|
To present information about and arguments for both sides of a topical issue, concluding with a recommnendation
based on the weight of evidence.
Discussions are commonly used by Royal Commissions, local Councils and Shool bodies to look at different sides of
an issu. They are used in the written mode by students in school essays and the HSC examination.
|
- Fous on generic human and non-human participants.
eg. advertisement, newspapers, strong views, many people, junk mail
- Use of simple present tense.
eg. are, have, is promote, compete, saves, sells, take up
- Use of material, relational and mental prcesses(types of verbs)
Material - give, come, save, firslty, also, on the other hand
Relation - have, are, is, should have, has
Mental - think, feel, disagree
|
|
Generic(schemtatic)structure
|
- Issue
- Arguments for and against(pros and cons) or in more complex discussion
- Statements of differing points of view
- Recommendation
The schematic structure refers to the stages a genre moves through to achieve its social purpose. Some of the stage
are obligitory while others are optional. Furthermore, some of the stages may be repeated. The differences
in schematic structure is a major distinguishing feature between genres.
In analysing Example about advertisements it can be seen that the Discussion has the following structure.
First, Example outlines the issue - "Should we have printed advertisements?" and previews the pros and cons
- ads are nothing more than useless junk mail(against)
- ads are an important source of information(for)
Second, she outlines two arguments for advertisements
- ads give us information about what is available
- ads promote business
Third, she outlines six arguments against printed advertisements.
- ads cost shop keepers a lot of meoney
- people don't like finding junk mail in their letter boxes
- people may not find the ads very interesting
- ads influence people to buy itmes they don't need and can't really afford
- ads use up a lot of space
- a lot of effort has to be made to make the ads eye-catching
Finally, example sums up by recommeding that we should not have printed advertisements.
Ways to open the introductory paragrph
- The current debate regarding..
- There are both advantages and disadvantages in..
- Before deciding whether..
- Every society has different views on whether or not..
- There are many reasons for both sides of the issue about why..
- In discussing whether or not..
- It is often argued that..
Ways to introduce another viewpoint
- although
- on the other hand
- nevertheless
- sometimes we may
- however
- on the other side
- in spite of
- one side of the issue
- in contrast to
- this differs from
- at the same time
- notwithstandings
|
MODEL : DISCUSSION
Advertisements
There are many reasons for both sides of the question, "Should we have printed advertisements?"
Many people have strong views and feel that ads are nothing more than useless junk mail, while other people
feel they are an important source of information.
Here are some reasons why we should have advertisements in newspapers and magazines.
One reason is ads give us we can find out what is on sale and what is new in the market. This is an easy
way of shopping. Another reason is that advertisements promote business. When shop owners
compete against each other the buyer saves money, more people come to their shops and they sell more goods.
On the other hand, some people argue ads should not be put in newspapers and magazines for
these various reasons. Firstly, ads cost the shopkeepers a lot of money to print onto paper.
Also some people don't like finding junk mail in their letter boxes. People may also find the ads not very
interesting. Ads also influence people to buy items they don't need and can't really afford.
Ads use up a lot of space and a lot of effort has to be made to make the ads eye-catching.
In summary, although ads provide people with information, their costs far outweigh their benefts.
Therefore I think we should not have printed advertisements
|