General Paper (Paper 1) Skills Essay Writing Relevance

Staying Relevant
Students often choose essays based on the fact that they are kno ledgeable about the topic concerned! "nfortunately# they end up riting about the topic in general# ithout actually ans ering the specific $uestion! Example 1: To what extent should scientists concern themselves with ethical issues? %any students assu&e this essay is about science and rite about the ethical issues raised by ne technologies! 'his is rong# as the $uestion actually asks about scientists and ho &uch they should be concerned about ethical issues! (elo are so&e sa&ple points that should help you see the difference! Example 2: Should marriage be a lifelong commitment? %any students sa the ord )&arriage* and thought that the $uestion as si&ply about hy &arriage is good# or hy people &arry! Whilst &arriage &ay be the topic under consideration# the focus is actually on )lifelong co&&it&ent*! 1 To what extent should scientists concern themselves with ethical issues? #nswers the "uestion Scientists are people ho are &ost kno ledgeable about their ork and are therefore in the best position to infor& the public about the i&plications! -s the creators of G% food# for e.a&ple# they have a responsibility to ensure that the public is ell/infor&ed! 0ertainly scientists ould be &ore kno ledgeable than advertisers and G% food &anufacturers# ho ould be biased because they hope to profit fro& selling the food! While it is true that scientists are on a $uest for kno ledge# they have responsibility to ensure that their ork benefits hu&anity and &ust understand that their $uest does not give the& carte blanche to ignore the repercussions! 1or e.a&ple# ste& cell cloning has &uch pro&ise# and &any scientists are eagerly trying to push the boundaries of research and &edical advances! 2o ever# they &ust try their best to ensure that they do not pursue this $uest for kno ledge in a vacuu&# and &ust pay attention to the ethical repercussions! Scientists &ust decide here their priorities lie should they focus on producing results# regardless of ho &ay benefit3 1or e.a&ple# should they ork for phar&aceutical fir&s that over/charge life/saving &edication# putting it beyond the reach of the poor in third orld countries3

!oes not answer the "uestion Genetically &odified food &ay help overco&e the proble&s of starvation# but it is still uncertain hat the effect on the environ&ent &ight be! +This is an issue in science; it does not show how much scientists should be concerned., Ste& cell cloning &ay pro&ise to produce a&ple organs for transplants# but &any fear that this technology &ay be abused# leading to callous production of purpose/built hu&an beings created in laboratories to be harvested for their organs! +This is another issue in science it does not show how much scientists should be concerned., -dvances in science benefit only the rich# hile the poor# ho need the& &ost# are ignored! +Again, this does not show what scientists can or should do about the problem., 2

Should marriage be a lifelong commitment?

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General Paper (Paper 1) Skills Essay Writing Relevance

!oes not answer the "uestion People &arry because they ant to have love and co&panionship! +This shows why people marry it does not show whether it should be a lifelong commitment., %arriage is good because it allo s people to build fa&ilies! +This simply shows that marriage is good it does not show whether it should be a lifelong commitment., %arriages have been taking place since the beginning of ti&e! +This is a vague description of marriage that does nothing to answer the question., 'he divorce rate is going up# hile there are &ore single/ parent fa&ilies as ell; this is a bad trend in society! +This is a mere description of the situation today it does not show why marriage should or should not be a lifelong commitment.,

#nswers the "uestion %arriage is an undertaking to be faithful to one8s partner in all circu&stances! )Easy/in/easy/out* &arriages sho disrespect for the institution of &arriage and also for the individual! 9ivorce should not be seen as an easy escape hatch! 0ouples should ork to &ake their &arriage last because this sho s co&&it&ent and respect! :n &arriages here the couple &akes the co&&it&ent and effort to &ake the &arriage last# there is usually &ore deter&ination to build a healthy fa&ily life# hich benefits the children and ulti&ately society! Society8s stability depends on secure fa&ilies here children are raised properly# and lifelong &arriages here parents are co&&itted to each other are often &arriages here the parents are co&&itted to their children! 1or those ho have religion# &arriage is a pro&ise to be faithful to one partner; this vo is &ade before God# and should not be taken lightly! 'herefore &arriage should be a lifelong co&&it&ent because it is a serious undertaking!

While &arriages should ideally be a lifelong co&&it&ent# there are situations here &aintaining a &arriage for the sake of it &ay not be the best option! %arriage should not be forcibly lifelong if one partner is abusive or unfaithful; in such a situation# divorce should be allo ed! Re&arriage should also be allo ed if either partner has died# or has abandoned the fa&ily! 'he partner left behind should not be deprived of an opportunity to find happiness again!

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General Paper (Paper 1) Skills Essay Writing Relevance

:dentifying <ey Phrases %any $uestions ask about a particular situation in )today8s forth! orld*# )the orld today* and so

1or e.a&ple= (a) ):n today$s world# hu&ility is no longer a virtue but a handicap!* 2o far do you agree ith this state&ent3 (b) )'hey are delin$uent because they have been deprived!* :s this an ade$uate e.planation of cri&inal behaviour a&ong young people in today$s society3 (c) :n the modern world# i&age is everything!* 9iscuss! (d) :s a sound kno ledge of science and technology essential for a ell/educated person in today$s world3 'he phrase ):n today8s orld* is not si&ply an e.pendable ite& or conventional ay to begin a sentence! :t has an i&portant role to play in the $uestion! 9on8t ignore it or &erely repeat the phrase ithout analy>ing its i&pact! <no here the e.a&iner is co&ing fro&= he is using the phrase to pro&pt you to recogni>e ? ackno ledge the fact that the situation concerned as not al ays the ay it is no # and has changed fro& the past! 1or e.a&ple# here8s one possible point for $uestion (d) :s a sound kno ledge of science and technology essential for a ell/educated person in today$s world3

- &ere t enty years ago# it as perfectly acceptable to be fairly ignorant about science and technology! %ost people# for e.a&ple# could rely on the library# a type riter and hand/dra n posters to do a research pro@ect and present it! 'oday# it has practically beco&e a re$uire&ent to use the :nternet# Po erPoint and other technological innovations to do any sort of pro@ect or presentation! 'hose ho do not have a sound kno ledge of these innovations ill be left behind and regarded as ignorant dinosaurs! 'he conditions today have an i&portant impact on the situation in the $uestion! 1or e.a&ple# here8s a point to consider for the $uestion ):n the modern world# i&age is everything!* 9iscuss!

:t could be said that the &ass &edia is one of the &ost unavoidable aspects of &odern life! 'elevision# for e.a&ple# has invaded every ho&e and office# bea&ing i&ages of beautiful# ultra/fit# tanned# sli& &en and o&en ho see& to be successful because they look good! 'hese i&ages spread further and faster than ever before# leaving an indelible i&pact on i&pressionable &inds and persuading gullible people that they too &ust pro@ect an acceptable i&age!

2ere is an e.tract fro& an essay that re$uires the student to sho the effect of )today8s society* on delin$uency! See ho the second version ans ers the $uestion &ore effectively!

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General Paper (Paper 1) Skills Essay Writing Relevance

Example: %They are delin"uent because they have been deprived & 's this an ade"uate explanation of criminal behaviour among young people in today$s society? 'he e.tract here sho s so&e reasons for 'he sa&e points can be used# but delin$uency# but the reasons given here clearer link to today8s society! could ell be applied to any other ti&e fra&e! %any parents# including the &other# go out to ork so as to earn &oney and ensure their children live a co&fortable life! 2o ever# by doing this# they leave their children alone at ho&e for long hours everyday# depriving the& of direct love and care fro& their parents! 'his leads the& to think that their parents do not car about the&# so they start to co&&it cri&es to gain attention! +Parents have had to work to feed the family for centuries why should it be important today , -nother reason &ay be lack of &oney! :f a person gro s up poor# he &ay feel deprived of the co&fort or lu.uries that other people &ay en@oy! 'his &akes hi& angry# and he feels that the orld is unfair and eventually he &ay turn to cri&e to vent his anger! +!ack of anger is a condition that has e"isted for centuries why should it be a significant reason for delinquency today Also remember that the question focuses on young people, so you must show why the lack of money affects young people especially., ith a

:n today8s society# there is a greater trend for both parents to ork# leaving the children unattended at ho&e! While this &ay not have been so bad t enty years ago hen e.tended fa&ilies ere &ore nu&erous and grandparents and other relatives could help look after the children# it is no &ore co&&on to find nuclear fa&ilies that consist of only parents and children! 0onse$uently# )latchkey children* are left alone at ho&e for long hours everyday# deprived of direct love and care fro& their parents! 'his &ay lead the& to think that their parents do not care about the&# so they start to co&&it cri&es to gain attention! 'he lack of &oney has driven people to cri&e for as long as %an has e.isted! :t is generally assu&ed that people steal out of sheer need# like Aean Bal@ean# ho stole a loaf of bread to feed his fa&ily in Bictor 2ugo8s class novel )7es %iserables*! 0ertainly the delin$uency rate in poor ghetto areas like 2arle& in "S- is very high# ith over fifty thousand youth at risk! 'oday# ho ever# young people feel the lack of &oney &ore acutely than ever# because of the intense co&&ercialis& that has infected &odern society! :n the &ass &edia# teenagers are bo&barded ith i&ages of gla&orous stars dressed in the latest fashions# hile advertise&ents tru&pet the hottest ne 4ike shoe or the &ust/have 4okia handphone in eighteen )cool* colours! Coung people are especially eager to fit in and be part of the )hip* cro d# and if they do not have the re$uisite accessory# they &ay feel driven to steal to get it! 'hus hile the lack of &oney has al ays been a &a@or &otivator for cri&e# it has beco&e especially i&portant today because of the &aterialis& hich characteri>es &odern life!

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