1. Expository essay

2. Student A talks about how men and women have equal opportunities. Facts are used as evidence to support their points of view. Student A (pov): both sexes have an equal right to receive an education. Evidence: both sexes have the right to enjoy benefits like scholarships, bursaries, and they have an edusave account for educational purposes. (para 2)

Student J talks about areas in which men and women do not have equal opportunities. Student J (pov): men get better opportunities than women in the society. Evidence: most of the high ranking positions in the military are held by men. Men are given more seats in the parliament. (para 2)

3. Both of them only used the word ‘I’ when expressing their stand.

4. State their stand -> reasons and examples to support their stand -> conculsion (Student A: sums up her stand; Student J: does not sum up stand, merely concludes)

5. Student A: no hedges used. Occasional passive voice used: equality between men and women are strongly being stressed upon (para 1), the sexist way of thinking that women have to become housewives and serve their husbands after marriage has long been abolished (para 3) Uses complexity in her sentences such as conjunctions.

Student J: Only found one use of hedges: could mean (para 2), could affect (para 3). Occasional passive voice used: Most of the high rank ing positions in the military are held by men. Men are given more seats in the parliament (para 2)

6. Student A: K-transforming. She has a rhetorical goal of showing that men and women in Singapore have equal opportunities. Her topic sentences are reasons to support her rhetorical goal. The organisation structure is suited to the rhetorical situation abd makes it easier for readers to see the reasons provided.

Student J: The student established a goal, but in terms of organizing, the structure is less clear. A lot of facts are provided, but there seems to be a lot of examples but she did not use the examples to explain her stand, and this does not help the readers to see the link to her goal.

4. Language & writing skills, understanding the culture of the writing environment, creativity, ability to capture the readers’ attention.

3. Parts which apply most: Critiquing knowledge & Extending knowledge. We use a lot of extending knowledge in ALS.

How it affects: conserving knowledge - mostly facts. Critiquing knowledge - opinions and reasons. Extending knowledge - theories and innovative ideas.

Similar, but due to our lack of proficiency, we would not be able to reach the level of Extending knowledge.

2. Agree: Conserving knowledge
Disagree: Critiquing knowledge & Extending knowledge

How to improve: The teacher should facilitate questions to guide the students to ask more ‘why’ questions. Assessment and Aim under the 2nd column should be changed to the the one under Extending knowledge

What questions arose: Should there be a clear boundary between Critiquing knowledge & Extending knowledge? Should it even be divided into 3? Or should it be just 2 columns?

1. Research paper, lab reports, reading responses

Difficulties: certain format and structure to follow, not going out of point, being coherent and logical, tone of paper, personal or formal, requires specific knowledge of jargons