English reviewer

Week 14 – Authors biases

What is Bias?

Bias refers to an author’s expression of his/her own opinion on a particular issue without
examining and presenting enough evidences.

When does an author become bias?

Author’s Bias

An author becomes bias when he/she persuades the reader to believe on his/her own stand of the issue
by giving inaccurate information or false impression even with or without the intention of misleading
the readers.

Determining Author’s Biases

To determine the author’s biases and to understand his/her underlying purpose, you must look at the
use of evidence and diction.

Evidence can be in a form of facts and information, testimonies and direct observations, scientific and
legal findings, and anecdotes and philosophical evidence.

Diction refers to the words or expressions that help convey the stand of the author towards an issue.
These words and expressions may indicate a positive or negative connotation or meaning.

If we don't confront our biases, we miss the opportunity to learn, connect, and grow. If our biases go
unchecked, we find ourselves in a vacuum of people who think, look, and navigate the world the same
way we do. We miss out on opportunities to learn from diverse viewpoints.
Week 14 day 2 - Positive or Negative

Here are some guide questions to check the author’s use of evidence.

• Does the author present more positive evidences to support one side of an issue?

• Does the author present more negative evidences to disprove one side of an issue?

Week 15 – Propaganda Technics

Propaganda Techniques

It is a mode od communication used to influence a cause or certain view.

It is a collection of messages aimed at influencing the views of people.

It is mostly focused on spreading ideas to manipulate the behavior of many instead of the telling them
the truth

It is usually repeated and dispersed over various media to create the chosen result in audience attitudes.

#1 Name Calling

It gives a negative symbol or bad label to establish an unfavorable opinion or hatred to a person or
idea. This is used to make the audience reject the person or the idea without examining what the label
really means and looking at the available evidence.
#2 Testimonial

This popular advertising technique uses renowned, or celebrity figures to endorse products and
services. When a famous person vouches for something, viewers are likely to consider the person's
credibility and popularity. However, non-celebrities may also give testimonials.

#3 Transfer

It employs the use of symbols, quotations, images of famous people to impart an idea or claim that
carries respect, authority, sanction to make it look more acceptable. Religious and patriotic images are
commonly used in this propaganda technique.

#4 Glittering Generalities

It uses emotionally appealing vague, broad words or statements to generate positive feelings in the
minds of the masses, which they associate the product. It uses fancy words to elicit a positive response
from the viewer. The use of praise words to promote a product.
#5 Bandwagon

It is all about persuading the target audience to take action. It's about creating an urge amongst people
to become a part of the "in-crowd." To enforce such a feeling, advertisers typically use phrases like
"join the crowd" or "trending now" for their products and services.

Propaganda Techniques

- mode of communication used to influence a cause or certain view.

- It is mostly focused on spreading ideas to manipulate the behavior of the many instead of telling
them the truth.

How propaganda techniques persuade people to gain their trust and approval?

Propaganda in the broadest sense is the technique of influencing human action by the manipulation of
representations. A number of propaganda techniques based on social psychological research are used to
generate propaganda. Many of these same techniques can be classified as logical fallacies, since
propagandists use arguments that, while sometimes convincing, are not necessarily valid.

Making Informed Decisions

Informed decisions

With informed decision-making, individuals can have a better idea of the risks and benefits related to
each option, which gives them more realistic expectations of the decision's outcome.

Benefits of Making Informed Decisions

- increased knowledge
- sense of self-confidence
- satisfaction with your care
- decreased anxiety and feelings of conflict about your decision.
Steps in Making Informed Decisions

Here are seven steps to help you make informed decisions:

- identify the problem

- collect data and information.
- Brainstorm all possible alternatives.
- Weigh the alternatives
- Take your pick
- Enact a plan
- Review the decision.

Propaganda in the broadest sense is the technique of influencing human action by the manipulation of
representations. A number of propaganda techniques based on social psychological research are used to
generate propaganda. Many of these same techniques can be classified as logical fallacies, since
propagandists use arguments that, while sometimes convincing, are not necessarily valid.

Week 16 – Social, Moral, Economic Issues

“The government has intensified its fight against national problems such as illegal drugs, gender
inequality, corruption, and poverty. These are leeches that made the country bleed.”

The Three Major Issues

A. Social Issues

Social issues are problems that influence many citizens within a society. It is a common problem in
present-day society and one that many people strive to solve. It is often the consequence of factors
extending beyond an individual's control. Social issues are the source of a conflicting opinion on what is
perceived as morally correct or incorrect personal life or interpersonal social life decisions.

Ex. diff forms of discrimination, broken family, sabotage, bullying, peace & order, drug abuse
 B. Moral Issues

Moral issues involve the difference of belief and not a matter of preference, the experience of a special
kind of feeling, a specific kind of situation where actions affect other people, and actions that have the
potential to help or harm others, even ourselves. In other words, moral issues are issues relating to
principles of right and wrong.

Ex. Stealing, abortion, teenage pregnancy, illicit affairs, gambling, graft & corruption, prostitution.

C. Economic Issues

The economic issues assert that there is a scarcity or that the finite resources available are insufficient
to satisfy all human wants and needs. The problem then becomes how to determine what is to be
produced and how the production factors are to be allocated. Economics revolves around methods and
possibilities of solving the economic problem.

Ex. poverty, inflation, environment issues, health issues

Determining Issues in a text

In locating these issues in the text, such as literary pieces, you must understand how the plotline is
affected by aspects of the world depicted in the story.

In this era of modern technology and easy accessibility to social media platforms, everyone is exposed to
the different issues that the world is facing every day. Being aware of these problems at a young age will
enable you, our dear learners, to view life seriously so that you will take the initiative to be part of the
solutions to these problems soon, and eventually be the epitome of change and hope of this country, as
Dr. Jose P. Rizal said: "the youth is the hope of our motherland."

It is important to know about this topic to help you scrutinize ideas that suggest this kind of issues to
enable you to think of possible solutions for these problems.

Week 17 – Using Parallel Structure in Grammar

Parallelism

Parallelism is defined as the state of being alike, aligned, or corresponding in some way. In grammar,
parallelism is the similarity of grammatical form for similar meaning elements within a sentence or
among sentences.
As defined earlier Parallel structure (also called parallelism) is the repetition of a chosen grammatical
form within a sentence, or it is the use of matching sentence structure, phrases, or longer parts so as to
balance ideas of equal importance.

Sentence elements that are the same in function should also be the same in construction. These
elements should be in the same grammatical form so that they are parallel.

Here are the five types of parallelism we generally use in writing:

1. With elements joined by coordinating conjunctions, especially and, but, and or.

Jogging and running are the easiest exercise.

Parallel elements – jogging, running

Coordinating conjunction – and

I do not enjoy jogging or running.

Parallel elements – jogging, running

Coordinating conjunction – or

Examples of parallel phrases:

She likes to eat but not to drink.

Parallel infinitive phrases –to eat, to drink

Coordinating conjunction –but

 You will find the brown wallet in the cabinet or under the bed.

Parallel prepositional phrases –in the cabinet, under the bed

Coordinating conjunction – or

Examples of parallel clauses:

Please return the calculator after we have had some coffee or when your class is over.

Parallel clauses – after we have some coffee when your class is over

Coordinating conjunction – or

I wondered who she was and what she was doing here.

Parallel clauses –who she was, what she was doing here

Coordinating conjunction –and

The examples below show how to repair faulty parallelism.

FAULTY: Grandma likes to eat at inexpensive restaurants and visiting beautiful places.

CORRECT: Grandma likes to eat at inexpensive restaurants and to visit beautiful places. -OR- Grandma
likes eating at inexpensive restaurants and visiting beautiful places.

2. Use parallel structure with elements in lists or a series.

A series is a group of three or more elements in a row. The last element in the series is
connected to the others with one of these coordinating conjunctions: and, or, but (not), or yet
(not). Commas should be placed between each element in the series and before the
coordinating conjunction.

Examples

▪Series of words

Rosalie wanted three gifts this Christmas: a laptop, mini-iPod, and cash.

•Series of infinitives

I have no time to request my transcript, to process my license, and to pay my water bill.

▪Series of a prepositional phrase

You can find yellow pads in the school supply section, in some grocery stores, but not in the gasoline
station.

•Series of clauses

She doesn't care about who he is, what he has, and what he can give as her boyfriend.
 3. Use a parallel structure with elements being compared. (X is more than / better than Y). When
we compare things, we often use words such as more, less, better, and worse; We connect the
items being compared with words like as and than.

Note the comparison methods in the examples below.

➢Going to Manila by single motorcycle can actually take less time than taking a van.

➢How you respect others is just as important as how much you value yourself.

Comparing items without using parallel structure may cause confusion about what is being compared to
what. Repair faulty parallelism in comparisons by making one element of the comparison parallel to the
other.

FAULTY: I like swimming better than to dive.

CORRECT: I like swimming better than diving

4. Use parallel structure with elements joined by a linking verb or a verb of being. Joining elements
with linking verbs or verbs suggesting completion of the first item by the second one.

What you see is what you get.

Being my friend means being always on the go.

To know him is to respect him.

Repair faulty parallelism by linking verbs or verbs of being by making one element of the equation
parallel to the other.

FAULTY: To succeed is opening a new opportunity.

CORRECT: To succeed is to open a new opportunity.

5. Use a parallel structure with elements joined by correlative conjunction. These are the major
correlative conjunctions:

either / or, neither / nor, both / and, not only / but also

Note: Correlative conjunctions work in pairs.

Whatever grammatical structure follows; one must be parallel to the grammatical structure that follows
the other. Examples with either / or and neither / nor

➢We were told to either reduce the number of pages or to delete one chapter.
➢Bryan was neither going to classes nor practicing his dance number

Examples with both / and

➢I like to buy both a new cellphone and to avail myself of an instalment laptop.

➢I like to buy both a new cellphone and a laptop.

Examples with not only / but also

➢As new employees, we were told not only what to do but also what to contribute to the company.
➢Miguel wished not only to go to Korea for summer but also to stay there for good.

Parallelism is important in writing because it allows a writer to achieve a sense of rhythm and order.
When sentence structures are not parallel, writing sounds awkward and choppy. Parallel clauses are
usually combined with the use of a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

Week 18 – Using Appropriate Grammatical Signals

What are Grammatical Signals or Expressions?

Grammatical signals or expressions are writing devices that serve to maintain text coherence or unity of
ideas. They signal the relationship between sentences.

They can be words or phrases that connect the ideas of sentences and paragraphs for coherence. They
also indicate building up a new idea or thought or comparing ideas or drawing conclusions.

Grammatical signals or expressions are used in idea development for each pattern, namely:

1. general to particular

2. claim and counterclaim

3. problem-solution

4. cause-effect

What is General to Particular Pattern?

It is a method of writing a composition that discusses a broad topic using specific details that support
the topic.

It is a pattern of developing ideas that begin with a general idea or statement. This is followed by
specific details to support and explain the general idea.

Here are some of the grammatical signals that are used to express ideas from general to particular:
for example

namely

in fact

such as

for instance

like

in other words

that is

indeed

specifically

in particular

including

What are the signals words for problem-solution pattern?

The specific problem within the larger problem also has a signal word. The word "issue" signals that
there is another problem being presented. The solution is signaled by the word "remedy." It also helps
to look at the signal words in context by looking at the words around them.

Here are the grammatical signals to be used for problem-solution pattern of idea development:

Because

cause

since as a result

in order to

and so that

as a solution

and one way.

What are the grammatical signals on Claim and Counterclaim

These are expressions used when the idea of the sentence or the paragraph signifies argument where
there is more than one side to a debate.

The following expressions are used in making claims and counterclaims.

However

Otherwise

But

nevertheless

on the contrary

on the other hand

in contrast

nonetheless

Examples:

1. You can come with us if you are ready; otherwise,you will have to ride the bus.

2. James and his team didn’t finish the project; however, they did work hard.

3. The bullet ant is a small creature. Nonetheless, its bite is extremely painful.

What are the grammatical signals on Cause and Effect?

These are words used to describe how an action or event is caused by another event or action.

Therefore

so consequently

due to as a result

for this reason

because

thus

hence

Examples:

1. It was raining; therefore, I stayed at home.

2. Because of the rain I stayed at home.

3. I stayed at home due to the rain.

In English grammar, a signal phrase is a phrase, clause, or sentence that introduces a quotation,
paraphrase, or summary. They signal the relationship between sentences. They can be words or phrases
that connect the ideas of sentences and paragraphs for coherence. They also indicate building up a new
idea or thought or comparing ideas or drawing conclusions.

It is important to know about this topic to help you scrutinize ideas that suggest this kind of issues to
enable you to think of possible solutions for these problems.