, now he has a good father, Mr. Ping.

            This movie show many sense of affection. Po has good friend, super-duper lovely father, great Shifu and love by all people around him. His friend always beside him in whatever situation he is. Always together in achieve their mission and task. Helping each other during battle and never leave each other alone. He also has great father who always care about him. Mr. Ping really worried when Po said he had to go for save the Master of Gongmen City, Thundering Rhino. He packed a food and necessary things for him. This is how Mr. Ping shows his affection toward his son. People around him really impressed with him and children really love him. Po also has a good sense with the children and it can be seen when he kiss the child that waited for him at his father’s restaurant. 

As stated by his father, “Oh, Po, your story may not have such a happy beginning, but look how it turned out. You got me, you got kung fu, and you got noodles! “. Past doesn’t make who we are, we are the responsible one to choose what we are. Even though he is just a clumsy and flustered panda at first but he has a big dream to become kung fu master. He chooses to be a great and finally he able to do it. In addition, he was adopted by a goose, left by his parent but it is not the end of his life. He is able to get a better life now with his foster father, friends and his Master Shifu. I think it is one of the great lessons from this movie. From this, we know that everybody have chance to be better, great and achieve what we want even we were not from a good family background.

Life is the real teacher. After what Po was facing, fear of losing his real parents, happiness that he get from his foster father and courage in facing the fear he finally able to found his inner peace. It may be able to learn through class or learning from formal teacher but through our own life. Even though we might facing many difficulties and fear, but we are able to taste the real strength, happiness and peaceful behind it. This lesson cannot get if we are not encounter it. After we had all those pain and hardship, we will know what the real happiness is. It was what life told us.

In conclusion, everything in our life is a great moment. It is depending on us how to manage it, to face it and to adapt it. If we have a positive thinking, everything will be a good for us. Maybe not now, but in the future.

"To get what you love, you must first be patient with what you hate"- Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

Paraphrase it please!

Salam and hello everyone!

We meet again after one week break for Eid Al-adha and mid semester break. I’m sure that everybody has own plan and activities during the holidays. Whatever it is, the important thing is we have a quality time with our family since almost of us are far away from our hometown. How I missed my home right now! huuuu T_T 

Unfortunately, now we are already in new week of semester so we have to continue our routine as a student. So, as usual, on Thursday we have ELC class and will learn new topic.

Paraphrase is an interesting topic we learnt in class today. Actually it is not a new thing especially for students but it is always take an easy.  What do you think why I said it is not a new thing?

Let me show an example, when you are watching a movie, when back home you are asked by your friend to retelling the story you watched. Then, you are paraphrase the story, change some of the words, change the sentence from the active to passive using your own word which brings the same meaning with the original one.For sure you did not told the exactly what the dialog right? That calls as PARAPHRASE! See, we are commonly used it without acknowledge it.

But in term of writing, there are several conditions for paraphrase we should know for it considered as acceptable and legitimate. What it is? There are three conditions to fulfill first which are:

1) Have the same meaning: it is mean that the important ideas are included, no addition of new idea and the original intention and tone not altered.

2) Use own word: it means that change the sentence structured, change the vocabulary, do not copy original word more than five words and not copy distinctive vocabulary.

3) Cite the original source: all the information should acknowledge and cited.

So, when all the above criteria is fulfill then the paraphrase can be accepted and legitimate. If not, it can consider as plagiarism.

Hmm, but then it is an easy to paraphrase an article, journal right? That’s why in this class we also learnt some techniques or method of paraphrasing. Basically there are three methods which are Grammar Help Method, Retelling Method and Chunking Method.

Grammar Help Method

The basic method is Grammar Help Method which we commonly used it. We can paraphrase using this method by using synonyms to replace the words, using negative to change the verb such as instead of remembered, we can use not forget, change sentence structure from active to passive or vice versa, using noun, verb, adjective and adverb to change the part of speech, change the sentence structure by moving part of sentence and lastly using linker to combine the sentences and phrases.

Retelling Method

Retelling method is kind of method where we did not concern the original text but we pressed on the meaning. Which mean, we used our own word without depend on the original text.

Chunking Method

Chunking Method means break up the sentence into more manageable part for easier us understand and translate into our own word. But we have considered certain term which it is not necessary to change it.

Hah! I hope with three methods above we will be able help us to paraphrase better than before. Most important thing is Practice Make Perfect. Let’s practice!

"Keep going you're almost there, and remember,

 the sun is most beautiful as it's going away."

via-AllahAlJalil.tumblr.com